          ____
        ,'  , `.
     ,-+-,.' _ |                                   ,--,
  ,-+-. ;   , ||                                 ,--.'|
 ,--.'|'   |  ;|             ,----._,.  ,----._,.|  |,
|   |  ,', |  ':  ,--.--.   /   /  ' / /   /  ' /`--'_       ,---.
|   | /  | |  || /       \ |   :     ||   :     |,' ,'|     /     \
'   | :  | :  |,.--.  .-. ||   | .\  .|   | .\  .'  | |    /    /  |
;   . |  ; |--'  \__\/: . ..   ; ';  |.   ; ';  ||  | :   .    ' / |
|   : |  | ,     ," .--.; |'   .   . |'   .   . |'  : |__ '   ;   /|
|   : '  |/     /  /  ,.  | `---`-'| | `---`-'| ||  | '.'|'   |  / |
;   | |`-'     ;  :   .'   \.'__/\_: | .'__/\_: |;  :    ;|   :    |
|   ;/         |  ,     .-./|   :    : |   :    :|  ,   /  \   \  /
'---'           `--`---'     \   \  /   \   \  /  ---`-'    `----'
                              `--`-'     `--`-'

                            ,----,.
                          ,'   ,' |
              ,----,    ,'   .'   |    ___      ,---,
            .'   .' \ ,----.'    .'  ,--.'|_  ,--.' |
          ,----,'    ||    |   .'    |  | :,' |  |  :
          |    :  .  ;:    :  |--,   :  : ' : :  :  :
          ;    |.'  / :    |  ;.' \.;__,'  /  :  |  |,--.
          `----'/  ;  |    |      ||  |   |   |  :  '   |
            /  ;  /   `----'.'\   ;:__,'| :   |  |   /' :
           ;  /  /-,    __  \  .  |  '  : |__ '  :  | | |
          /  /  /.`|  /   /\/  /  :  |  | '.'||  |  ' | :
        ./__;      : / ,,/  ',-   .  ;  :    ;|  :  :_:,'
        |   :    .'  \ ''\       ;   |  ,   / |  | ,'
        ;   | .'      \   \    .'     ---`-'  `--''
        `---'          `--`-,-'


    __ Welcome to the Readme file, to the place that never ends!__

(Did  I laboriously type in that super-massive 'Maggie 25th ASCII  logo
all by myself, painstakingly, bit by bit? - No! - So did I cheat a bit?
Well, yes alright, just a little!)

    :::::::::  :::::::::: :::::::: ::::::::::: ::::    :::      :::
    :+:    :+: :+:       :+:    :+:    :+:     :+:+:   :+:      :+:
    +:+    +:+ +:+       +:+           +:+     :+:+:+  +:+      +:+
    +#++:++#+  +#++:++#  :#:           +#+     +#+ +:+ +#+      +#+
    +#+    +#+ +#+       +#+   +#+#    +#+     +#+  +#+#+#      +#+
    #+#    #+# #+#       #+#    #+#    #+#     #+#   #+#+#
    #########  ########## ######## ########### ###    ####      ###

So  here it is,  the culmination of the best part of a year's  planning
and effort. It's the special 25th Anniversary issue of the (in)famous
,  ,               ,__
|\/| _  _  _ * _   |  \* __|_/ _ _  _  _   |
|  |(_](_](_]|(/_  |__/|_) | \[ | )(_](_]  *
       ._|._|                         ._|

This readme text should be adorning the start directories of both  HTML
and traditional diskmag editions. At least that is how it is intended.

This is a chair-breaker of an issue. We thought that it was going to be
neat  and  proportional.  However,  it over-extended,  like a lot of the
later Maggie issues did. So we've ended up with a huge sprawling thing,
a bit like a tumbling down ruined palace in its own postcode  district.
It  has  all sorts of secret hiding places,  including the  mad  cousin
locked in the attic (which would be 'Poetry Corner'!)

The  HTML version is a slightly more evolved version of the thing  that
I've  been  doing as an annual 'Mag' release over the last  few  years.
There is more text and even more pictures than before, which is great.

There  is  also still a gratifying demand for a traditional  old  style
custom diskmag edition,  so Felice has been (re)learning how to put one
of those together.  At time of writing this, he has been using the very
ancient  but  cool in a retro sort of way original diskmag  source,  as
made  by New Mode of Delta Force.  At least that's what the test builds
that have  come  my  way  look like.  Please be forewarned that this is
probably  not the slightly later Reservoir Gods version that was kicked
into being Falcon 030 compatible.

At this nervous time, before we get it all together, it looks like this
will fit on an 80 sectors 10 tracks floppy disk.  I'm talking about the
traditional  old style menu shell of course.  the HTML version is a tad
larger than than (about 5 megabytes larger!)

With  regard  to the physical aspects of the diskmag  side  of  things,
certain  people may need to look at the ST cover picture with  asbestos
clad  replacement  eyeballs!  The quality of the entirely original  and
hand-pixelled by Havoc picture is second to none.  However, the central
element  consists  of a former prime minister,  known to some as  "That
Woman!"  We'd  better take this opportunity to state  that  this  isn't
intended as some sort of covert tribute to the 1980's!

In fact,  here's  the creator of the diskmag shell cover picture in his
own words! Take it away, Havoc!

"This was a fun picture to work on and I'm glad you like the result :)"

"It was a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy- I clearly remember that the
first time I saw that name written on a disk I thought of Maggie
Thatcher, and so did other people."

"Maybe the original authors will deny it (for good reasons), but I'm
convinced she was a major inspiration for the disk mag's name, even
if it was only subconsciously ;)"

"I won't deny it was my intention to slightly annoy but more importantly
entertain my British friends (or maybe the other way round ;))"

"If you desire revenge on the Dutch, I hereby volunteer to make another
cover for the next issue (my personal suggestion would be prince
Bernhard with his shotgun next to a dead elephant, you get to choose
if he wears a WWF shirt or his SS uniform ;))"

                  (How about both of those?)


     ::::::::   ::::::::  :::::::::: ::::    ::: ::::::::::      :::
    :+:    :+: :+:    :+: :+:        :+:+:   :+: :+:             :+:
    +:+        +:+        +:+        :+:+:+  +:+ +:+             +:+
    +#++:++#++ +#+        +#++:++#   +#+ +:+ +#+ +#++:++#        +#+
           +#+ +#+        +#+        +#+  +#+#+# +#+             +#+
    #+#    #+# #+#    #+# #+#        #+#   #+#+# #+#
     ########   ########  ########## ###    #### ##########      ###

Turning to the wider Atari scene, it's been another really great year!

The  2010's seem to have been decent overall,  with activity levels and
quality of productions picking up and staying up.  It appears that some
people who went,  have returned. Others have been tempted to experiment
in  different  directions.  Hell,  we're  back too,  at least for  this
special  25th  anniversary issue!  So it seems (for now) that the  slow
decline  of the Atari scene has been checked and even reversed to  some
extent? We are certainly hitting new heights of quality over these past
few years.

So  we've looked at the last couple of years,  they have been  kickass,
but what may be coming our way in 2016?

Well we're expecting a return of an old faithful party, as Outline will
be  back  in its Ascension Day slot,  most likely at the new  venue  we
tested  last  year at Willemsoord.  It is a mixed party,  but new Atari
stuff is still allowed, last time I checked. The 'other' folks are nice
people as well.

Then  we'll  get a sunburst of Sommerhack in 2016,  July as usual.  How
will  the  Dead Hackers and friends follow up from a very  strong  2015
season?

There may well be a whole host of other parties,  where random Atarians
will  want  to poke with the odd release,  but the one that  we're  all
fervently  hoping  for,  is  a  follow-up to  the  famous  Sillyventure
parties.

A  new  edition  of  that is being decided upon,  it  may  even  happen
sometime over the summer months. If it does, I hope I can book the time
off..

As for individuals and group releases.  That one is hard to predict.  I
certainly  wasn't  expecting  the wave of new stuff  from  people  that
hadn't been active for a while from STNICCC. Perhaps the 'usual' talent
will reassert itself next year?

Certainly, some sort of a follow up to the Maggie 25th anniversary will
be  needed.  There  isn't the prospect of a well-earned  retirement  as
we've  got to catch up with all the stuff from the STNICCC  party,  let
alone  what may be coming our way in 2016.  But will this be an  after-
Maggie  production,  or  something  else?  I won't say anymore at  this
stage,  but  we  had a little bit of productive dialogue  with  another
former diskmag editor at STNICCC. He's taken part in this special issue
of  Maggie as well.  We may have to find a way of returning the  favour
somehow next year.

Anyway, it's all looking rather good, right now.

    :::::::::: ::::    ::: :::::::::       :::
    :+:        :+:+:   :+: :+:    :+:      :+:
    +:+        :+:+:+  +:+ +:+    +:+      +:+
    +#++:++#   +#+ +:+ +#+ +#+    +:+      +#+
    +#+        +#+  +#+#+# +#+    +#+      +#+
    #+#        #+#   #+#+# #+#    #+#
    ########## ###    #### #########       ###

It's time to go and hand this lot in.  This isn't the end of words from
me.  You  will  find lots more 'words from me' and other people  inside
this  special issue.  Now enjoy that last little bit of Ascii  goodness
below and get on with it!

          _ _       .--..--.       _ _
         ( ` )     / ,-'`-. \     ( ' )
        (_{;}_)   /_/      \_\   (_{;}_)
         (_,_)   _( )_    _( )_   (_,_)
            \\  (_ o _)  (_ o _)  //
             \\  (_,_)    (_,_)  //
              \`-.\    /_\   /,-'/       This Wee Guy says:
               )  (\ `-..-' /)  (
               `---'`--'`--' `---'       "Three cheers, for
                 [ (         ) ]          Maggie's here!"
                  \   .   .   /
                   ,  .-.'`\ ,
 ---__----__---- -   \ _ '`)  ---_-----______-----_---
                    (  (_) '.
                    '.     /
                     `-'`"`
                     |    |
                      '--'
                _ _ / /  \ \ _ _
               ( ' ) /    \ ( ` )
              (_{;}_)      (_{;}_)
               (_,_)        (_,_)
               //              \\
              //                \\
         __,-'/                  \`-.__
        )    (                    )    (
       _-`---'                    `---' --_

                     -EOF-

               .:C!H:. in 2016..

