| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Fri, Dec 29th, 2006 @ 22:54 ( . ) |
Got a hold of what I think is an original set of these disks, but need verified. This appears to be a set of all their releases. Vol 1-7, Shotgun II, and Trilogy Revealed Vol 1-3. The labels on volumes 1-7 have a plain typed label that says "COPYRIGHT 1987,1988 BY HOS INC.". On the back on volume 7, there is a fancy gold label that says "Kracker Jax Protection Busters presents: The Shotgun". This last disk leads me to believe they are originals. But who is HOS, Inc? |
 | Author: | JimDrew (registered user: 23 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sat, Dec 30th, 2006 @ 12:33 ( . ) |
HOS, as in slang for prostitute. Les was a real character, and a thief. Look at his parameters and the mods that they make, look at mine, and then look at who released the parameters FIRST. Les was stealing everything as I released it, which is why the PCS and later parameters were all encrypted. Even after encrypting the parameters he still had the same data. I suppose he just ran a sector compare program and got the differences that was after the parameter was applied. I started adding extra data to the parameters that were not necessary (like my name XOR'd with $FF) just to catch him... and I did! There was a hell of a war back then. Since I am the person that gave Les the basics on how to crack software (spending dozens of hours wit him during those famous "user group" meetings), I suppose I have nobody to blame but myself. Fortunately, after SuperCard+ came out, we could duplicate (not crack) every piece of software made, which was a claim that Maverick/Kracker Jax could not make. We made parameters mainly for documentation protection. I still prefer 100% perfect backups to cracks. |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 01:57 ( . ) |
I don't believe I've ever run across PCS. Was that "Parameter Construction Set"? Do you have an archive of that somewhere. I wasn't aware that UU released parameters. I only knew of Supercard. |
 | Author: | Lord Crass (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 03:07 ( . ) |
I remember the UU parameters being advertised in Compute's Gazette. I can scan the ads for you if you want, but it was usually called the "Super Parameters 100 Pak" (I have pack 4 and 5). There was also a 500 pak, and the Construction Set. If I recall, the parameter construction set worked by analyzing the original disk, then comparing it to a cracked copy and making a parameter from the differential. I could be mistaking this one for a different PCS though. |
| Author: | JimDrew (registered user: 23 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 16:53 ( . ) |
PCS was part of the SuperCard+ software. You could make your own copier files that included custom parameters. A disk scanner/comparer was part of the package... which is what Les probably used against me. :) I will be going through the old C64 stuff next week. I have Star Commander that I got a few years ago, so I can make some disk images to import and look at... or I could just take one of the C64s or my prototype C128 out of the box and use the real deal. :) |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 18:34 ( . ) |
Ah, so it was an early version of what is now known as "IPS". :) |
 | Author: | Jerry Kurtz (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 22:14 ( . ) |
On 12/31/2006 @ 16:53, JimDrew wrote :
PCS was part of the SuperCard+ software. You could make your own copier files that included custom parameters. A disk scanner/comparer was part of the package... which is what Les probably used against me. :) : : I will be going through the old C64 stuff next week. I have Star Commander that I got a few years ago, so I can make some disk images to import and look at... or I could just take one of the C64s or my prototype C128 out of the box and use the real deal. :) : : -- Les didn't steal them all. I traded a parameter for Super Cycle for a Snapshot cartridge. Anyway -- I prefer a 100% copy too. You really never know if a parameter actually works 100%. |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 22:46 ( . ) |
I'm glad other people feel that way. That's what this project is all about. |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 31st, 2006 @ 23:06 ( . ) |
Ah, yes. I have located "100 Pack" sets 1, 4, and 5 as well as the "500 pak" which doesn't load correctly. The ones I have are hacked by UCF, though, and not originals. It would be nice to locate the whole set for completeness' sake. |
 | Author: | visualmess (registered user: 47 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 09:29 ( . ) |
On 12/31/2006 @ 23:06, Pete Rittwage wrote :
Ah, yes. : : I have located "100 Pack" sets 1, 4, and 5 as well as the "500 pak" which doesn't load correctly. The ones I have are hacked by UCF, though, and not originals. It would be nice to locate the whole set for completeness' sake. -- I checked and I have "100 Pack" sets 1, 3 & 4 which are backups of the originals I had made and I have the original disk for #5. For some reason I don't remember these disks being protected, were they? I will test them to make sure they load. If they do would you be interested in them? |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 09:33 ( . ) |
On 01/03/2007 @ 09:29, visualmess wrote :
On 12/31/2006 @ 23:06, Pete Rittwage wrote :
: Ah, yes. : : : : I have located "100 Pack" sets 1, 4, and 5 as well as the "500 pak" which doesn't load correctly. The ones I have are hacked by UCF, though, and not originals. It would be nice to locate the whole set for completeness' sake. : -- : : : I checked and I have "100 Pack" sets 1, 3 & 4 which are backups of the originals I had made and I have the original disk for #5. For some reason I don't remember these disks being protected, were they? I will test them to make sure they load. If they do would you be interested in them? -- Absolutely! And since they aren't protected, D64's are fine if you can MNIB. |
| Author: | visualmess (registered user: 47 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 11:25 ( . ) |
I will do the D64s if the disks load OK. My guess is you want me to zip up the D64s and email them to you? |
| Author: | visualmess (registered user: 47 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 11:40 ( . ) |
By the way I found I have almost all the different versions of Renegade and Maverick disks plus any parameter disks that came with these. Most of them are originals and those that weren't were backups I created from the originals. I also have KJ parameter disks 1 - 7 with 1 - 6 being backups I created from the originals and #7 being an original with Bulls-Eye on the back. I also have the sheets that came with the KJ disks listing all the parameters on them and any special instructions. I found it funny that one of the parameters on disk 7 for "Graphics Transformer" says it "Requires the use of SUPER SNAPSHOT". I was surprised I still had the Super Snapshot V5 cartridge in my posession. Anyways if interested in the KJ param index sheets I could scan them in? |
| Author: | visualmess (registered user: 47 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 11:42 ( . ) |
forgot to put this question in the last post, if you are interested in the Renegade and Maverick stuff I can create D64s of that also. I don't believe any of that stuff was protected either. |
| Author: | Pete Rittwage (registered user: 558 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jan 03rd, 2007 @ 11:46 ( . ) |
That would be great! Scans of the sheets would be nice to have preserved also. I think I have all the KJ disks, but maybe different versions existed. |
| Author: | Jerry Kurtz (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Fri, Jan 05th, 2007 @ 17:31 ( . ) |
I have originals of pack 3 and 4. I also have the original of Super Parameters Construction Kit (or named something real close to that). Plus, I have an original of some UU Super Parameters pack named something like "H&P Free Parameters". I've just got those all imaged, so I'll send them your way. I also imaged my original Kracker Jax Parameter Cross Reference disk. Jerry |
| Author: | visualmess (registered user: 47 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Mon, Jan 08th, 2007 @ 10:25 ( . ) |
I would very much be interested in the KJ Parameter Cross Reference. |
 | Author: | jerrykurtz (registered user: 4 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Mon, Jan 08th, 2007 @ 18:15 ( . ) |
On 01/08/2007 @ 10:25, visualmess wrote :
I would very much be interested in the KJ Parameter Cross Reference. -- I sent it in to Pete. Feel free to email me at jerrykurtz@earthlink.net. |
 | Author: | Patricia Lawrence (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sat, Aug 15th, 2015 @ 20:08 ( . ) |
Hello my name is Patricia Lawrence I'm the daughter of Leslie Lawrence who was the owner and partial maker a kracker Jax. I have about six boxes full of his programming, contracts, original disks, and his Master copies for his manuals. I know this is a really old posting but if someone's interested please give me a call at 503–9 95–7931 or email me. I just don't want his stuff to be forgotten. Thank you |
 | Author: | Lord Crass (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sat, Aug 22nd, 2015 @ 10:42 ( . ) |
Hi Patricia. It would be great to hear from Les about his time in the Commodore scene! However, the wording of your message seems to imply that this may not be possible. Is Les okay? |
 | Author: | Nate (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Sep 09th, 2015 @ 12:09 ( . ) |
On 08/15/2015 @ 20:08, Patricia Lawrence wrote :
Hello my name is Patricia Lawrence I'm the daughter of Leslie Lawrence who was the owner and partial maker a kracker Jax. I have about six boxes full of his programming, contracts, original disks, and his Master copies for his manuals. I know this is a really old posting but if someone's interested please give me a call at or email me. I just don't want his stuff to be forgotten. Thank you -- I have gotten ahold of Patricia on the phone and am making arrangements to preserve these documents and disks. There's a ton that she has, and unfortunately Leslie has passed. Will update you when I know more. |
| Author: | Nate (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Tue, Dec 06th, 2016 @ 19:51 ( . ) |
Patricia has shipped me 80 pounds of disks, documents, etc. I will be sorting through them to see what we have. |
| Author: | Nate (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Tue, May 09th, 2017 @ 01:05 ( . ) |
I've moved houses and had a kid. I finally got my C64 stuff out of boxes and am setting up to begin archiving this collection. I'll be at the CRX conference and may give a talk on some of this if I get it ready in time. |
 | Author: | Thierry (registered user: 4 posts ) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sun, Dec 03rd, 2017 @ 16:13 ( . ) |
any news ?? regards Thierry |
| Author: | Nate (guest: search) |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, Jul 04th, 2018 @ 02:35 ( . ) |
I imaged a few hundred disks and gave a presentation at CRX last year. I have two small kids now so it's slow going, but I plan to continue imaging more soon. |