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Silicon Times Report Issue 0106
*---== ST REPORT ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---*
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original Online ST Magazine"
_______________________________
September 22, 1989 Vol III No.106
=======================================================================
ST Report Online Magazine ½
__________________________
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida
32205 ~ 6672
R.F. Mariano
Publisher - Editor
_________________________________________
Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT
BBS: 904-786-4176 12-24-96 HST
FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EDT
_________________________________________
** F-NET/FIDOMAIL NODE 350 **
Our support BBS carries ALL issues of STReport
and
An International list of private BBS systems
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__________________________________________________________________
> Issue: #106 STReport¿ The Online Magazine of Choice!
-------------------
- The Editors' Podium - CPU REPORT - ASTDA
- BLOODWYCH A Review - Expectations
- PC SPEED!! IBM Emulator! - UK & the TT
- WAACE doing GOOD! - Computer Talk
- ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL - EPYX Layoffs
----===**** MYSTERY CLOUDS THE RELEASE OF THE LYNX ****===----
--==** PREFERRED DEALERS TO SELL PORTFOLIO **==--
=======================================================================
AVAILABLE ON: COMP-U-SERVE ~ DELPHI ~ GENIE ~ BIX
=======================================================================
> The Editor's Podium¿
With WAACE right around the corner, perhaps Atari will have good news
for the users pertaining to the (a) exchange program's extraordinarily
high prices, (b) about the delivery dates of the STE, Lynx and the Stacy.
The rumor mill is in high gear and going in many different directions.
Atari must bring out some REAL news and forego this silence non sense.
Here we are, coming up on the holiday season and what do we see? The
big push is on in the business and high dollar publications, ie; Airline
magazines, Wall Street Journal etc.., but ONLY for the Portfolio. That's
all well and good but... what about the Lynx? And the Mega what is in
the future for the Mega series? Why are volume dealers dropping like
flies? Example, two in Manhattan in less than 60 days! One can purchase
a Mega there for closeout prices, if any are left. The major complaint
appears to be a lack of co-operation on the part of Atari coupled with a
"we don't care about you attitude". Come on Atari, wake up... There
simply must be some serious attitude adjustments made in Sunnyvale and
fast. The direct deal on the Portfolio may have been neccessary, but is
passing on certain dealers in the best interests of Atari? Surely, Atari
is not going to play favorites and allow other dealers to go without.
Granted, the Portfolio will increase Atari's name recognition, but will
this added recognition aid or hurt computer sales and Atari's chances at
being taken seriously in the computer marketplace.
This, the last quarter of 1989, will either prove or disprove the
overall reliability of Atari's plans and promises. Especially when it
comes to keeping the release dates of the new gear relatively on time.
Smart money sez Stacy won't be until next year sometime... the STE well,
we will wait and see on this, the so-called Amiga Killer. Seems CBM has
some pretty slick plans of their own. Again, smart money sez BOTH Apple
and CBM will flat outdo Atari on all fronts for this holiday season as in
the past. We certainly would appreciate seeing the opposite, but in
refecting on the statements made by Sam Tramiel in the most recent online
conference and looking at what has actually come to pass... well, you can
draw your own conclusions. It would appear we are heading back to the
mushroom patch again.
Thanks for your support!
Ralph...
"ATARI IS BACK?"
**********************************************************************
:HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
_________________________________
To sign up for GEnie service: Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369.
Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that).
Wait for the U#= prompt.
Type XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN.
The system will prompt you for your information.
THE GENIE ATARI ST ROUNDTABLE - AN OVERVIEW
___________________________________________
The Roundtable is an area of GEnie specifically set aside for owners and
users of Atari ST computers, although all are welcome to participate.
There are three main sections to the Roundtable: the Bulletin Board, the
Software Library and the Real Time Conference area.
The Bulletin Board contains messages from Roundtable members on a variety
of Topics, organized under several Categories. These messages are all
Open and available for all to read (GEnie Mail should be used for private
messages).
If you have a question, comment, hot rumor or an answer to someone else's
question, the Bulletin Board is the place to share it.
The Software Library is where we keep the Public Domain software files
that are available to all Roundtable members. You can 'download' any of
these files to your own computer system by using a Terminal Program which
uses the 'XMODEM' file-transfer method. You can also share your favorite
Public Domain programs and files with other Roundtable members by
'uploading' them to the Software Library. Uploading on GEnie is FREE, so
you are encouraged to participate and help your Roundtable grow.
The Real Time Conference is an area where two or more Roundtable members
may get together and 'talk' in 'real-time'. You can participate in
organized conferences with special guests, drop in on our weekly Open
COnference, or simply join in on an impromptu chat session. Unlike
posting messages or Mail for other members to read at some later time,
everyone in the Conference area can see what you type immediately, and can
respond to you right away, in an 'electronic conversation'.
**********************************************************************
> CPU REPORT¿
==========
Issue # 33
----------
by Michael Arthur
Remember When....
In 1984, when the Mac was first introduced, there was little support
for terminal programs, with only a faulty low-level serial driver in the
Mac's 64K ROMs to aid in development, and when a CompuServe user named
Dennis Brothers gained renown for writing the first Mac terminal program,
called MACTEP, to show the Mac world how to interface a Mac with a modem?
CPU INSIGHTS¿
=============
Atari's Future: The Fate of the Year of the Atari ST
-----------------------------------------------------
In the history of the computer industry, many a company has ventured
its fortunes upon a certain product or innovation which showed the promise
of providing potential, with superb virtues not yet realized in a certain
aspect of the industry. However, due to the market's competitive nature,
many of these products and companies now belong to the ages, each a
reminder of some great truth unrealized by its protagonist(s). In the
microcomputer industry there are many examples of this occuring, with as
many causes. Often, one can find where obsolescence, greed, or unwise
actions caused a product like Visicalc, Wordstar, or CP/M to become only a
memory. But often one finds that, while in hindsight, the causes of these
products' demise were quite avoidable, there was little warning at the
time....
However, a few other products and innovations survived the computer
industry's unrelenting nature, causing them, and their protagonists to be
recognized, accepted, and even praised for a time. As in the previous
cases, there are also similarities in these successes. Interestingly
enough, these similarities do NOT necessarily include great capabilities,
potential, or present popularity. In fact, among the best cases, such as
Microsoft, Apple, and even IBM, success has depended more on the ability
to best fit an unoccupied, though important niche in the industry. In
order for a product to do this, great capabilities and potential ARE
necessary, but even more important are good public knowledge and opinion
about the product, providing for all aspects of demand for the product,
and the ability to act quickly in meeting the needs of the product's
Userbase. These requirements are often most difficult when a computer
company wishes to make parts of its computer line a success....
In all of this, Atari Corporation could be considered a paradox in the
microcomputer industry. Once, in its first incarnation, Atari's success
was claimed by a product caled the 2600. Nolan Bushnell, this product's
protagonist, then sold Atari to Warner Brothers, where it became a billion
dollar success, partly due to a person named Jay Miner. But how is this a
paradox, you may ask. At this time, all of this was typical of Silicon
Valley success stories. However, this was also the time where Atari was
to stray from the beaten path....
Due to ignorance, greed, and other things which have destroyed other
computer companies in the past, Atari fell from the heights of greatness
to utter bankruptcy. Interestingly enough, Jack Tramiel, the protagonist
of the company that ensured Atari's downfall, snatched the company from
the jaws of defeat, and staked its comeback on a new product called the
Atari ST. And while the Atari ST met all of the qualities of a success,
and Jack Tramiel had proven himself a very competent businessman in the
past, a great obstacle before Atari was the fact that VERY few major
computer companies had ever again become a success after they had fallen
from the race. But as time went on, Atari Corporation began to disprove
this stigma, by first rebuilding Atari's reputation, and then making the
Atari ST a success worldwide....
But then, the stigma began a counter-offensive....
Suddenly, within a year's time, Atari went from making the ST a
growing standard in Europe and the US, as well as posing a deadly threat
to Mac/IBM supremacy, to buying Federated, a chain of 65 bankrupt stores
in the American Southwest, for 65 million dollars, eventually posting a
loss of over $125 million dollars, and almost ruining the gains the ST had
made in the US while it increased its foothold in Europe. But perhaps the
most drastic change was that Atari's Userbase, once fanatical in its
support for the ST, holding almost unyielding devotion to Atari, was
alienated to the extent that its spirit was, if not broken completely,
VERY much disillusioned....
In 1989, realizing that all of Atari's gains may soon become forever
lost, Sam Tramiel endeavored to undertake a daring campaign of both
recapturing the gains the Atari ST had made earlier, therefore restoring
much of the Atari Userbase's earlier devotion, and to set the stage for
Atari's products to become standards wherever they reached. However, as
we all know, engineering the resurgence of Atari was to be a FAR greater
task than he had expected, as Sam's earlier goal of setting this into
motion by Early Summer was not to be met. But even news of Atari's new
directions heartened the Atari Userbase, as anticipation for the future
helped both its spirit, and Sam's Cause. Now, as September arrives, Sam's
plans are near fruition, as the resurgence of Atari is said to be mere
weeks in occurring. And now, as the Decade of the Microcomputer draws to
a close, the time for Atari's resurgence is running out. Therefore, this
Essay has been written, to serve a dual purpose: To serve as an aide,
however flawed, in helping Atari to have the foresight necessary to
fulfill Sam's Cause. And, if Sam Tramiel's cause does not show signs of
succeeding by Early 1990, to serve as a final epitaph for a paradox of the
computer industry....
A Treatise on the Concept of a National ST Developer's Association
------------------------------------------------------------------
When the Macintosh came out in 1984, oddly enough, it wasn't that
popular, as not many people recognized the new innovations that it had,
and as there was little software to show the world its capabilities. To
compound this, the Mac's operating system and ROM Toolbox were difficult
to program for, and as software developers struggled to make applications
for it, the Mac's future looked grim indeed. Recognizing this, Apple
started working closely with their software developers, paying attention
to their needs, addressing their problems, and providing what is possibly
the best Developer Support a single computer has ever known.
As a result, many software companies started to make Mac software,
causing key products like Microsoft Excel, Pagemaker, and Hypercard to
make the Macintosh an emerging standard, with loyal developers more than
willing to help continue that growth. Also, the cooperation between
developers enabled Apple to develop innovations for the Macintosh much
faster than usual, further contributing to the Mac's success.
When the Atari ST first came out, the Macintosh's innovations were
beginning to be recognized, and there was much praise and appreciation for
its speed, versatility, and potential. Some even called it the successor
to the Macintosh, as it combined all of the Mac's features with many that
the Mac didn't have then, such as color, sound, and a MIDI interface.
There was, of course, a great demand for the ST's. Especially in
Europe, where the ST quickly became the top selling computer, and an
emerging standard. One of the things that made the ST so popular back
then is that it wasn't as difficult to develop powerful software for as
the Macintosh had been. But, as in all new systems, programmers did have
a rough time fully utilizing the ST's features, and Developer Support
became as necessary as ever. In the beginning, Atari began to support
them VERY well, both with the Developer's Kit, and with the online network
of support found in services like Compuserve and GEnie. And as developers
began to flock to the ST, Atari's future looked bright indeed.
However, as Atari's fortunes plumetted in 1988, the Developer Support
network that Atari had setup began to fall apart. Soon its state was so
awful that ST Developers began to complain loudly that Atari's Developer
Support was so faulty that its benefits seemed to end once they got the ST
Developer's Kit. As this situation worsened, things became VERY rough for
ST Software Companies, many of whom either had to make products for other
computers, or leave the ST world altogether. This further helped worsen
Atari's decline. It is obvious then, how Sam Tramiel's committment to
restoring the Atari ST's good fortunes were to ST Developers like water to
a man in the desert....
But as Sam Tramiel's efforts continued, it became apparent that Atari,
committed to many other aspects of its resurgence, didn't have the
manpower or resources to truly revive ST Developer Support. With Atari's
Support beginning to falter, many ST Developers are now looking outward
for assistance. I submit that they should look inward, to the greatest
resource that ST Developers, ultimately, depend on: Themselves....
Hence, the concept of a...
"NATIONAL ATARI ST DEVELOPERS' ASSOCIATION"
If the collective genius we define as Atari ST Developers were to form
an independent association dedicated to providing any support needed by
any and all ST Developers, then many vital needs of both Atari and the ST
Developer Community would be met:
- ST Developers would have an independent source from which to
obtain constant, reliable, and vital information about any aspect
of Atari's products, much of which only experienced ST Developers
could articulate.
- ST Developers could have a powerful organization to represent
them with Atari. Developers would have a much better ability to
voice their demands and wishes to Atari if such an organization
existed.
- Atari would have a VERY good (free) resource through which to
handle general Developer Support needs, so it can concentrate on
providing specific, one-on-one, private assistance to Developers
for specific, or necessarily secret aspects of their projects.
Implementation and Goals of an ST Developers Association
--------------------------------------------------------
The goals of a National ST Developers' Association would be to:
1) PROVIDE A DATABASE OF INFORMATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF ATARI COMPUTERS
FOR NEW DEVELOPERS TO DRAW ON
One main complaint that current ST Developers have against Atari is
that their level of support stops at the Developers' Kit. While this is
hopefully not the case, it indicates that new developers often do not get
the type of necessary info on the ST, both on the ST's schematics, which
are necessary for most hardware products, and in the special ways that the
various functions and features of TOS can be used, that they often require
for developing innovative products for the ST.
An ST Developers Assocation would be a self-sufficient arena through
which ST Developers themselves would constitute a network of programmers
providing the type of support, guidance, and expertise to newcomers in the
ST Developer Community, that, in many cases, only independent, experienced
programmers themselves could provide. For example, while Atari would be
able to solve some problems that Developers may have, only a programmer
experienced in the various aspects of ST/TT/ATW programming may be able to
provide the info necessary for a programmer's specific need. And an Atari
ST Developer's Association would have the best capability of helping these
developers, who would otherwise have to "reinvent the wheel, get in touch
with other Developers who could best help them.
Also, an Atari ST Developer's Association (or ASTDA, for short) could
help convince companies who currently develop hardware and software for
other computers, such as Borland and Electronic Arts, that making ST
Software would be profitable for them....
2) SERVE AS AN ORGANIZATION FOR ESTABLISHING APPLICATION STANDARDS,
AND IN ORGANIZING DEVELOPERS FOR IMPORTANT PROJECTS
An ASTDA would serve as a very good forum for ST/TT/ATW Developers to
establish unifying standards for applications. For example, an ASTDA
could help Developers certify standard file formats for ST DTP
applications, designate certain rules and protocols for ST Applications to
be capable of running on Local Area Networks (which would help both ST
Software makers and ST LAN Vendors), or many other areas where cooperation
would better help the advancement of ST Software than healthy
competition....
Also, some ST Developers have said that an ASTDA would be an ideal
place for ST Developers to organize, in order to perform collectively
projects which any one ST Developer could not hope of doing. For example,
some Developers have suggested that an ASTDA could develop a "SuperTOS",
combining the graphics efficiency of a Turbo ST, the user-friendliness of
a NeoDesk, the Multitasking TOS Kernel and interprocess communications
facilities of an MT C-Shell or Micro RTX, and the TOS Enhancement skills
of a CodeHead product. After developing "SuperTOS", an ASTDA could either
sell it like any other application, license it to Atari for a fortune, or
do other things to finance its becoming a more "traditional" organization.
In fact, members of an ASTDA could organize in an effort to totally
cripple ST Software Piracy, make ST GEM applications more GEM-compliant,
or any of a number of things which would help both Atari and the state of
the Atari ST....
3) ACT AS AN INTERMEDIARY, IN ORDER TO BOTH BE A RESOURCE FOR ATARI
TO DISTRIBUTE GENERAL DEVELOPER INFO, AND TO BE A LIASON BETWEEN ATARI
AND THE DEVELOPERS
One of the complaints about Atari's Developer Support system is that
it gives out vital information in only one place (like the TT's specs in
Germany), instead of trying to give the information to all ST Developers,
wherever they may be. While this is a valid complaint, it is also valid
that Atari may not have a large enough Developer Support system to achieve
such an objective. An Atari ST Developers' Association could EASILY help
alleviate much of the load currently on Atari's Dev Support system by
serving as a way for Atari to dissemminate general information pertaining
or vital to ST/TT/ATW Developers, such as hardware specs for an Atari
computer, or update information on GDOS functions.
Combined with Atari's normal methods, this would not only help Atari
reach more Developers than it would otherwise, but Atari could then use
its Developer Support resources where they are best suited: Providing
one-on-one assistance to Developers for specific aspects of their projects
which need to be confidential. Atari's Dev Support system could serve
this purpose perfectly, as all ST Developers often need support and
information for difficult parts of their program, which often HAVE to be
kept secret in order for that application to be a success. For example,
while any developer could harmlessly ask an ASTDA for info on how to
access GDOS, a programmer working on a Spectrum 4096 for the Atari STe
would want to keep some things secret. In fact, the committment that such
support may entail would, in itself, be a gesture of goodwill towards ST
Developers, for which it could prove necessary while developing a
ground-breaking or revolutionary application.
Implementing an Atari ST Developers Association
-----------------------------------------------
Since most ST Software Developers don't have the time or resources to
organize such an Association in person, but often use Online Services like
GEnie, CompuServe, or Usenet to meet, the logical way for an ASTDA to be
formed is for a Real-Time Conference to be scheduled in a place like
GEnie, where the bulk of interested ST Developers could work together in
forming an ST Developer's Association, discussing the details of its
operation, and setting the stage for later Real-Time Conferences to hammer
out all of the various aspects of a Developer's Association, including a
set of guidelines and rules, getting ST Developers who would be able to
serve as the Organizational heads of the association, and establishing
areas to represent the Atari ST Developer's Association on CompuServe,
GEnie, Usenet, or any other place where a large number of ST Developers
would meet regularly.
However, it shouldn't be too much to hope that two things will be held
sacred by any such endeavor: One is that the ASTDA be democratic in its
decision-making, in order that bureaucracy, political infighting, and
other undesirable dealings may be avoided. The other is that a National
ST Developers' Conference be held every year, so all members of an ASTDA
can meet in person, in order to tackle important or vital issues in a more
suitable arena. A VERY good place for such a Convention would be at an
AtariFest, or 2 - 3 days after a Spring or Winter Comdex, since a lot of
ST Developers normally go to such events anyway, and would only suffer a
minor inconvienence if they stayed a few more days to participate in such
an event. An Atari ST Developers' Association would serve many useful
purposes, not only to ST Developers themselves, but to Atari Corporation
as well. In fact, such an organization would truly be revolutionary, in
that it would show a sign of sincere unity which is often lacking in the
computer industry....
In Part I, this essay dealt with the necessity of, and issues
surrounding the formation of an independent National ST Developers'
Association. In another segment, Atari's policies and probable strategies
will be discussed, in order to both determine what they may be, and what
they should be....
Ponder, if you will, these questions:
1) Even if Atari implemented near-perfect strategies in its committment
to make the ST the standard in the low-end of the US Market, how long
would it take for the US ST Userbase to appreciate any actions by
Atari?
2) What directions should Atari take with the ST, TT, and EST?
3) How would Atari's Developer Support system change if an independent
ST Developers Association was formed?
CPU REPORT CONFIDENTIAL¿
=======================
San Francisco, CA In an interesting show of unity, Apple and Microsoft
----------------- have announced that they will introduce PMScript, a
clone of Adobe's Postscript page description language,
at the Seybold Computer Publishing Conference. Apple
will be licensing PMScript from Bauer Enterprises, its
developer, for use in its LaserWriter printers.
Given Microsoft's support of this attempt to demolish
Adobe's dominance of the DTP industry, and given that
PMScript will probably be licensed to many of the
vendors now selling Postscript-compatible printers, if
PMScript if a quality product, it may mean the virtual
end of Adobe Systems. However, given that IBM, DEC,
and even the OSF are showing interest in Display
Postscript....
Cupertino, CA Apple is in the process of introducing their line of
------------- Macintosh Laptops, as well as the Macintosh IIci, a
25 MHZ Mac, for Late September. The basic model of
the Mac Laptop, using an 8 MHZ 68000, will have a 40
Meg Hard Drive , 1 Meg of SIMM RAM, and 256K Mac ROMs,
while the high-end model will have up to 4 Megs of RAM
and an 80 Meg Hard Disk. All models will have a Mac
SE expansion slot, and run about 6-8 hours without
recharging. Cost: $3500.00 for the Basic Laptop, and
around $6500.00 for the High-End model.
The Macintosh IIci, a 25 MHZ version of the Macintosh
IIx, will come with 6 NuBus Expansion Slots, and will
have a VLSI video controller chip capable of providing
8-Bit Color as standard. Cost: Around $10,000....
New York, NY David and Gregory Chudnovsky, the same Columbia
----------- University Professors who set a record for calculating
the mathematical constant PI to 480 million places,
have reset their own record. Using an algorithm
designed for use in IBM's new Scratchpad math
computation system (using an IBM 3090 supercomputer),
they have figured PI to a number over 1 billion places
large. Interestingly enough, since they used their
old calculations of PI (instead of starting from
scratch) to achieve this in 3 months, the Chudnovsky
brothers may be setting a new record by Christmas....
Fremont, CA NeXT Inc. has recently announced that it is shipping
----------- Version 1.0 of the NeXT Operating System. Also, it
seems that NeXT is developing a 68040-based upgrade of
the NeXT System's motherboard, for release as early as
the First Quarter of 1990....
_____________________________________________________________________
> BLOODWYCH STR Review¿ Double Your Pleasure! Double your Fun!
=====================
Bloodwych = 2 X Dungeon Master
==============================
by Bill Pike (PAC)
review copy loaned by IB Computers
The stage is set by a evil magician banishing the good magicians to
the astral plane and getting ready to take over the world. Your task, and
you better accept it, is to find each of the crystals of power and use
them to destroy the evil magician. Know you that the good magicians are
with you, abet from the astral plane.
The graphics are excellent and the animations are very good and almost
as complex as with DungonMaster from FTL. The game is a little less
complex, but not much (you do need to give up a little for having two
players). You still have locked doors, secret doors, traps, treasure,
food, equipment, monsters, ect.
The program plays much like DungonMaster from FTL with a few
exceptions. #1 You and your friend can play two different parties with
different characters in either the same or different areas of the dungeon
at the same time with no loss of speed. The game can also be played with
one player. #2 You don't have to experiment to ferret out the spells for
the magic users in the party. #3 All players can use magic to varying
degrees of success. #4 You start out with one character and you find the
rest with-in the dungeon. #5 A major part of the quest is interacting
with non-player characters ie: buying/selling, recruiting other
characters, praising, boasting, lying, and so forth. #6 You also have the
option of replacing deceased characters from those you meet, if you can
persuade them to join your party rather than attacking it. #7 Did I say
you, can and should save the game from time to time? Well you can and
should!
If you are playing the game in the ONE player mode I would suggest
using the mouse for objects and the cursor keys for movement, even though
this doesn't allow for stepping diagonally forward. If you are in the TWO
player mode you will be forced to use joysticks, this makes things a
little harder. In the TWO player mode each player starts in a different
area of the dungeon and they move independently of each other, eventually
you could run into each other. Is the party ahead controlled by the
computer or is it your friend's? This makes for some interesting
interactions, do you battle, join forces, make alliances, buy/sell
equipment, pool information and/or resources or go your separate ways.
The spells use MANA from each character depending on how much power
the spell uses and how much extra power is put into the spell. You
recover MANA by not being in combat (slow) or resting (fast). As each
character, in your party, gains experience and the party stops to sleep,
the SPELL FAIRY appears and will sell each member a new spell( no money =
no spell). There are basically four classes of characters, each with the
spells that it does best, however any character may use any type spell.
It does come in handy to write down the spells each character has as
they get them. You can also put as much power in the spell as you have
MANA for, above a minimum level for the spell. You don't have to mix
potions to make the spells, they are in your spell book. Also you may use
each spell you have as many times as you have MANA for, you don't loose
the spell by using it.
You have the option of selecting your basic character from a roster of
characters. You also have the option of a quick entry that gives you a
fairly well equipped basic character. Once you are in the dungeon you
will meet other characters. You need to talk to them and then, if you
wish, you can try buying items or recruiting them to join your party. You
may also find the need to release a member of the party in order to
recruit a member that fits the party makeup better. But don't do this to
much as the other recruits opinion of you will lower. Also be sure to
praise your recruits when they do good. Also make sure you rest enough.
If you don't, sure as chopping, you are going to run into a set of nastys
that will make you wish you had. You should also keep everyone well fed
and watered for obvious reasons.
People say that good things come in small packages, in this case they
are right. Bloodwych from Image Works comes in a small package both
physically and on a single disk. The documentation comes in English,
German, Italian, Spanish and is quite well written, even I could
understand it. The cost is a little heavy at appox. $50, however the
price is well worth it. I feel that this game will become as popular as
DungeonMaster from FTL, if not more so. Besides if your youngster is
giving you a bad time you can cream him at his own game. Ha! Ha!
---------========************========---------
BLOODWYCH
CHARACTER PROFILES
SPADES - Fighters CLUBS - Mages
HEARTS - Adventurers DIAMONDS- Archers
NAME ARMOUR SP ST IN HP AG CH Spells Known
---- ------ -- -- -- -- -- -- ------------
STERNAXE 8 8 34 16 35 23 11 BEGUILE
LION 8 7 34 14 32 26 13 MISSILE {FIGHTERS}
SLAEMORE 7 7 34 15 37 21 13 DEFLECT
STONEMAIDEN 5 6 35 13 35 17 13 ARMOUR
DARKHEART 10 23 19 38 18 23 14 TERROR/DEFLECT{MAGES}
RUNECASTER 10 21 19 35 16 22 20 MISSILE/MAGELOCK
MOONWYCH 10 22 16 36 17 24 17 BEGUILE/CONFUSE
MANTRIC 10 19 18 31 17 23 19 ARMOUR/PARALYZE
ELEANOR 9 9 24 19 24 19 35 MAGELOCK
BALDRIC 9 9 24 18 25 19 39 BEGUILE
SETHRA 7 10 23 21 24 18 36 ARMOUR {ADVENTURERS}
HENGIST 9 11 25 23 26 20 35 DEFLECT
ROSANNE 10 7 16 14 24 32 18 CONFUSE
ELFRIC 10 9 16 19 23 31 18 PARALYZE
MR. FLAY 6 10 13 20 20 32 11 TERROR {ARCHERS}
THAI CHANG 9 8 18 16 22 36 15 MISSILE {ASSASSINS}
__________________________________________________________________
> Expectations STR FOCUS¿
A serious view of current Atari events..
=========================
ctsy GEnie RT
Expectations...
===============
by Jim Jenkins
Every one of us has expectations of the firms we do business with.
Since each of us is different, it is only natural to assume there are as
many different expectations as there are customers. Consumer oriented
firms must respond to RATIONAL expectations in a reasonable manner,
otherwise, we will take our business elsewhere.
Recently, while discussing expectations about a certain firm, I found
myself on the defensive. I accused my friend of irrational expectations,
demands and attitudes about the company. And then I began to think about
it...
What should you expect from "the company?"
Expect self-preservation. Policy and procedures must be made to
preserve the corporate body. Failure to do so means they will not exist
when you need them. If you want them to be there for you, then expect
them to make policies and procedures which will insure they will. And,
you must "be there for them."
Expect the company to make a "normal" profit. Failure to make a
normal profit contradicts the first expectation. A company does not
attract or retain shareholders unless it makes a reasonable profit. Every
organization has profit centers and cost centers. The myopic view
eliminates "cost centers" and creates "profit centers" which maximize
profits by charging "what the traffic will bear." Losses occur,
especially in service centers, but these losses are normally balanced by
an allowance in the normal mark-up. The necessary mark-up on products
must include other costs such as marketing, warranty service, and research
and development. So, if you want the company to make a normal profit, you
must be willing to pay for my expectations.
Expect a professional attitude from the board of directors and that
the same attitude will permeate the entire organization. Professional
attitude is a combination of understanding the products and the goals of
the company, and consistent attempts to satisfy the needs of the
cust^S^Qomer. If you expect the "company" to display a professional
attitude, you must be willing to act professionally. Part of this
professional attitude is mutual respect. Any firm must respect to its
customer base. (And its dealer base.) Respect does not mean unwise
policies biased toward the customer. Respect does mean a responsible
attempt by the company to meet the needs of the customers (and dealers) in
light of self-preservation and normal profits. It is not callous
attitudes toward these persons. Respect is based on trust and
information.
Expect credibility in a company. The company must release reliable
information to meet the needs of the consumer, and the consumer must not
encourage rumor by stating opinion and half-truth as if it is fact. Press
releases and news conferences must not be a source of disinformation.
Constant delays and announcements for products which never reach the
market destroy confidence.
Expect research and product development. Technology which stands
still is destined for obscurity. Product revisions must be made available
to the installed customer base, but only within the limits established by
these other expectations. New products and innovations which cannot be
classed as revisions must also be developed. Upward compatibility is
desireable in new products, but if you must change, don't abandon your
older products. Since you want both revisions and innovations, you must
be prepared to buy both.
These expectations are reasonable. Any firm which ignores these
points is destined to fail. Often it is difficult to make observations
which are neither biased nor emotional. Perhaps by applying these
expectations to our observations we can better understand what is taking
place.
Why don't you advertise more? The most powerful form of advertising
today is the television. The media executives realize this, and charge
accordingly. An advertising campaign must either be massive or
consistent. National rates for "prime" advertising spots are so high that
millions of dollars must be spent to achieve recognition. If a two million
dollar advertising campaign is implemented, then two million dollars must
be added to the cost of the products. Raising prices is a difficult task,
especially if you are trying to be a price leader. And advertising more
will mean raising prices. Since an efficient company will operate at
lowest possible production cost, selling more does not increase profit
margin, just total revenues. When we ask for more advertising, aren't we
asking for higher prices?
Why do you constantly announce products which you don't deliver?
Research and development can carry technology beyond the capability to
deliver at a reasonable cost. Proto-typing is expensive, but
manufacturing something that will not sell is even more expensive.
Because a production line requires a minimum quantity be manufactured a
market must exist before a product is made. Product announcements,
industry wide, are made to help
establish initial production requirements. If the survey indicates the
product will not be successful, then the product is shelved, and only the
R&D cost for proto-typing is lost.
Why can't you offer trade-in upgrades to newer products? Anybody can
offer a trade, but if we accept these expectations, the company must break
even (make a normal profit) on the trade. Depreciation and obsolescence
must be accounted for, as should be the value derived from your use of the
product. Subtract about 30% from a realistic purchase price for used
equipment, and you have the approximate trade value against suggested
RETAIL price. Dealers may offer trades, but VERY FEW manufacturers do.
Trade value varies according to what you buy and "what you pay" for the
new merchandise. If we ask manufactures to offer us direct trade-ins, are
we going to be happy with their offer? I doubt it. And, will we be
satisfied when you local dealer invites you to get your service directly
from the manufacturer?
And now, I leave you to evaluate "the company"
About the author; Jim Jenkins
Partner, Jenkins' Computer Store
Atari and IBM Compatables
9348 Dyer St.
El Paso, TX 79924
(915) 751-6938
Instructor, Computer Information Systems
Univ of Texas at El Paso
Management Department
El Paso, TX 79902
______________________________________________________________
> DEVELOPER IRKED! STR SOUND OFF¿ Yet another Developer sees the 'light'
==============================
I think a CERTAIN person should find a new line of work! Since he
seems to HATE his current job, it appears to be more of a contest to pi**
off third party vendors than to take pride in designing a really bang up
system. Frankly, I love this work and I love designing electronics/SW, it
is foreign to me how anyone could go through life doing something he hates
so much. It would be like me trying to earn a living driving in Boston; I
would hate it so much I would spend my day scheming to screw other drivers
over rather than concentrating on doing a good job driving and taking
pride in what I do.
You know who you are... RETIRE!
Editor Note;
This editor has, for some time, observed pretty much the same as
described above. The difference being, our experiences and observations
have been more of a first hand nature. We nicknamed the person alluded to
in the above passage "The CHEF" and rightfully so. He proudly recommends
his favorite culinary delight to all his "friends".
_____________________________________________________________
> Atari Stock ~ STReport¿ Ah yes, the sweet smell of new money...
======================
THE TICKERTAPE
==============
by Glenn Gorman
Atari Stock rose 1/4 of a point on Monday, up 1 1/4 on Tuesday. On
Wednesday it dropped 7/8 and rose 1/2 on Thursday. Finishing up the week
at 12 points. Up 1 1/8 points from our last report.
+---------------------+
| ATARI STOCK WATCH |
| Week 09-11 to 09-15 |
+=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+
| | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
+-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
| Sales | 6279 | 13505 | 13243 | 4827 | 2124 |
+-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
| Last | 11 1/8 | 12 3/8 | 11 1/2 | 12 --- | 12 --- |
+-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
| Chg. | + 1/4 | +1 1/4 | - 7/8 | + 1/2 | ------ |
+=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+
| From > THE CAVE ST BBS <> 609-882-9195 <> 300/14400 HST <> F-NET #351 |
+=======================================================================+
______________________________________________________________________
> PC SPEED! STR Spotlight¿ Michtron's NEW and shipping, PC Emulator!
=======================
PC Speed
========
Run programs written for the IBM PC on your Atari ST at the speed they
were intended!
Almost everyone knows of the ST's ability to imitate other computers
like the Macintosh and IBM PC's, but the common complaint has been the
grindingly slow speed of software emulation.
Well, wait no more!
PC Speed gives every ST the ability to emulate an IBM PC through
hardware, not software, offering a fantastic increase in speed!
PC Speed runs with a Norton factor of 4, which is 33% faster than the
advertised Norton factor of 3 of PC Ditto II. In the real world, this
means that PC Speed is nearly 3 times faster than an IBM XT, comparable to
an IBM AT.
* Best of all, we are ready to ship to you now! *
The affordable cost will amaze you. You can have two computers, an
Atari ST and an IBM PC Compatible computer, for slightly more than the
cost of your ST. Convert your 520, 1040, Mega 2 or Mega 4 computer into a
state of the art multi-processor computer.
PC Speed runs on a monochrome monitor, imitating Hercules graphics, or
use your color monitor to imitate a CGA system.
Since PC Speed is hardware, it requires some installation. While the
installation is not difficult, the ST must be opened and some soldering is
required. A person with some knowledge of the internal environment of the
ST could install PC Speed in about 10-15 minutes.
It simply "piggy-backs" onto the ST's 68000 microprocessor.
Technical Specifications
:PC Speed:
==========
uses the NEC V30, 8 Mhz Microprocessor, Zero Wait State
runs at a Norton SI Rating of 4.0
supports Monochrome and Color Monitors with IBM Hercules and
CGA graphic emulation.
can be used with any ST (520, 1040, Mega 2 or Mega 4).
supports all Hard Disks that use the ST's DMA Port and the
Atari Hard Disk Driver.
supports external drives (both 3 1/2 and 5 1/4 inch).
supports the Serial Port at up to 2400 Baud.
fully supports the Parallel Port.
allows access of up to 704K of RAM.
:Memory Location:
=================
0h-3FFFFh for a 520ST (256K of DOS memory)
0h-AFFFFh for a 1040 ST or Mega (704K of DOS memory)
B0000h-BFFFFh CGA-HGC Screen Memory
C0000h-CFFFFh 64K of free memory for machines with one
megabyte (or more) memory.
PC Speed runs as fast as an IBM AT, and four times faster than an IBM
XT (running at 4.77 Mhz). This means you have an Atari ST and a very fast
IBM compatible computer, capable of running MS-DOS Software at the speed
it was intended to run.
The MS-DOS system can be saved on a Hard disk partition, and PC Speed
can be booted from this partition.
:The following floppy disk formats are supported:
-------------------------------------------------
180KB 40 Tracks Single-Sided
360KB 40 Tracks Double-Sided
360KB 80 Tracks Single-Sided
720KB 80 Tracks Double-Sided
Software Updates:
-----------------
Periodically, software updates will become available. The following
improvements are being developed and will be released in the near future:
EGA Monochrome Emulation
Atari SLM 804 Laserprinter support
Support of the Midi Port
Extended Memory Driver for Mega computers
Connection of an External PC keyboard via the Midi Port
8087 emulation with the 68881 Math Co-processor
Fast CPM 8080 Emulation
PC Speed
========
Available NOW for only $399.95!!
See your local Dealer or call us for more details today!
To place your order;
Call MichTron at: (313) 334-5700
Please use Mastercard or Visa.
Prepaid orders filled first.
___________________________________________________________________
> TT in the UK! STR Spotlight¿ The "TT" is announced in the UK.
===========================
ATARI UK ANNOUNCES A FULL TT SERIES;
According to Bob Gleadow, Atari UK managing director, Atari is about
to aggressively launch its range of TT workstations, along with its
existing business PC series, into 1990.
The expenditure of UK Pounds: 750,000 for a full advertising campaign,
expounding all of Atari's computer products, begins next month in the UK.
Additionally, Atari has disclosed plans to split its UK business and
consumer divisions into two separate operations.
Business Division = Atari ST/TT/ATW.
Consumer Division = Game Machines.
Atari UK's revelation follows the announcement of the prototyped Atari
608030 TT. Displayed were The Atari 608030 TT range of Unix workstations
at Dusseldorf on Aug. 25. Gleadow confirmed that Atari plans to have at
least three models of its TT series of workstations available in the UK
within the next two quarters. The entry level TT, named the PTP by Atari
because of its plastic case, comes with 2mb of RAM, 30mb hard disk, color
monitor, a half height VME card and the new TOS.
"The PTP will will sell for approx. UK Pounds 1,800 mark = $2700.00 US
and can be expanded internally to support Unix. The machine will be
targeted standalone workstation market," Gleadow reported.
The PTP is another name for the TTD, the desktop version of the TT
that a 'some' at Atari said wouldn't run Unix. Actually, the only reason
the PTP cannot run Unix is that the TT's Unix requires 4mb of RAM to
work....
A step up is the 4mb unit whose selling price has yet to be made
public. Essentially this will be the entry-level Unix workstation in the
TT series," he said. "The next machine after the PTP which will ship
early next year is an 8mb unit which comes in a tower casing, complete
with Unix, color monitor and hard disk. It will sell for UK Pounds
3,000," = $4500.00 US. Atari has enlisted Unisoft and Insignia, two UK
software houses that specialize in Unix software. Unisoft ported AT&T
Unix to the TT, and Insignia developed Soft PC, a software-based DOS
emulator for Unix systems that runs on DEC and Sun workstations....
"We fully anticipate having Soft PC available for the TT series by the
first quarter of next year," said Gleadow.
______________________________________________________________
> ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL¿
======================
- Sunnyvale, CA **** GAMEBOY vs LYNX? Maybe.. ****
-------------
In a daring attempt to compete with Nintendo's firmly entrenched
Gameboy video game, Atari Corporation hopes to launch the Lynx color
portable entertainment system in the Japan as early as the end of the
year. The retail price for the Lynx in Japan has not been announced yet.
Atari is looking to market it through toy shops and large discount shops.
Also, Atari hopes to buy software titles for the Lynx from Japanese
software houses. What happened to EPYX? The Lynx is a small, cartridge
fed game machine with a color liquid crystal screen that shows up to 16
colors from a palette of 4096 colors. Atari ST distributor Naniwa Gakki
in Japan has stated; it will not distribute the Lynx because they handle
music related electronics products only. ..Interesting
- Sunnyvale, CA **** EX FEDERATED EXECS NAIL ATARI ****
-------------
According to a ruling by Orange County Superior Court Judge Jack
Mandel, Atari must pay almost a half million dollars in back pay to two
Federated Executives Atari had fired and held back salaries due them.
The favorable ruling directs payment to former Federated President Keith
Powell ($260,000) and former Vice President Merrill Lyons ($175,000).
- New York City, NY ****** SGS THOMPSON BUYS OUT INMOS! ******
-----------------
SGS-Thompson has purchased Inmos, maker of the T800 transputer IC.
The September 11 issue of EE Times reported that SGS has cut the price of
the Transputer by two-thirds. ($2 per MIP instead of $6 per MIP). Since
the ATW uses a good deal of these parts, that should help Atari get the
product out with a relatively low price. It also uses copious quantities
of RAM and those prices have plummeted in the RAM arena. Incidently, RAM
is now about as cheap as it was 2 years ago... the all time low. Now, if
they could just get the software done.
__________________________________________________________________
> STR NewsPlus¿
============
EPYX ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTION FOR THE COMPANY
Redwood City, CA., September 15, 1989
Epyx Inc. announced today that the company is in the process of making
an orderly transition from a publisher of computer software, who markets
and sells it's own software, to a producer who develops software for
affiliation and/or licensing with other software publishers.
Epyx just recently released REVENGE OF DEFENDER and continues to
develop product for release in 1990; Ishido, the oriental game of strategy
introduced at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, will be released
shortly. The company also plans to continue their current product through
the end of the year.
"The NEW Epyx will be positioned to take full advantage of the
expansive video games industry," said Gilbert K. Freeman, president and
chief executive officer of Epyx. "As would be expected, we also intend to
develop and license titles for the new Atari Lynx, which was designed and
developed here at Epyx."
For further Information contact: Noreen Lovoi, 1-415-368-3200
STReport provides this release for a two fold purpose, first, to allow
the users the opportunity to learn the "Epyx" story first hand and second,
to dispel any rumors that may have a tendency develop over the large
employee layoff at Epyx. These events will have no effect what-so-ever on
the contemplated shipping date for the Lynx at the end of October. The
userbase may continue to count on seeing the Lynx in distribution for the
holiday season, New York and Los Angeles will be first for Christmas,
with more markets opening after the Christmas holidays.
09/18/89 STR (c)89
__________________________________________________________________
> WAACE ATARI FEST STR NewsPlus¿ Usergroups helping Atari and the users.
=============================
Washington Area Atari Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE)
Fifth Annual Atarifest
Scheduled for October 7th and 8th, 1989
The Washington Area Atari Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE) has announced
that the fifth annual Washington D.C. area Atarifest will be held at
Fairfax High School, 3500 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday
and Sunday, the 7th and 8th of October. Atarifest is a computing
exposition featuring the Atari line of personal and home computers, as
well as the complete line of entertainment systems. The show features
educational seminars covering nearly all areas of computing;
demonstrations of various applications of Atari computers, including MIDI
music, desktop publishing, and entertainment; and exhibits by software
publishers and hardware manufacturers showing the latest developments in
the Atari world. In the past, representatives from Atari Corporation have
been on hand to answer questions and provide assistance.
This year's theme is "The Atari Alternative," and the goal is to show
how Atari computers can be used in business and in the home. It will
include demonstrations of both eight-bit (400/800/XL/XE) and ST software
and hardware. Whether for creative endeavors, helping with some of the
household paperwork, or just to have fun, the organizers of Atarifest '89
intend to show how the "Atari Alternative" can meet and beat other
computer systems in its class, and why Atari Corporation's motto is "Power
Without the Price."
WAACE is a confederation of Atari user groups in the Maryland,
Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area, each dedicated to supporting the
Atari community in their respective areas. Atarifest is co-sponsored by
the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools' Office of Adult and
Community Education, and the emphasis has always been on educating the
public about computers and their uses. The 1985 Washington Atarifest was
one of the first such shows, which are now held in more than 10 cities
across the nation.
Atarifest has grown in popularity, attracting thousands of attendees
each year. This year, organizers hope to attract over 5,000 people. The
show is open to all persons who have an interest in computing, and the
FREE ADMISSION and hourly door prizes (including an Atari hard disk drive)
encourage attendance by those who may not yet own an Atari computer. It
is especially designed to have something of interest for everyone, from
diehard Atarians to mainframe systems managers to computer neophytes.
Fairfax High School is located at 3500 Old Lee Highway, just off
routes 29 and 50 in Fairfax, Virginia. The school can conveniently be
reached from the Vienna Metro station (Orange line) by taking the Fairfax
Cue bus. Hours of the show are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Most user group demonstrations will be
conducted on Saturday only. For further information, call John Barnes at
(301) 652-0667.
For further information contact:
Gary Purinton (703) 264-8826
John Barnes (301) 652-0667
Vendors should contact:
Johnna Ogden (703) 450-3992.
** Alive and Thriving **
WAACE AtariFest 89 - Infogram
89/09/16
For those of you who *may* have gotten the wrong impression from ST
Informer we would like to report that WAACE AtariFest '89 is well on
its way to becoming the Atari event of the year on the East Coast.
Here are a few of the Features: (exact names or titles subject to change)
Vendors/Developers/Publications in attendance:
----------------------------------------------
ASDE Inc./ST Plug Accusoft Accustar
Alpha Systems Atari Corp Best Electronics
Cal Com Codehead Software Current Notes
Debonair Software Diskcovery Diverse Data Prod
Double Click Soft. Electronic Clinic First Stop
Gribnif GEnie I.C.D.
Johnsware Joppa Computer L & Y Electronics
Lantech Magnetic Images Michtron
Orion Microsystems Rock Digital STReport/
CPU Report
ST Informer ST Log Seymor Radix
Softrek Strata Software Toad Computers
Unicorn Publications Wintertech Wizztronics
Xlent Software Z*Mag/ZNet
Also, reps from ISD Marketing, FAST Tech, Gadgets by Small, and STReport
Online will be on hand helping out in User Group Demo Rooms and/or giving
Seminars.
Demonstrations (Saturday Only)
(See printed schedule available at Fest)
Telecommunications Art and Graphics Mac Emulation
Desktop Publishing MIDI MS-DOS Emulation
Business Applications Games
Hardware Add-ons Programming Languages
Door Prizes:
Saturday - Grand Prize - Atari ST Computer
Dozens of others - Announced every few minutes
Sunday - Grand Prize - Hard Drive from ABCO
Seminars:
Saturday. 7 October Sunday, 8 October
1100 - Computers and Kids 1300 - To Be Announced
D. A. Brumleve
1200 - Ask ST Report 1400 - Atari In Science
Ralph Mariano A. Wrotniak - Debonair
1300 - Alternative Desktops 1500 - Atari Hardware Futures
Rick Flashman - Gribnif Panel: D. Small, James
1400 - Hard Disk Systems Allen, David Troy.
Tom Harker - ICD 1600 - Atari Corp Speaks
1500 - Speeding up the ST Sig Hartmann - Atari
Wayne Buckholdt - Softrek All Day - Musicians and MIDI
1600 - Desktop Publishing
Gordon Monnier - Michtron
Hospitality:
1800 - Hospitality Suites - Fairfax Quality Inn
1930 - Cocktail Hour - Hunan Lion Rest
2000 - AtariFest Banquet - Hunan Lion Restaurant
Current Notes Author of the Year
Atari's World - Sig Hartmann
User Group Leadership Workshop - 0900 Sunday - Bob Brodie
(UG Representatives by Invitation)
----------
Vendors should contact Johnna Ogden at 703-450-3991 for information.
Program advertisers:
Please send camera-ready copy in 6 3/4 x 10 format to:
Steve Rudolph, 11914 Galaxy Lane,
Bowie, MD, 20715
Before 22 September.
Payment of $60 (check payable to WAACE) must accompany copy.
Banquet ticket requests:
Russell Brown, 13715 Mapledale Ave,
Dale City, VA, 22193.
Payment of $20 per ticket
(check Payable to WAACE) must accompany order.
Other Information:
John D. Barnes, WAACE Chairman,
7710 Chatham Rd,
Chevy Chase, MD 20815.
GENie: J.D.BARNES. Phone: 301-652-0667
(return calls collect).
Lodging:
Quality Inn of Fairfax - $49.50 per night.
Be sure to mention AtariFest when reserving (before 25
September).
WAACE wishes to express its appreciation for the support we have received
from the Atari world. This Fest is truly an expression of "Power without
the Price".
________________________________________________________________
> EAUG STReport OnLine¿ Usergroups can and do speak up!
====================
Conf : Atari Users Groups (FNET/Xnet)
Msg# : 386 Lines: Extended Read: 15
Sent : Sep 9, 1989 at 4:35 PM
To : DOC HOLIDAY AT FLASH 224
From : HANK VIZE at EastSide BBS - ILL
Subj : Article
Replies: 387 389 Doc, thought you and some others might be interested in
the following article that appears in the the Sept issue of the EAUG Log.
"Computer Talk"
by Hank Vize
"Computer Talk" is a St.Louis area radio call-in show which accepts
calls for two hours on any computer subject for any make computer. WYRT
1080 AM.
On September 2, 1989, talk show host Ike and Bob, had our local Atari
dealer as a guest on their talk show. Jeff and Tim Randall of "Randall's
Home Computers". Jeff is well known in the St.Louis Metro area as being
one of the most reputable of Atari dealers. He regularly supports Users
Groups, four in the area, and has always made himself available for any
project. The show also had "ZMag" editor Harold Brewer. Harold is
usually up on late breaking news and is a staunch supporter of the Atari
8-bit line.
This particular Saturday morning show started somewhat slowly but then
gradually gained momentum. The hosts, without any real knowledge of the
Atari product line, were genuinely interested in all applications
available on the computers and especially the ST/Mega line.
Ike asked, "Jeff, tell us about your store and the Atari Product
line". Jeff gave a brief background and store information and then
proceeded to tell the hosts and the listeners about the Atari ST/Mega line
and the software available. The talk show hosts seemed to be in shock by
what they heard. It brought co-host Bob to remark, "Gee does it do the
dishes too?". They were in wonder of the standard features of the
computer, SCSI support, MIDI ports, etc. And astonished that it could
read MS-DOS disks and therefore would allow data to be imported into ST
software from IBM sources. They equally surprised that there were
versions of "Word Perfect", "Drafix", "DBman", Timeworks "Publisher", etc.
available for the ST too. Additionally, they expressed real amazement
when they were told that Mac and IBM emulators were available and would
soon perform at or faster than the speed of their original machines. In
summary, they were impressed with the flexibility and versatility of the
ST/Mega computer.
Next came the inevitable question. "Why haven't we heard about this
computer before?" Ike asked. OUCH! Why indeed? Dram shortages were
blamed, which was quickly refuted as a legitimate excuse by the talk show
host. "I can get all the drams I want. And I've been able to do so for
some time now." stated Ike. (Ike also is co-owner of a local retail
computer store.) European market penetration was then mentioned. Both
the hosts were quick to respond that it is a shame the product is only
readily available in Europe. The Fall USA push was now brought up by a
caller and the host said that he hopes it becomes a reality because the
computer shows great promise. Jeff was asked if he had any Mega's in
stock and he had to reply "NO". The truth being Randall's last received a
Mega shipment over SIX MONTHS, perhaps a YEAR, ago. IF he did receive any
they probably would be gone within a week.
The callers generated quite a bit of interest in a short time, this
show should be considered a success for Atari. After all, two
knowledgeable computer radio talk show hosts, who previously knew nothing
about Atari, were genuinely impressed with the Atari ST/Mega line. They
did side with what current owners have been saying for some time now.
Make the product available and then market it.
Some of those that participated in the call in show were:
Jeff and Tim Randall Randall's Home computers
Harold Brewer ZMag editor
Dave Pintar VP of Eastside Atari User Group
Matthew Ratcliff MAT*RAT of Analog fame
Terry Shoemaker Pres of ACE-STL
Hank Vize Pres of EAUG, Editor of EAUG-Log
and others whose name I didn't catch or weren't revealed.
Near the close of the two hour show Jeff and Tim were invited to
return as guests. Later this Fall in November. The St. Louis Metro Atari
community hopes that he will be able to report of Atari's new marketing
push, and of his ample supply of ST/Mega product. Maybe this will include
also the newly announced Stacey, Portfolio, and TT systems.
I know I am biased towards Atari. Being President of an Atari User
Group, I can't help but to bring forth some closing thoughts. We Atari
users stand loyally behind the company. What is hard to comprehend is the
fact that Atari Corp. seems to be slow to support the loyal USA base.
More computers could be sold if they were made available. Some of the
bizarre prerequisites to dealers need to be removed. Not all dealers can
fund minimum quotas that afford price cuts or meet some of the minimum
guidelines that allows them to carry a certain model. During this period
of Atari wanting and needing a broad dealer base, these restrictions
should be lifted and all products offered to all dealers with NO minimum
order requirements. If a dealer wants even a quantity of one of some
model why not make it available? How can a small dealer grow and prosper
if he can't get new products, chiefly due to minimum requirements made by
Atari? Then, in turn, how can the potential new Atari owner purchase the
model of their choice or a present owner upgrade to a new model.
CATCH-22!
Not being a dealer I wish to add the above remarks are made from
observations of statements made on the information networks and in other
User Group newsletters.
The goal should be to remove CATCH-22 and replace it with only
"CATCH". CATCH new computer owners. CATCH more dealers. CATCH and endear
the present Atari user base. Then we can all watch and see if all the
other companies can CATCH up to Atari.
Hank Vize, EAUG Pres.
_________________________________________________________________
> STReport InfoFile¿
=================
NEW PRICES! & MORE MODELS!!
============================
ABCO COMPUTER ELECTRONICS INC.
P.O. Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32236-6672
Est. 1985
_________________________________________
Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT
BBS: 904-786-4176 12-24-96 HST
FAX: 904-783-3319 12 PM - 6 AM EDT
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HARD DISK SYSTEMS TO FIT EVERY BUDGET
_____________________________________
All systems are complete and ready to use, included at NO EXTRA COST
are clock/calendar and cooling blower(s).
ALL ABCO HARD DISK SYSTEMS ARE FULLY EXPANDABLE
(you are NOT limited to two drives ONLY!)
(all cables and connectors installed)
SEAGATE HARD DISK MECHANISMS ONLY!
ICD HOST ADAPTERS USED
EXCLUSIVELY
* OMTI HIGH SPEED CONTROLLERS *
32mb #SG32238 539.00 42mb #SG44710 595.00
51mb #SGN4951 629.00 65mb #SG60101 679.00
80mb #SGN296 709.00 100mb #SG84011D 969.00
130mb #SG1244D 1099.00 145mb #SG3A4210 989.00
170mb #SGT41776 1389.00 260mb #SG1244Q 2169.00
320mb #SGN7788Q 3295.00
Listed above are a sampling of the systems available.
Prices also reflect various cabinet/power supply configurations
(over sixty configurations are available, flexibility is unlimited)
*** ALL Units: Average Access Time: 24ms - 34ms ***
ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> MAGIC SAC - PC-DITTO/II - SPECTRE/GCR
LARGER units are available - (special order only)
* Removable Media Devices Available (44mb) Syquest 555 *
*** Available for ST - Amiga - IBM ***
LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS
- Custom Walnut WOODEN Cabinets -
TOWER - AT - XT Cabinets
ALL POWER SUPPLIES UL APPROVED
12 month FULL Guarantee
(A FULL YEAR of COVERAGE)
Quantity & Usergroup Discounts Available!
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DEALERS and DISTRIBUTORS WANTED!
Personal Checks are accepted.
ORDER YOURS TODAY!
904-783-3319 9am - 8pm EDT
_________________________________________________________________
> A "Quotable Quote"¿
=================
An executive, whispering to another exec about release dates...
"Who cares what they think!... WE'LL DO IT OUR WAY!"
..Lenbo's Rationale
"ATARI IS BACK?"
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ST-REPORT¿ Issue #106 "Your Independent News Source" September 22, 1989
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ½ copyright 1989
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Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
the editors, staff, ST Report¿ or CPU Report¿. Reprint permission is
hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. All reprints must include ST
Report or CPU Report and the author's name. All information presented
herein is believed correct, STReport or CPU Report, it's editors and staff
are not responsible for any use or misuse of information contained herein.
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