1415 lines
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1415 lines
40 KiB
Plaintext
***************************************
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Syndicate ZMagazine Issue #126
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October 9, 1988
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***************************************
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American Publishing Enterprises, Inc.,
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PO Box 74 Middlesex, NJ 08846
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***************************************
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Publisher: Ron Kovacs
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General Manager: Ralph Mariano
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ZMag Editor: John Deegan
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Assistant Editor: Carlos Hernandez
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GEnie Correspondent: John Nagy
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***************************************
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Publishers Desk by R. Kovacs
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#############################
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ZMagazine returns to 40 column
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publication with this issue. It will
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appear shortly after release of this 80
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column edition on CompuServe and the
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Launch Pad BBS. If you are interested
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in 40 column over 80 column, NOW is the
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time to feedback your opinion! Unless
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we receive positive response on 40
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column, we will discontinue it.
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I felt compelled to write an extensive
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rebuttle or commentary article on the
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recent Sam Tramiel conference. Since
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John Nagy's article just about
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duplicates my feelings, I will not print
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it here. Please take a few minutes out
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and be sure to go over the transcripts,
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I am sure you will find them
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interesting. Although the bulk of
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discussion pertains to the ST, you will
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notice where Neil Harris got his roots
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in public speaking!
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#######################################
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=====CONTENTS===============>
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/// Publishers Desk
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/// Editors Desk
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/// Sam Tramiel Conference Transcripts
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/// Sam Tramiel Conference Reaction
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/// Software Copyrighting Help
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/// Washington AtariFest Report
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/// Conference Symbols and Meanings
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/// Atari-8 Bit Color Radar Viewing
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/// History Will Teach Us Nothing
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/// MTOS Update
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/// Bill of Rights
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/// Epic 2400 Modem Review
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####################(c)1988 APEInc#####
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=====Editors Desk===========>
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by John Deegan
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In the middle of final production of
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this issue, I was informed MAM replied
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to questions submitted by Ron Kovacs. I
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am not sure what the results are, but as
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soon as I can get more facts on this, we
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will print them here.
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The Atari CO follows, I must stress that
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this is a very poor conference, and I
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find it difficult to accept the attitude
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that is projected below, but again, what
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do I know??
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The Turbo816 is still on schedule for
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release in mid November, stay tuned to
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ZMag for the latest!
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Thanks to John Nagy for gracing the
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modems in ZMagazine.
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###########################
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=====Sam Tramiel Conference=>
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Captured and edited by Ron Kovacs for
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ZMagazine. This material is Copyright
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(c) 1988 CompuServe SIG Atari. Reprinted
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by permission.
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% The ATARI President Sam Tramiel
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conference is beginning
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Your moderator is Job 11 SYSOP-Ron
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(SYSOP-Ron) Hello everyone....
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Tonights special CONFERENCE with Sam
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Tramiel, the President of ATARI Corp.,
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will begin in just a few seconds. To
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ask Sam a Question, you must type /QUE
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to get into the queue. I'll recognize
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the next person in line one at a time.
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Please keep your questions simple and
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ask only one question at a time. Mark
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Jansen of ATARI will be typing for Sam
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tonight. Does Sam have any opening
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statement before we open the floor for
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questions? (ga Mark)
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Sorry for not
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being available last Monday night. There
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was a conflict with a Jewish holy day.
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There is another Jewish holy day today
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but I dared not do it again. :-) So
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here we are.
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(SYSOP-Ron) thx Sam. We all appreciate
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you showing up here to answer some very
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nagging questions. okay first user.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #1
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Mark Woolworth <32>
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(Mark Woolworth) I really dont want to
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start out on a negative point, but here
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goes. I was one of the people that was
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demonstarting the new machines at the
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fall COMDEX show last year, and most of
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these machines were promised for
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sometime this year. At least at the
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present point I have not seen any of
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these machines released. What is the
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status on them, and when will they be
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out in the United States?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) You were clever
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not to mention the model names. At
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present I think that we are shipping
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all the models in Europe, even the Abaq
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to developers. We will start shipping
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in earnest to the US market in early
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1989, including the st and the line of
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pc compatibles and our new members of
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the ST family. The Abaq is now called
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the ATW (Atari work Station) ga
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% Moderator recognizes queue #2
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RICHARD MATAKA <43>
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(RICHARD MATAKA) Hello Sam...first of
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all, i want to congratulate you and your
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sons and others who have resurrected
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Atari from an almost certain death..but
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I am still somewhat questioning the
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support from Atari US. As you know,
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there are only a few US publications
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supporting the ST. Now Compute ST has
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decided to no longer publish and with
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the questionable support from Atari,
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Word Perfect Corp seems to have put
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their product developemnt on hold. Also
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other software 3rd party companies are
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not supporting the ST. How will you
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convince these companies and others who
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may start a company to suport the ST?
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What kind of incentives will you be
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offering or will you just let everything
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come out of Europe which is where the
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current bulk of ST support is based?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Thank you for the
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fine complement regarding my sons but
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they are only 7 and 4 years old
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respectively. I am the son of Jack
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Tramiel and Leonard and Garry are my
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brothers. I am as frustrated as you are
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and probably more so. The present
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problem is that the dram problem is
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causing us great delivery problems and
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we can not keep up with the demand in
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Europe and other parts of the world. We
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just signed a major deal with a big
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Dram supplier and the situation will
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get better I hope in early 1989. We will
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and do support developers all over the
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world and suggest that US developers
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learn how to export which would help
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themselves and the economy. I am sorry
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to see Compute drop the ST mag but I
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hope that they will revisit the issue
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when they see tens of thousands ST's
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sold monthly in the US.
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Last month I was in Germany for the
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Annual Atari Fair in Dusseldorf. It was
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incredible, over 30,000 over the
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weekend. ga
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(RICHARD MATAKA) Sam, i appreciate your
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answer but while the support in Europe,
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(I agree), is great, here it is another
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story. As you may or may not know, I
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was an author for ST XPress for about a
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year writing Critics Corner and the
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public view of Atari support is quite
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contrasting to Atari's version. How will
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you and Atari hope to change this US
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view of your marketing strategy so that
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support will be forthcoming for the Atari
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computer products?......ga
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Right now we do
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not really have a major marketing thrust
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as you know. However, we do think that
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we have user support and good in house
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people at Atari US that are more than
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willing to help.
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(RICHARD MATAKA) Sam, I think that maybe
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where your main problem is user support
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is excellent however, development
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support is very very
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) with almost any
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problem. WE definitely plan to bring in
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software from Europe but -development
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support is very very...what?-
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(RICHARD MATAKA) strained..and it is the
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development people that you have to win
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over if you are going to be a serious
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computer competitor in the US.
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We are not
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strained, and are happy to help anyone.
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I am sure once we are selling large
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quantities in the US, any strains that
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exist will disappear.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #3
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charles medley <16>
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) In the meanwhile,
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export to Europe. (Sam Tramiel @ Atari)
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We do, and we like it! :-)
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(charles medley) OK.... I have 3
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questions. 1) What is REALLY in the NEW
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TOS. 2) What is the final news on the
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68030 TT? Can a MEGA be used for it.
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What is the fate of the 68030 box?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We have already
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published the details of new TOS to
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developers and will do so for the rest
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of the users when it is released. We
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are working on the TT, and hope to show
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it in early '89.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #4
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Michael Lynch <21>
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(Michael Lynch) Do you have any plans
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for an IBM 286 board for the ST line?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) No.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #5
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Steve Mortimer/NNQ <5>
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(Steve Mortimer/NNQ) Many developers
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and dealers are not going to support the
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ST anymore or are on the brink of that
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decision. It is essential to retain
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what support we have left. Will you
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consider advertising to increase
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awareness till the -big push- or sign
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up a national computer chain stocked
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with a few STs diverted from Europe?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We feel that
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advertising without product availability
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is helpful in selling our competitors'
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machines, and therefore, will just waste
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money. As far as a national computer
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chain is concerned, we are already
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diverting machines to the US and ship
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them to our few but loyal ST dealers. ga
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% Moderator recognizes queue #6
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=Bandit= (tm) <13>
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(=Bandit= (tm)) BALLPARK Date/Price of
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new TOS ROMS to USERS? (=Bandit= (tm))
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Who is Neils replacement?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Date: early 1989,
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depending on ROM deliveries... Price -
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Reasonable.
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(SYSOP-Ron) C'mon Sam. -Reasonable-???
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How about a price range?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) You know that we
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are always reasonable, Ron.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #7
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Ed Waldorph <39>
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(Ed Waldorph) There has been much talk
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from dealers and former dealers and
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employees about the difficulty of
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making a business selling the ST line in
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the U.S.. Much criticism has been
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leveled at Atari for lack of dealer
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support. There is some indication that
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the situation is changing but in this
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entire forum only _one_ dealer has
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spoken out to defend the company.
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What is Atari doing to increase its
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delear support? How are you going to
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increase the delear base? Have you
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considered setting up a section for
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dealers here or over at Genie so they
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can talk directly to Marketing and
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Sevice and among themselves, and
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encouraging them to use it?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We already have a
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system for Service Centers, Sales Reps,
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and dealers, run from Sunnyvale.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #8
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Rex Reade <17>
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(Rex Reade) Sam, Why was Mike Dendo [VP-
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SALES] telling people in Michigan that
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Atari HAD 3 soft quarters and needed
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strong 4th to survive!
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We just had three
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RECORD quarters, and I am sure that
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someone misquoted Mike.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #10
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Bob Dolson <55>
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(Bob Dolson) Why don't you provide an
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easier upgrade path for memory, drives,
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etc, so that the 'poor' owners of 520
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STFM's for instance would find it easier
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to get double sided drives, and more
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memory?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) It is a tradeoff
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between cost and upgradability. Adding
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the upgradability will increase the
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cost of _every_ unit.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #11
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Joe Fowler <22>
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(Joe Fowler) Mr. Tramiel. We heard a
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lot about the ST tonight. I would like
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to know what future plans Atari has for
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the 8 bit line of machines, the best
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made on the market?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) We agree that the
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Atari 8-bit line is the best available.
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However, the US market seems to want
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more powerful machines. We are selling
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many tens of thousands of the XE/XL
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line in Europe, and in the middle east,
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and in Latin America. We are trying to
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push the XE Game System in the US, as a
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computer and a game for the same price
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as the Nintendo, with an exercise mat.
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(i.e. $149)
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% Moderator recognizes queue #12
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edward giertuga <28>
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(edward giertuga) You folks make a
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beautiful machine, but your marketing
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strategy is scaring the heck out of me.
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Have you read David Small's message
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(#111539) regarding Neil Harris'
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resignation? It's worth reading. Any
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comments?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) By the way, there
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is now a fifty dollar rebate on the XE
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Game machine. To be honest, I have not
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read David Small's message, but I
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The conference is ending due to a system
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shutdown.
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(Ed) At this point, CompuServe ended
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the conference via an unwanted shutdown
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of the area. After a short pause and
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minor confusion, the conference
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restarted and continued)
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% Moderator recognizes queue #40
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SHAWN SMILEY <40>
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(Dave Groves) could Sam answer Ed's
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query? ga
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) As I was saying
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before that -glitch- I wish Neil alot
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of success in his new job it was a
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pleasure to work with him over the
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years that I have known him.
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(SHAWN SMILEY) Are you planning to make
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any additions to the ST like stereo
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sound and speach synthesis?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) No comment.
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Sorry, but we do not want to promise new
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things until they are ready.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #42
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tc <3>
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(tc) What about the portable ST? Fact
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or fiction? ga
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Fact. We are
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working on it, and will ship it as soon
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as it is ready.
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% Moderator recognizes queue #43
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Steve Mortimer <10>
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(Steve Mortimer) Do you forsee any major
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changes at Atari or the ST market in the
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near future? This includes the
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possibility of a revamped ST based on
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new technology like the 68020/30 while
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remaining ST compatible?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) I hope so...we
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plan for Atari to be number two or
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number three in the world personal
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computer market and we hope to make the
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ST one of the standard machines in the
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US during 1989.
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(Steve Mortimer) Any specific plans to
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achieve that goal?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) I would prefer
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not to comment on details of future ST
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or TT machines at present.
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(SYSOP-Ron) I would like to apologize,
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But I just have been informed by Sam T.
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That he has to leave in 5 minutes. He
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is willing to reschedule another
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CONFERENCE in the (near) future. So
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Since we have so many unanswered
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questions. I dont know if it would be
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fair to all concerned to let 1 or 2
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more go, so I'll just end it here.
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Would Sam like to make some general
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closing comments in his last few
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minutes?
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(Sam Tramiel @ Atari) Closing
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comments: I appreciate the support of
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all of you, and I really hope that in
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1989, you will not be such a minority in
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the US personal computer world. It is a
|
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pleasure to see Atari so successful in
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Europe and I'm sure that with more DRAM
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as we expect in '89, we will be able to
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be successful in the US as well. Good
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night.
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(SYSOP-Ron) I'll throw the CO facility
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open to all folks....
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% The conference has ended
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Thank you for attending
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########################
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=====Sam Tramiel Conference=>
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***Reaction***
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ATARI TALKS: NOTHING SAID.
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|
REFLECTIONS of a CONVENTION
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|
by John Nagy
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Yes, ATARI spokesman NEIL HARRIS has
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resigned. Known unaffectionately by
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many names including -the MOUTH-, Neil
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carried the brunt of -ATARI BASHING- for
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the last several years, usually due to
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promises, timetables, and products that
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never materialized. Neil was in a
|
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difficult position, being told to
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announce things for political and
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economic reasons, even when he knew (and
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we knew) differently.
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What angered many of us was his
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enthusiastic zeal and razor tounge while
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defending ATARI positions that would too
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frequently be revealed as embarassing
|
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falsehoods or blue-sky vapor. In some
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ways, Neil became the whipping-boy,
|
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someone on whom to take out our
|
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frustrations with ATARI in general. It
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kept ATARI itself a bit cleaner looking.
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However, the communication problem at
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ATARI is FAR from over. In what was
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billed as an INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL
|
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CONVENTION, CompuServe had a live
|
|
conference with SAM TRAMIEL, CEO of
|
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ATARI Corp. It was held online at 9PM
|
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EST on October 3. And it was awful...
|
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and goes a ways in this writer's mind
|
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to indicate that Neil was, indeed,
|
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just passing on the tone of upper ATARI,
|
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and maybe wasn't as self-taught in his
|
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obnoxia as we had thought.
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The -event- was rescheduled after Sam
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cancelled the original September 26
|
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date, reportedly because it was a
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Jewish Holy Day. Well, October 3 was
|
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another one, but they held it anyway.
|
|
Perhaps it was moved because Neil was
|
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supposed to handle it with Sam... but
|
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he resigned 3 days too soon.
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When the conference opened, it was
|
|
announced that -Sam Tramiel, CEO of
|
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ATARI, is here to talk about the future
|
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of the ST-. Well over 100 people were
|
|
tuned in to read the -real facts- from
|
|
the top. Two hours were allotted for
|
|
the convention, and the question que
|
|
filled almost instantly. We were
|
|
hopeful.
|
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|
We were dissapointed. Some good and
|
|
wide questions were asked, and were
|
|
either avoided completely or narrowed
|
|
to a yes/no answer... all without Neil's
|
|
help.
|
|
|
|
It is also interesting to note that Sam
|
|
referred to ATARI machines in the US as
|
|
having been -diverted- from their
|
|
European destinations!
|
|
|
|
Even the CompuServe Sysops were
|
|
obviously shocked when Sam cut off the
|
|
conference after little more than an
|
|
hour. Perhaps we were seeing more
|
|
concern over the connection time fees
|
|
that were to be lost than over the
|
|
possible loss of information exchange.
|
|
(Consider 100-200 people all paying
|
|
CompuServe $7 to $13 dollars an hour to
|
|
witness the conference...it MUST have
|
|
been a financial dissapointment not to
|
|
go at LEAST the planned two hours!)
|
|
|
|
There WAS some actual information
|
|
passed, although most of it was fairly
|
|
old or well-rumored. Like, there WILL
|
|
be an ST-Portable... someday. Sam says,
|
|
-We are working on it, and will ship it
|
|
as soon as it is ready.- Like wine, not
|
|
before its' time, I suppose.
|
|
|
|
Sam had nothing at all to say in this
|
|
conference, and didn't care to reachout
|
|
to the real and troubling questions of
|
|
the users. And the -event- gives us a
|
|
glimpse of what Neil had to go through
|
|
to be the daily buffer between ATARI
|
|
and the public. I am left feeling that
|
|
ATARI really doesn't care about what
|
|
you or I want or need... they have
|
|
their company, it's going just the way
|
|
the want it, and they can't understand
|
|
why we won't just let them play by
|
|
themselves.
|
|
|
|
I bet Neil hasn't got any second
|
|
thoughts about leaving.
|
|
|
|
|
|
=====Software Copyrights====>
|
|
|
|
INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR
|
|
SOFTWARE COPYRIGHT APPLICATION
|
|
|
|
M. Lee Murrah Attorney at Law
|
|
6504 Hillcrest Rd.
|
|
Roanoke, Texas 76262
|
|
Metro 430-3760 (Area 817)
|
|
|
|
Information Needed
|
|
|
|
1. Full name and nationality (or
|
|
domicile) of author.
|
|
|
|
2. Birthdate of author, unless the
|
|
copyright is to be owned by a
|
|
company. Date of death if author is
|
|
dead.
|
|
|
|
3. If multiple authors, description of
|
|
what each contributed.
|
|
|
|
4. If the applicant is different from
|
|
the author, a description of how the
|
|
applicant obtained ownership of the
|
|
software.
|
|
|
|
5. If the registration is to in the
|
|
name of a company, the full name
|
|
and address of the company and the
|
|
name and title of the officer who
|
|
will make the application. If the
|
|
software was written as an employee
|
|
of a company, the software is
|
|
considered a -work for hire-, and
|
|
the company is considered the
|
|
-author-.
|
|
|
|
6. Year the software was created.
|
|
|
|
7. Full date the software was first
|
|
published (if it has been
|
|
published), and the country in
|
|
which first published.
|
|
|
|
8. If the software is being
|
|
published commercially, the name
|
|
and address of the publisher.
|
|
|
|
Documents Needed
|
|
|
|
1. A full printout of the software
|
|
source code for file documentation
|
|
purposes. Be sure the source code
|
|
has a comment or remark at the
|
|
beginning with the title of the
|
|
software and your copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
2. A printout of the software object
|
|
code (hexadecimal listing) for file
|
|
documentation purposes. Be sure
|
|
the object code includes a copyright
|
|
notice that appears on the initial
|
|
screen EVERY TIME THE SOFTWARE IS
|
|
RUN.
|
|
|
|
3. Three (3) special copies of the
|
|
software for deposit with the
|
|
application. The guidelines in 1
|
|
and 2 immediately above regarding
|
|
copyright notice should be
|
|
followed, EXCEPT that certain
|
|
portions of the deposit copies may
|
|
be omitted or be blacked out as
|
|
described below.
|
|
|
|
4. Documentation for the software. Be
|
|
sure the documentation has a
|
|
copyright notice on the title page.
|
|
|
|
5. Copy of registration previous
|
|
version of the software, if any.
|
|
|
|
Software Deposit Guidelines
|
|
|
|
You have three options for making
|
|
deposits of software with your
|
|
application:
|
|
|
|
1. Deposit the first 25 and last 25
|
|
pages of the SOURCE listing. If less
|
|
than 50 pages, then all must be
|
|
submitted.
|
|
|
|
2. Deposit all the object code under
|
|
the -rule of doubt.-
|
|
|
|
3. Deposit the source and/or object
|
|
code with portions omitted or blacked
|
|
out, with a special -petition for
|
|
special relief-,as follows:
|
|
|
|
(a) Submit the first and last 25
|
|
pages of the SOURCE code with up to
|
|
50% blacked out.
|
|
|
|
(b) Submit the first and last 10
|
|
pages of the SOURCE code with none
|
|
blacked out. If less than 20 pages,
|
|
then all must be submitted.
|
|
|
|
(c) Submit the first and last 25
|
|
pages of the OBJECT code plus any
|
|
10 or more consecutive pages of the
|
|
SOURCE CODE. If the object code is
|
|
less than 50 pages, then all must
|
|
be submitted.
|
|
|
|
Clearly, in any case you would want to
|
|
do two things: (1) place the -meat- of
|
|
the program in the middle part which
|
|
may be omitted under the guidelines,
|
|
and (2) double or triple space your
|
|
source listing.
|
|
|
|
RECOMMENDATION: Option 3 with the
|
|
option ( a, b, or c) which reveals the
|
|
least amount of sensitive code is
|
|
usually the best choice.
|
|
|
|
=====AtariFest Report=======>
|
|
by John Deegan/Brian Biggs
|
|
|
|
Last weekend, Oct 1, the Washingtion
|
|
area was pelted with another AtariFest.
|
|
As we have been hearing through ST-
|
|
Report and ZMagazine. The most recent
|
|
to date, previous to the Washington
|
|
Fest, was the Glendale AtariFest. (See
|
|
ZMAG125 for details on that show).
|
|
|
|
Well, the Washington AtariFest is
|
|
underway, and the Fairfax High School
|
|
was *packed* with tons of folks, and
|
|
dealers. Of the many dealers that showed
|
|
up, only one dealer did not set up,
|
|
Migraph (the EZDraw folks).
|
|
|
|
One of the hottest items around --
|
|
Spectre 128 -- was selling out on the
|
|
spot. Mr. David Small arrived and set
|
|
up (sort of...) in the midst of a mob
|
|
of 20 or so people waiting to get a
|
|
coveted copy of the Mac emulator.
|
|
Nearby, an entranced group stood around
|
|
watching someone putting the Translator
|
|
One through its paces.
|
|
|
|
At the dealer show room, Mac Roms (64k)
|
|
were available, while orders could be
|
|
taken for 128k rom's. (The price was
|
|
$30 for the 64K's and $115 for the
|
|
128K's).
|
|
|
|
This Fest was divided into two principle
|
|
display areas, the demonstration rooms
|
|
including setups for several interests.
|
|
We stopped by the Education and the
|
|
Handicapped, and Telecommunications
|
|
rooms to talk about the ST with the
|
|
demonstration personnel.
|
|
|
|
In the dealer area, NeoDesk and the
|
|
Universal Item selector were being
|
|
actively demoed by the CalCom folks, to
|
|
people attracted by the CyberPaint
|
|
Animation sequences (-...it's like
|
|
watching Saturday morning cartoons-).
|
|
|
|
Throughout the display hall, hundreds
|
|
of titles were available, with perhaps
|
|
less than half being games, the
|
|
remainder being productivty software
|
|
and development tools. All of the
|
|
pricing noticed was very reasonably.
|
|
Additionally all type of hardware were
|
|
available from plugs and wire to monitor
|
|
switchers to computers. Topped off with
|
|
a rather full speaking schedule, this
|
|
Fest had the makings of a success.
|
|
|
|
Where is Atari during these successful
|
|
events??
|
|
|
|
=====CO Symbols ??==========>
|
|
|
|
:-) humor.
|
|
:-> humor variation.
|
|
%-} humor variation.
|
|
:-( sad.
|
|
:-< sad variation.
|
|
%-{ sad variation.
|
|
:_) tongue in cheek
|
|
:-! foot in mouth
|
|
<:-) for dumb questions.
|
|
(:-) dealing with bicycle helmets.
|
|
(8-) for dealing with owls.
|
|
d:-) for dealing with baseball.
|
|
d :-o hats off to your great idea
|
|
q:-) for those who wear their caps
|
|
backwards.
|
|
@= for dealing with nuclear war.
|
|
o>-<|= for interest only to women.
|
|
~= to annotate flaming messages.
|
|
oo somebody's head-lights are on
|
|
;-) say no more, nudge nudge.
|
|
:-$ your money where your mouth is
|
|
>:-> leer
|
|
;-} leer? (terminal dependent)
|
|
|-<> kissy face
|
|
:-| man playing an harmonica
|
|
O:-) for those innocent souls
|
|
[:|] from a robot/other AI project
|
|
:>) from someone with a big nose
|
|
:<| from someone who attends an
|
|
Ivy League school
|
|
:%)% from someone with acne
|
|
=:-) from a hosehead
|
|
:-(*) someone who is about to vomit
|
|
:-)8 someone who is well dressed
|
|
8:-) from a little girl
|
|
:-)-{8 from a big girl
|
|
#-) someone who partied all night
|
|
%-\ from someone hungover
|
|
:-* someone just ate a sour pickle
|
|
-:-) someone who sports a mohawk
|
|
:-'| from someone who has a cold
|
|
:-)' from somone who tends to drool
|
|
':-) from someone who accidentally
|
|
shaved off one of his eyebrows
|
|
8:] from a gorilla
|
|
(:)-) from someone wearing scuba mask
|
|
P-) from someone getting fresh
|
|
|-) someone who is falling asleep
|
|
.-) from someone with one eye
|
|
:=) from someone with two noses
|
|
:-D from someone who talks too much
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous:
|
|
|
|
(-:|:-) Siamese twins
|
|
:~/ Really mixed up
|
|
the invisible man
|
|
{:\/ sounds like a duck
|
|
.\/ duck variation
|
|
:-0
|
|
|:-O
|
|
%+{ from the loser of a fight
|
|
|
|
___
|
|
/ \
|
|
| RIP |
|
|
|_____| from someone who is dead
|
|
-------
|
|
So you see, bit-mapped displays are
|
|
really quite unnecessary :->
|
|
|
|
######################################
|
|
|
|
=====Atari 8-bit Color Radar>
|
|
by Lawrence Estep
|
|
|
|
***On-line viewing***
|
|
|
|
Unfortunately, on-line viewing of GIF
|
|
graphics is not available yet, but I
|
|
understand that the possibility is being
|
|
discussed. Stay tuned for further
|
|
updates on this.
|
|
|
|
***Off-line viewing***
|
|
|
|
To view the CompuServe Color Radar
|
|
images, you need the file AT8GIF.OBJ,
|
|
and the doc file AT8GIF.DOC, which are
|
|
both available in Library 4 of the
|
|
Atari 8-bit Forum on CompuServe. The
|
|
next step is to download the map.
|
|
|
|
***Graphics mode***
|
|
|
|
To download the latest Color Radar
|
|
image, type GO COLMAPS at any
|
|
Compuserve Information Service! prompt.
|
|
When prompted for your graphics mode,
|
|
enter 4 for Other.
|
|
|
|
***Number of colors***
|
|
|
|
Next enter 256 when prompted for the
|
|
number of colors your graphics mode
|
|
supports. You will then be prompted for
|
|
your choice of GIF maps. Enter the
|
|
appropriate number for the U.S. Radar
|
|
Map.
|
|
|
|
***Color settings***
|
|
|
|
You will then be prompted with a menu
|
|
that will look something like this:
|
|
|
|
1.Display Map*
|
|
2.Download Map
|
|
3.Change Color Settings
|
|
|
|
Choose option 3 to change the color
|
|
settings. You will then be prompted
|
|
with 6 levels:
|
|
|
|
1 Light:
|
|
2 Moderate:
|
|
3 Heavy:
|
|
4 Very Heavy:
|
|
5 Intense:
|
|
6 Extreme:
|
|
|
|
Next to each will be the default colors.
|
|
The default colors do not produce a
|
|
very pleasing image on the 8-bit. Type
|
|
1 to begin changing the colors. You
|
|
will be prompted with the following:
|
|
|
|
ENTER COLOR YOU WISH TO USE
|
|
|
|
1 Dark Blue
|
|
2 Dark Green
|
|
3 Dark Red
|
|
4 Dark Magenta
|
|
5 Dark Yellow
|
|
6 Dark Cyan
|
|
7 White
|
|
8 Light Blue
|
|
9 Light Green
|
|
10 Light Red
|
|
11 Light Magenta
|
|
12 Light Yellow
|
|
13 Light Cyan
|
|
|
|
I have found that the following colors
|
|
produce the best image:
|
|
|
|
1 Light:Light Blue (8)
|
|
2 Moderate:Light Cyan (13)
|
|
3 Heavy:Light Green (9)
|
|
4 Very Heavy:Light Yellow (12)
|
|
5 Intense:Light Red (10)
|
|
6 Extreme:Light Magenta (11)
|
|
|
|
***Downloading***
|
|
|
|
After changing each color level, return
|
|
to the options menu, and choose option
|
|
2 to download the map. This is better
|
|
than capturing it, because you eliminate
|
|
errors.
|
|
|
|
***Displaying***
|
|
|
|
After downloading the map, you can go
|
|
offline, and view it. The best way to
|
|
view the map with the AT8GIF.OBJ
|
|
program is to zoom in on various
|
|
sections, as a full U.S. image is
|
|
rather distorted looking. See the file
|
|
AT8GIF.DOC for more information on the
|
|
zoom feature of AT8GIF.OBJ.
|
|
|
|
***Modifying***
|
|
|
|
If you wish to add titles, the easiest
|
|
way that I have found is with Video
|
|
Title Shop. To use this, you must first
|
|
write a copy of your GIF image to disk.
|
|
This creates a MicroPainter compatible
|
|
file (62-sector format). This will then
|
|
enable you to choose the Load Canvas
|
|
option of VTS, and add your titles. This
|
|
also enables you to chain several maps
|
|
together in a continuous slide show.
|
|
|
|
***Printing***
|
|
|
|
If you own an Okimate 10 printer, you
|
|
can make a hard copy of your map by
|
|
using the Color Print software that
|
|
came with your printer, and a color
|
|
ribbon. Just load the converted
|
|
Micropainter file, and choose option 7
|
|
from the Color Print menu for
|
|
MicroPainter files.
|
|
|
|
***Example files***
|
|
|
|
The following files are available in
|
|
Library 4 of the Atari 8-bit Forum on
|
|
CompuServe to help you (Note: All files
|
|
are in the converted MicroPainter 62-
|
|
sector format):
|
|
|
|
*MAPCOL.PIC-This is the suggested color
|
|
code for the Color Radar images.
|
|
|
|
*NERAD.PIC-This image is of the
|
|
Northeastern portion of the United
|
|
States using the suggested color code
|
|
in MAPCOL.PIC.
|
|
|
|
*GILBRT.PIC-This is a rather vivid image
|
|
of the precipitation associated with
|
|
Hurricane Gilbert throughout the state
|
|
of Texas. This image was from 09/16/88
|
|
at approx. 7:30 P.M. E.D.T. This image
|
|
uses the suggested color code in
|
|
MAPCOL.PIC.
|
|
|
|
If you have any questions, comments,
|
|
suggestions, or complaints, please leave
|
|
me an Easyplex E-mail message to user
|
|
i.d. #71450,1050.
|
|
|
|
I hope this text has been of use to you!
|
|
Watch for future modifications to this
|
|
file, as GIF images improve, and new
|
|
options appear!
|
|
|
|
##################################
|
|
-HISTORY WILL TEACH US NOTHING...-
|
|
Reflection by John Nagy
|
|
##################################
|
|
|
|
Weeks ago I wrote in detail in COMPUTER
|
|
SHOPPER and MICHIGAN ATARI MAGAZINE
|
|
about how ATARI Corp was asking for the
|
|
help of user groups. Sam Tramiel, Atari
|
|
Chief, appealed to users to help spread
|
|
the word about Atari and to be their
|
|
advance sales and promotion force.
|
|
Further, he asked that users and dealers
|
|
work together to resolve the penetration
|
|
problems of Atari marketing.
|
|
|
|
Echoing with commmon feelings of
|
|
frustration with the Tramiel business
|
|
ethic, several readers have written to
|
|
me in response. One in particular
|
|
summed up much of the mood. The writer
|
|
asked not to have his name printed, as
|
|
he was -still leery of Tramiel!-
|
|
Here's a few excerpts of a long and
|
|
thoughtful letter from a concerned and
|
|
mature user.
|
|
|
|
-More than 10 years ago I became a
|
|
Commodore dealer. It was required that
|
|
I put XXX dollars up front for my
|
|
initial inventory... to become
|
|
-authorized-. Commodore shipments did
|
|
not start up until more than three
|
|
months later and were strung out over a
|
|
2 or 3 month period. It seems they were
|
|
-changing distributors-...
|
|
|
|
-Factory representation to the dealer
|
|
was nil. The attitude of Commodore
|
|
(Tramiel) was terrible... Personnel
|
|
changes were constant and you could
|
|
never call the factory and establish
|
|
continuity with anyone in the
|
|
department.
|
|
|
|
-What Tramiel did not know was that at
|
|
one time he could have OWNED the entire
|
|
personal computer industry if he had
|
|
treated his dealers halfway fairly. He
|
|
had a good computer and good software
|
|
support. He lost it all to Apple.
|
|
|
|
-About 5 years ago I sold my computer
|
|
business and moved to Florida in
|
|
retirement... I saw this account of the
|
|
ATARI 520ST... bought the works and
|
|
loved it. ...I was ready to become an
|
|
ATARI dealer!
|
|
|
|
-Then I began to see the Tramiel
|
|
syndrome setting in... Atari was going
|
|
to be sold only by discount houses.
|
|
Atari was only going to be sold by mial
|
|
order houses. People were being fired.
|
|
No user could contact the factory.
|
|
Please don't bother us. Talk to your
|
|
local Atari dealer. The entire charade
|
|
was and is a replay of the Commodore
|
|
charade.
|
|
|
|
-So I bought an XT clone system. Plenty
|
|
of software? WOW!! ... Sure - the XT
|
|
isn't the machine the ST is, but under
|
|
the circunstances, who cares?? Not me.
|
|
|
|
-So Tramiel(s) want help eh? Want
|
|
dealers and user groups eh? Well,
|
|
Tramiel will reward you for all your
|
|
love and kindnesses. He has a special
|
|
award for those who get near him. It's
|
|
called the barbed wire shaft with the
|
|
purple cluster. Avoid this turkey with
|
|
all your might - this is another
|
|
Ayatolla. Good product? Who cares -
|
|
it ain't worth it.
|
|
|
|
-...Tramiel could have cut himself a
|
|
nice slice of market, but now needs
|
|
-help- from users groups and dealers
|
|
simply because he does not know how to
|
|
treat human beings. Tough, Jack!!-
|
|
|
|
While this letter obviously presents
|
|
the opinion of one person, most of us
|
|
can hear the ring of the familiar and
|
|
the truth in his letter. What this
|
|
man's experience suggests is that the
|
|
current ATARI problems are NOT the
|
|
result of market pressures, NOT the
|
|
fault of Japanese chip price
|
|
manipulation, and NOT going to be
|
|
resolved by any user group
|
|
participation. He believes that the
|
|
problems follow the Tramiels from
|
|
company to company as a direct result
|
|
of their business policies and personnel
|
|
practices. How many of us are ready to
|
|
challenge those assesments?
|
|
|
|
Mistakes are natural, and form important
|
|
boundry markers for the future...if one
|
|
has the wisdom to heed them. Atari can
|
|
learn to change... let's encourage them
|
|
to do so.
|
|
|
|
======MTOS Update===========>
|
|
Copyright 1988 by Tom Hunt
|
|
|
|
Welcome to MTOS version 3.0. MTOS
|
|
brings the power of the multi-tasking
|
|
environment to 130XE's and Rambo
|
|
compatable ram upgraded Atari 8-bit
|
|
computers. Version 3.0 includes the
|
|
addition of a few new features.
|
|
|
|
First is the ability to switch between
|
|
processes with a shift-control-number
|
|
keypress combination. Second is a 40%
|
|
speed increase over version 2.0. Third
|
|
is the lowest memlo ever, making MTOS
|
|
compatible with a wider range of
|
|
software. Fourth is the fact that this
|
|
version works with BOTH machines. Fifth
|
|
is the ability to have foreground only
|
|
processes. That means that such tasks
|
|
use CPU time only when called in to the
|
|
foreground. Otherwise, they are
|
|
dormant. Kind of like a desk accessory.
|
|
|
|
Some of the more sophisticated features
|
|
that were in 2.0 have been left out of
|
|
version 3.0. Namely inter-task
|
|
messaging, binary file loading from
|
|
exec, Atari dos compatability, wait_
|
|
next_event, and the amount of tasks for
|
|
the 256k version has been cut from 6 to
|
|
4 tasks.
|
|
|
|
Of course, the system variables can be
|
|
found at the same place so that old
|
|
programs that you have made under 2.0
|
|
will still work under the new 3.0
|
|
version. However, if you made calls to
|
|
system routines, your program will
|
|
crash.
|
|
___________________________________
|
|
Footnote:
|
|
It was my intention that MTOS would
|
|
find it's way into being accepted by
|
|
commercial software developers, and
|
|
that commercial software would be
|
|
produced around the MTOS kernal. That
|
|
has not been the case. There isn't
|
|
really that much commercial software
|
|
being developed for the Atari 8-bit
|
|
computers these days. MTOS has been
|
|
used mainly by programming buffs, and
|
|
those fortunet enough to have enough
|
|
experience with code hacking to
|
|
integrate it into their own programming
|
|
environments. I release the use of MTOS
|
|
to ANYONE who wants to use it in an
|
|
non-commercial way. That means that if
|
|
you make a p.d. or shareware software
|
|
package using MTOS, then that's ok with
|
|
me. If you want to go big-time, then
|
|
you have to get in contact with me. If
|
|
you have any questions, feel free to
|
|
call my bbs (Closer To Home BBS) at
|
|
419-368-4413. You can also find MTOS
|
|
utilities and programming examples on
|
|
the C.T.H. bbs. The bbs is undergoing
|
|
changes right now to make it easier to
|
|
find MTOS related files. This is the
|
|
official MTOS version 3.0 support bbs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
=====Bill of Rights=========>
|
|
|
|
Extracted from -Bill of Rights for
|
|
Software Users-, by David Browning
|
|
|
|
The following version of the Bill of
|
|
Rights for Software Users was presented
|
|
for approval by the Capital PC User
|
|
Group, Inc. Board of Directors at the
|
|
May 1985 board meeting, and has been
|
|
distributed to the press, industry and
|
|
to legislators. This bill is intended
|
|
to set forth in writing our needs as
|
|
software users, and is not intended to
|
|
take away the right of software vendors
|
|
to protect their products or
|
|
compensation. It is time we let the
|
|
industry leaders know how we need to
|
|
use their products so they will know
|
|
better how to interact with us. I may
|
|
be contacted on this subject by writing
|
|
at:
|
|
|
|
WBS and Associates, Inc.
|
|
7620 Little River Turnpike
|
|
Suite 600
|
|
Annandale, VA 22003
|
|
|
|
BILL OF RIGHTS FOR SOFTWARE USERS
|
|
|
|
1. Right to Product Quality:
|
|
|
|
The user has the right to expect a
|
|
software product to perform with a level
|
|
of quality consistent with industry
|
|
specified or implied standards.
|
|
|
|
2. Right of Functionality:
|
|
|
|
The user has the right to expect a
|
|
software product to perform basic
|
|
functions common to the generic program
|
|
type, with any exceptions or caveats
|
|
fully disclosed prior to purchase.
|
|
|
|
3. Right of Continuous Service:
|
|
|
|
The user has the right to have on hand
|
|
sufficient backup of program packages
|
|
and authorization devices to continue
|
|
operations uninterrupted by loss of or
|
|
damage to the primary package or
|
|
authorization device.
|
|
|
|
4. Right to Program Support:
|
|
|
|
The user has the right of access to
|
|
information from the software
|
|
manufacturer concerning known errors,
|
|
fixes or temporary work arounds. The
|
|
user also has the right to reasonable
|
|
updates to the released versions for
|
|
the correction of errors.
|
|
|
|
5. Right of System Integration:
|
|
|
|
The user has the right to integrate
|
|
software products into his or her system
|
|
environment without undue constraint or
|
|
interference from copy-protection,
|
|
software authorization, or other
|
|
extraneous program functions.
|
|
|
|
File Ctsy of:
|
|
Capital PC User Group
|
|
P.O. Box 3189
|
|
Gaithersburg MD 20878
|
|
(703) 978-4339
|
|
|
|
=====Modem Review===========>
|
|
|
|
A Review of the Epic 2400 Plus External
|
|
Modem by Doug Acker Copyrighted 1988,
|
|
Pegasus Technology, all rights reserved
|
|
|
|
Epic Technology
|
|
5680 Stewart Avenue
|
|
Fremont, CA 84538
|
|
(415) 683-0932 [insideCA]
|
|
(800) 634-9992 [outside CA]
|
|
(415) 683-0935 [FAX]
|
|
|
|
Epic 2400 Plus External Modem -
|
|
A 2400 baud External Modem
|
|
|
|
The Epic people first made their debut
|
|
last year at the 1987 San Francisco
|
|
AppleFest with their internal modem for
|
|
the II series. While interviewing them,
|
|
I found out that this company was
|
|
formed when they left another modem
|
|
manufacturer and formed their own
|
|
company. Epic currently has products
|
|
for the IBM, Mac and Apple II line.
|
|
|
|
The modem itself is slightly larger
|
|
than some other modems I have seen
|
|
lately. It is 8- x 5.5- x 1.5- so if
|
|
you are tight for desk space, this
|
|
might be a factor. The case comes in a
|
|
beige color with a blue face with 5
|
|
indicator lights on it. On the back is
|
|
a RS232C female connector, two modular
|
|
phone inputs [one for the phone line
|
|
and one for a phone] and the connector
|
|
for the power supply. In addition the
|
|
on/off toggle switch is in back.
|
|
|
|
One of the first things that I noticed
|
|
is the placement of the on/off switch.
|
|
It is right between the RS232C connector
|
|
and the power supply connector. Unless
|
|
you have small fingers [unlike me],
|
|
turning the modem off and on is not
|
|
straightforward.
|
|
|
|
On the front side, the indicator lights
|
|
are a plus. These include POWER, XMIT,
|
|
RCV, SPEED and SIG. The power light
|
|
and speed are essential in order to
|
|
determine if the modem is turned on and
|
|
has power while the speed light is to
|
|
see if you are in 2400 baud mode or not.
|
|
The SIG lamp informs you if its
|
|
connected to you computer. The RCV and
|
|
XMIT lights flash when the modem is
|
|
either receiving or transmitting
|
|
information. These lights are adequate
|
|
for normal operation. However if you
|
|
are a BBS operator, not having an auto-
|
|
answer mode indicator and a carrier
|
|
detect and off-hook indicator will be
|
|
quickly noticed.
|
|
|
|
In actual operation I called various
|
|
local and long distance BBS's and online
|
|
services such as GEnie (TM). The line
|
|
noise rejection was quite good, [i.e.
|
|
the lines seemed -clear-] at 1200/2400
|
|
baud rates. However, every now and
|
|
then I will see some garbage -sneak by-
|
|
on my screen. This is better than alot
|
|
of modems I have seen, however it is
|
|
not the best.
|
|
|
|
The manual also has some strengths and
|
|
weaknesses. It has *nothing* about how
|
|
to connect your modem to your computer.
|
|
It assumes you know that step. This is
|
|
sometimes a very big assumption. It
|
|
does list some communication packages
|
|
and the appropriate setups for each
|
|
which is helpful. In additionit has a
|
|
*very* nice glossary. It does list the
|
|
hayes compatible codes and registers
|
|
for the modem however it does not
|
|
explain what they mean.
|
|
|
|
The modem does have a 5 year warranty
|
|
and a troubleshooting hotline Monday
|
|
through Friday.
|
|
|
|
For me, this modem seems like it is the
|
|
-middle of the road-. In documentation,
|
|
it has its strong and weakpoints. In
|
|
the acutal use of the modem, its alot
|
|
better than most but not the best.
|
|
Price-wise, this modem is a good value.
|
|
If I was looking for a modem, I would
|
|
not discount this modem however, I
|
|
would not rush out any buy it without
|
|
looking at others on the market.
|
|
|
|
/// Syndicate ZMagazine //
|
|
Issue #126 October 9, 1988
|
|
(c)APEInc, 1988
|
|
####################(c)1988 SPC########
|