RESPONSES, THOUGHS, AND INFORMATION ABOUT INSANE REALITY ======================================================== This article is about different responses, thoughts and other crap concerning our disk-magazines.. Let's start from the first one.. Issue ONE; I first thought that the first issue was awesome. It was the first magazine ever released from Sweden, and it was among the first menu- based underground/virus oriented magazine's out there. Evolution from YAM was released earlier, but that wasn't any Swedish product anyhow. The code was ugly. The menu-system was shit, and same goes for the filebrowser, and music-system. The articles weren't any interesting, and the viruses were really pretty lame too. The music-module was ripped b'cos I lost my own (it sounded terrible anyhow!), and there weren't any fancy VGA pictures either. And as if this shouldn't be enough it was a pain in the ass to start it.. It was awfully slow! What to add about the first issue was that it used a hell of a dumb way of reading the articles into the browser. They (the articles!) were encrypted on the hard-drive, and when you started the magazine, it decrypted the file to a now un-encrypted file on the HD. When you then chosed to read it, it read the 'TXT' file into the browser. This was horrible! It needed two files for every article, and deleted the un-uncrypted article/virus when you chosed the 'EXIT' option. The way of showing the VGA-pictures weren't the best around either. It needed a PIC/PAL file for every VGA, which were really annoying when you perfomed a 'dir' in that directory. We also had to include a file called 'viruses.zip' where the .ASM files were stored. This was b'cos of the magazine didn't had any 'save to file' function. Okey.. It had however a printing function, but that wasn't working on a laser printer (try the not-documented F7 key!), and who wants to write a 14000 bytes text of assembly-code to a file, just to get confirmed that Scan and Solomon didn't find them anyhow? So.. what responses could we possible have on such an issue? Umm.. I really dunno, since I didn't use 'The Unforgiven' on ANY board what- so-ever in those days. I'd say that it sucks bigtime! Hope you agree me on thatone! Anyhow, it was just a start... and a first issue, when nor me or Metal Militia was too much involved in the virus scene. Please don't judge us for what we did in those days, and we'll for example not say that 64-DEC issue number 1-7 sucks bigtime too. (Someone who understood the _joke_ with 64-DEC?? ;)). (No hard feelings please!) Issue TWO; Anyhow, about three month later the release of issue #1, our second issue was out. Between the first and second issue many things were improved (I think!). First of all, the magazine-code was completly new written, by (then) our newest member, Raver. The new magazine was programmed in C and ASM (The file-browser, and LOTSA other routines as well was 100% asm!), which resulted in a hell of a lot faster and tighter code. Then it was much more well designed, had more functions, and it also looked better. The articles were also a hell of a lot more interesting, and same goes for the viruses included. The music-system was removed and the VGA- pictures included were awesome! The interviews were appreciated since we all love gossip of any kind! Until the release of the 2nd issue, we also managed to convince WiCO to open up his board again and yes, he did. When WiCO closed his board, The Jugde joined as sysop for our Swedish HQ. We were no longer in the dark, which resulted in some responses about our magazine and group. Most of the people liked the idea with our magazine. It was a brand new style of magazine (how original I am!). Who expects a virus- oriented magazine too support ansi and vga-art in a nice user- friendly design? Of'cos some people complained about what most of the persons liked (I'll disuss this further about issue #3!), the menu-based idea, and even worst, the ART included. They just thought it was too mixed up! Anyhow, the responses concering the ART (by 99%) was "yeah!, hell of nice VGA stuff man!" (Thanks to The Sarge & WiCO!) The responses about the viruses weren't really any better either. Some people hated me for mutate older viruses, and even worse, put destructive code and sick-messages in them. Though, we gave the readers an oppurtunity to spread out 9 'new' and by Scan/Solomon undetectable viruses. Hehe, back in those days we thought that using Tbscan's heuristics mode was cheating! (smile!). After the release of the second issue, people started knowing what we were up too. The post on int.vir and swe.vir was it. They started say.. "Who the FUCK is this group? Why do they spend their time doing viruses when they release the source code anyway? What's Insane Reality? Where do they live? What's their other handles? etc, etc.." Most of the people thought that the magazine was good, but it could be far better if we started with HPA support as well. We thought about it for a while, and decided not to do that crap. Some people also thought that we should change the text-based magazine to a complete VGA-based one. (I know people who would think that should be the lamest thing ever!), however we'll not do a VGA-based magazine, b'cos of the reason that we simply just love this kinda interface! Okey, so we all can say that the 2nd issue was far superior than the first one, and that more people liked it very much. Okey, but then again.. we continued, and bam!.. the third issue was out.. Issue THREE; Less than 2 month after the release of the 2nd issue, the third one was out. I personally thought (and still thinks!) something like 'Yeah!, it's awesome (just as with the earlier ones!). The major improvments in the third one was the quality. The code was nearly the same (some bug-fixes, and minor code-changes here and there, but nothing that the user noticed anyhow!), and the idea was still the same. What most people liked better in the third one were the viruses. Yeah, Doom was such an example. It was something new from us. Three scratch viruses were released from us, and the hacks were highly modified, nearly new ones, I'd say. As a matter of fact, not ANY program found ANY virus which we released in the 3rd issue! (And up-to-date: 1994-03-21, still doesn't! - how pathetic!) We had then also managed to get some foreign boards, and a pretty 'OK' distribution system. This one was the first issue, which I know, spreaded fast as hell, world-wide. Now, many more people know about us, which resulted in pretty many repsonses about the magazine. I'd say that about 99% of the people who read it, liked it very much. But we all can't agree on everything, and it's nothing wrong in thinking another way.. However, good, or not, here's what I saw (to my great dissapointment!) from a well known guy in a highly respected virus-writing group. (Garbage Heap/Phalcon/Skism) "I dont really think that IR-MAG is worth reading at this point. It has one of those annoying interfaces, and they havent progressed their programming skills to the point where there are any interesting articles. But who knows. If someone showed me a copy of 40Hex-1, I would say the same thing. Of course, we at least spoke english :-) " Yeah, how nice from Garbage Heap/Phalcon Skism to write such a nice message about our magazine (NOT!). I havn't found anything wrong in doing what we think is good. I'll of the reason that he's such a 'respected' man in the virus- community and has been around for such a long time, write a special reply concerning his message. Here we go! -- HERE IT STARTS -- "Then don't read it!, It's all up too you. We're 'scene-guys', we DO other stuff to the scene than 'just' virus-programming. You might not find it interesting b'cos you know the shit. Our goal is to tech ourself, not you.. What we do is LEARN, and after we've learned, we share it. I don't find anything wrong with that.. And by the way.. First, I find 40hex1-7 not very good. After the release of PS-MPC in issue 8 it was good. Even extremly good. If you complain about our programming skill, and viruses, feel free. It's a democracy we live in and I surely encourage the freedoom of speech, write and think what so ever you want! But however, I havn't seen any programs/viruses from you in person. I know that Dark Angel, Priest and Memory Lapse (and maybe even more guys from P/S) is 'ranked' around the top of all virus-writers in the world. But does that necessary have to mean, that everyone in Phalcon/ Skism is THAT good? I think not. The idea behind this magazine is that *everyone* can read/learn/enjoy it! It's not just directed toward persons in the somehow narrow-minded virus-community. And what I've learned is that our 'annoying inferface' is much more appreciated than pure text-mode "magazine's". (From the avarage PC-user anyhow!) If you feel uncomfortable with the user-friendly interface, simply use the F1-key and get your .00? text- files! (Is that asking too much?) And did you notice something, we are ALL are from Sweden and we don't write or talk perfect english. Do that sound strange to you? I admit that my english isn't the best around, and there's nothing I can do about it. Sorry. Ahh, I could however write in swedish instead. Wow, would that be a cool thing to do? (I think not!). Don't consider this reply as a 'rag' towards you in peson, or your group, we simple just got different views of ideas, nothing else." --- END OF REPLY -- So.. that material is what we have seen from persons in the PURE virus community. (The ones who hate _everything except TASM, DOS, and TEXT!) I know that YAM got the same responses on their magazine, I didn't disliked Evolution b'cos of their interface, the opposite in fact. But however, I think our magazine is more informative and interesting than the one relesed by YAM (There was a lack of original source codes in Evolution, I think). Then however, I assume that most of the people ain't lying when they said that they liked our 3rd issue. Even TridenT told us that it was 'OK', and that's not bad!.. I think that our magazine can however be read by the major public, all people involved with nearly any scene! It's a way of expression.. Hm! I think I've seen a slogan going something like this: "Insane Reality - our way to express freedoom"... It's basicly all about having fun, getting in touch with different people around the globe, discussing different ideas, ideologies, exploring the computer, and of'cos learning. We don't publish Insane Reality to our self-congratulation, nor showing it and screaming "We're the best - fuck the rest".. I think the scene is FAR too serious, and the words 'selfish assholes' has more and more become a new type of persons. The title 'lamer' can be given to everyone, and the attitude is getting more and more like 'make competitors, not friends'. This is a sad development in the scene.. I dunno for how long this will continue, but if that is the case, the PC-scene will be destroyed. It's starting more and more to become like the amiga- scene, there rag-wars, fame, and back-stabbing is what counts. Anyhow, back to the reponses.. Well, the other stuff included (design/VGA/articles) was also appreciated. Most of the people said that it was a good looking, funny, but on the same time also an informative magazine. This is seldom the case, and I'd like to give my best to the people who said that. Thanks. A few people also thought that we were a new 'RABID', going around rag-ing, back-stabbing other groups/persons in the virus-community. I don't think we do. We do however allows EVERYONE to support, and include stuff in our magazine, which probably has resulted in a few rag-stuff. Though, these stuff, is NOT encouraged from us, but we'll however not censor anything! It's what it's all about.. information- freedom! Then, how will the responses on this (the 4th) issue be like? I think, that most of the people will like it very much. We've got great support from different persons, and groups around the globe. And of'cos the quality of the stuff included has raised again. The design will most likely be changed a bit. That b'cos of that I find it fun to annoy the "TEXT 'n' ASCII - everything else is lame" geeks. Well, not really. But the fact is, that I enjoy art. Ansi, VGA, viruses and other creativity that I consider as art. I know that everyone can't share this thought, but let's put the question in another way.. If Insane Reality was a text-forum, would we then have had as many readers (see: fans ;)) as we got now? Hardly! Would the world have paid as much attention to what we did if they had to read about us in their favourite lister? I think not! What we do, is somewhat original. And if I get an idea, I won't end it up halfway! I wanted to change our magazine a bit between the 2nd and 3rd issue, but I didn't have any time for that. Now, in the 4th issue, I had the time, and some stuff was changed. For example, I took back the interview column, included viruses from other groups, and viruses, which shouldn't have been out in case I didn't included them. Some design in the magazine 'look' was also changed. The configuration menu was new.. Menu-logos and different file-browsers was a new idea. I know however some people who will hate the new interface, the rest not-so-narrow-minded persons will probably like it. Anyhow, I didn't kill that impulse that told to me to do it.. (blah blah! or whatever!) But also, as I said in the first issue, "we'll include what-so-ever we find interesting".. That's also what we're about.. having fun.. when I find what I'm doing boring, I'll most likely stop doing it. Okey.. all stuff can't be fun, but the rule is, Carpe Diem! Or as some other group says "Make every day a party day!". If you find something you do, more a duty to the scene (people expects you to do.. etc!), then drop it.. Oh.. well, I dunno the responses about the 4th issue, but as I see it now, it surely looks good.. it's quality, and it's an Insane Reality.. What more could you possible demand?.. Umm.. well, better rush.. = THE UNFORGIVEN =