Steem SSE 3.7.2 release notes
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Atari ST
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You may skip this part if you think you know what the Atari ST is, 
this is just a point of view.

The Atari ST was the first 16/32 computer available at a reasonable price. 
It was built around a Motorola 68000 microprocessor and made of cheap, 
sometimes outdated, off-the-shelf components like the  WD1772 floppy disk
controller (no side control!), the HD6301 "intelligent keyboard", or IKBD,
that also handles joysticks and mouse, the YM-2149, or "PSG" sound chip,
the same that was in some 8bit computers, the infamous MC68901 MFP
(Multi-Function Peripheral), and some custom Atari chips, like the DMA
(direct memory access), the GLU (Generalized Logic Unit), the MMU
(Memory Manager Unit), the video shifter... all hastily patched together
and rushed to market, because Commodore had just stolen the Amiga from 
Atari. 

Considering the way it was designed, it did fairly well against the Amiga. 
The machine had many downsides, yet some fantastic programs (apps, games,
demos) were made for it.
The most was drawn from each of its chips, which became almost legendary:
the video shifter, the Yamaha sound chip, later the blitter... the Atari
magic!

The system was run by a stable and intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) 
controlled by mouse, the GEM. 
Anybody with some competency could code in C and other languages some serious
applications for the ST (games were coded in assembly), that would be more
user-friendly (windows, menus, dialogs... like today) and powerful than on 
the PC (stuck with poorer Intel microprocessor, text-mode display, keyboard 
control).

It also featured a very good flicker-free monochrome display, which for 
professional use was more important than fancy eye-killing Amiga high
resolutions. 
It wouldn't have taken so much to be a serious competitor to the Mac and 
the PC. 
Maybe Atari didn't tackle the right market. Anyway it's done, and now we
have thousands of great games not to mention the demos.
To run this all on your much faster PC, you need an emulator and files
containing images of the content (ROM, disks...).


Steem Engine, by Anthony & Russell Hayward
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Steem is a legendary Atari ST emulator, both accurate and easy to use thanks
to its great user interface.
Its development was stopped in 2004, at v3.2. The Steem authors probably got
sick of all the lamers.
In 2011 the Hayward bros released the source code for further development.


SSE
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Steem SSE is an updated version of Steem based on that source release. It 
incorporates new features and emulation improvements, some of them based on
other emulators (I credit each time and this "emulation" goes both ways), 
some on various internet discussions, technical documentation, like chip 
datasheets, and tests on real hardware.

Steem SSE aims to be the #1 STF/STE emulator. There's no limitation in
the original Steem code structure (in C++) that would make that goal 
unreachable.

'SSE' pompously stands for 'Steven Seagal Edition'. 
Steven Seagal is a well known Aikido grandmaster, action movie star,
environmentalist, musician, reserve deputy sheriff and playboy.
It is rumoured he has a shadowy past working for some secret agencies, and
that he learnt the ancient secrets of emulation somewhere in the Far East.
This is also my silly handle at http://www.atari-forum.com (AF).


Installation
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Extract files to a folder of your choice, this may be Steem's original
folder. 
There's no setup program. You're responsible for any shortcut you wish.


Manual
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An up-to-date manual is included in the main download of Steem SSE.
This manual provides an extensive presentation of Steem (+SSE) and its
features.
Steem SSE manual, Steem SSE FAQ and Hints may be read from inside Steem.


3rd party
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Steem can work with various plugins and utilities, not included in 
the download.
You may check here:
http://ataristeven.t15.org/Other_downloads.htm
Or in the manual for other internet addresses.


v3.7.2 Features
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Another impressive list of improvements for this release.

- HFE images support

  This is the file format of HxC floppy emulator.
  Copy file HFE_boot.bin to your Steem directory for new disk image 
  creation (though you may use already existing images converted with
  HxC software).

- Improvements in SCP images support

  Ghost disks
  ID around index pulse (I Ludicrus)
  Simpler system for weak bit protections

- Support for 7Z, BZ2, GZ, TAR, ARJ compression formats

  The feature uses ArchiveAccess.dll, which you need to copy to your Steem
  or system directory.
  The included DLL has been fixed by you know who so that it also works
  with BZ2 files. 
  You still need unzipd32.dll and unrar.dll for ZIP and RAR archives.

- New option for crisp Direct3D fullscreen rendering
  
- Links updated in general info; don't forget to copy steem.new
  (feel free to delete the silly brags and mean-spirited Chuck Norris 
  jokes...)


v3.7.2 Bugfixes
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- Bugfix MFP spurious interrupt on STOP after CLR int. mask (Return STE -HMD)
- Bugfix fail to properly remove previous disk image on some insertions:
  could explain some strange bugs, when two disks are in the same drive it 
  can't be good...
- Bugfix WD1772 writing data bytes with missing clock bit on Format




Development screen
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http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem_372_coming_soon.htm


Bugs
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There are no bugs in this release.
If despite this fact you find bugs please report them here:

http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=27687

You may also send an email to:
donmegacool at hotmail.com (please forget the former gmail address)

I generally reply but I don't always check daily so have some patience
before you send me bitter insults.

Please read the 'Hints', the answer to some questions is already in there.

Please try different settings before reporting, not all programs are 
supposed to work with all versions of TOS, or on an STF, STE, etc.
Also try with slow (accurate) disk drive mode, or with drive B disabled;
real life STs generally had only one drive, non accelerated.
Some rare games want the disk to be write-protected... other rare games, 
write-enabled! (Check 'Hints')
You may try with or without options C1, C2, 'Hacks'.
Sometimes the Machine/Wake-up state option makes a difference (shift or 
flicker in some demos).
It's also helpful if you can compare with other versions of Steem and with
other emulators - normally they will fail too :) - or with hardware.


Beta
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Want to be a beta tester of the glorious Steem SSE builds and make history?
Just send me an email address (and check your spam mail settings, some
addresses bounce).


Steem SSE Web sites
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http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem.htm (all builds, ST programs, pics, doc)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/steemsse/

http://steemsse.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/steemsse (source v3.4 & up, 
Subversion, you can download a snapshot of the source)

Contact me if you want to contribute some code.


Release history
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Steem SSE V.3.3.0, 28/02/2012
Steem SSE V.3.4.0, 22/09/2012
XSteem SSE V.3.4.0, 06/10/2012
Steem SSE V.3.4.1, 14/11/2012
Steem SSE V.3.5.0, 27/02/2013
XSteem SSE V.3.5.0, 02/03/2013
Steem SSE V.3.5.1, 11/06/2013
XSteem SSE V.3.5.1, 13/06/2013
Steem SSE V.3.5.1 OPT, 15/06/2013
Steem SSE V.3.5.2, 04/08/2013
XSteem SSE V.3.5.2, 04/08/2013
Steem v3.2+, 27/08/2013
Steem SSE v.3.5.3, 13/10/2013
XSteem SSE v.3.5.3, 20/10/2013
Steem SSE v.3.5.4, 17/11/2013
Steem SSE v.3.6.0, 28/02/2014
XSteem SSE v.3.6.0, 28/02/2014
Steem SSE v.3.6.1, 13/04/2014
XSteem SSE v.3.6.1, 13/04/2014
Steem SSE v.3.6.2, 16/04/2014
Steem SSE v.3.6.3, 04/05/2014
XSteem SSE v.3.6.3, 04/05/2014
Steem SSE v.3.6.4, 15/06/2014
Steem SSE v.3.7.0, 28/02/2015
XSteem SSE v.3.7.0, 08/03/2015
Steem SSE v.3.7.1, 03/05/2015
XSteem SSE v.3.7.1, 10/05/2015
Steem SSE v.3.7.2, 30/06/2015

