Info-Atari16 Digest         Mon, 23 Sep 91       Volume 91 : Issue 499
 
Today's Topics:
                   Accelerators for the ST forsale
                  Are these applications available?
                                 ARJ?
                        Assorted Atari queries
         Atari appears to be on its way down and out (2 msgs)
                     Atari ST equipment for sale!
                          Atari Stfm forsale
                 Emulate?  What about the other way.
                      Hard drive advice needed.
                           Problem printing
    Problems upgrading to 4M (was SIMMS from a Mac SE into an ST?)
             ST Magazines (was Re: More Lies From Atari?)
                       Wanted: Floppy for ST..
                         What to buy next...
 
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 23:35:02 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!doug.cae.wisc
 .edu!carter@arizona.edu (Gregory Carter)
Subject: Accelerators for the ST forsale
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <9470@cactus.org> covert@cactus.org (Richard Covert) writes:
>In article <823@bug.UUCP> stevef@bug.UUCP (Steven R Fordyce) writes:
>>I have come to possess a large number of Processor Accelerators for the 520,
>>1040, and Mega ST that I will sell for $65 each shipping included (add $5
>>                      Steven R. Fordyce
>
>
>these are the old CMI boartds which have a bad history!! And this guy
>keeps reposting this same ad every week or so.
 
I totally agree.
 
>
>I wouldn't buy one of these on a bet. If you want an accelerator
>buy Dave Small's board or Jim Allen's board. Both are supported by
>real fine people and you won't get burned. Buy one of these discontinued
>unsupported board and you get what you pay for!!
>
>Support the few remaining ST developers!!
>
>--
>Richard E. Covert                 covert@cactus.org
>CACTUS                  ..!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!covert
 
Lordy, Richard is right, if your going to buy any type of performance
upgrade, I would seriously consider Mr. Small,
 
Besides he needs our support to provide the itsy bitsy teeny weeny Atari
community in the USA with quality high performance hardware, that is
right for the budget, and a lot nicer than the alternative, ie TT.
 
So write out your check to your local hero...Dave Small.  The ultimate Atari
user.
 
OK?
 
Anymore goop about the SST boards and when they are going to be shipping?
 
Anyone out there he anything??
 
I am just itching to blow 1500 bucks.
 
Gosh let me see...Mmmm, 030-40 Mhz, floating point support, 12Megs of
Memory, 8 Megs of Z wait state ram,  system 7.0 support...
 
TURN ME ON BABY!
 
Sorry...
 
--Greg
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 22:33:08 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casba
 h.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u43610@arizona.edu
Subject: Are these applications available?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I am very new tothe Atari ST club.  I bought the thing for a smart terminal and
 was pleasently surprised that the thing is quite a capible machine..  As a res
ult, I am looking for the following applications so I can play with it..
-
Is there a plot program for the MONOCHROME Atari st that will graph 3-D math fu
nctions?  (Like polar, parametric and 2-variable polars, etc...)  Is there a sh
are ware version of this I may FTP to myself?
-
Is there a Word processor (I already have New Word) that will generate fonts on
 an Epson Printer.. (Like a Mac does with an Imagewriter)..
-
Oh yes: and a question about the Atari "SM124" Monochrome monitor:  I have a sm
all break in the cable which occasionally causes a disruption in the tube..  Is
 it possible to replace the cable without replacing the CRT controller?  Does a
nyone know a source for parts?
-
Replies?  U43610@uicvm.uic.edu
-
Ken.
(Notice: no 17-line signoffs.)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 16:58:00 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake!steve@ariz
 ona.edu (Steve Yelvington)
Subject: ARJ?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
[In article <1991Sep22.140142.12168@actrix.gen.nz>,
     Roger.Sheppard@actrix.gen.nz (Roger Sheppard) writes ... ]
 
 > Note: I brought a Atati because of its Gem capabilties, very easy to
 > use and learn, but you keep on about CLI, Why do you live in the
 > dark ages.
 
I've written a GEM shell for ZOO.
 
It works as Bill described -- it translates user preferences into a
command tail that is passed to a separate ZOO program.
 
Either the shell or ZOO can be replaced/ upgraded without requiring
a change of the other component.
 
One thing that became quite clear to me in the process of writing
ZOOSHELL is that it's difficult to come up with a visual menu
structure that provides access to all of the capabilities of the
program in a fashion that doesn't overwhelm the user.
 
My solution thus far has been simply to forget about being
complete. ZOOSHELL provides a simple way to use the most common
functions.
 
ZOO's command-line interface remains available for people who want
it. I intend to add a command-line editing option to ZOOSHELL, so
users who wish to do so can write complex commands in a GEM dialog.
 
I don't know of a good, economical, visual way of saying ``move all
the .C, .S, .O, .H and .MAK files into an archive, deleting the
originals, but leave everything else untouched.'' There's a fairly
simple ZOO command for doing that.
 
 >   If I wanted CLI, I would have brought a PC, I am one for things
 > that are easy to use, that is how you get more productivity.
 > If you what to stay with your Steam Engine, why not go play with it,
 > in the Museum.
 
I don't think it's necessary to give up the capabilities of a text
shell in order to gain the capabilities of a graphical interface,
and I can't buy the argument that the mouse is always easier to use
than the keyboard.
 
That's the design error of the Macintosh -- no shell, no script
language, no simple text applications. Original Macs don't even
have cursor arrow keys. I hate using them -- you can't even do
something as simple as copying a PostScript file to the printer
without having a special application.
 
It's like buying a beautiful pair of new shoes, then walking around
with your shoelaces tied together.
 
A combination of GEM plus a command-driven shell -- such as GEMINI
with Mupfel -- is much better.
 
 > What is wrong with Thomas Questers version of Lharc, it is fully
 > compatible with the PC version, and a lot better, plus it supports
 > all the othere LZH/LARC Formats and Unix ones as well, and Note.
 > packs far better than all the otheres, and is blindly fast.
 
Can you unpack every file created with Quester's program on a Unix
box, a PC or an Amiga? If not, I think the problem is obvious.
Write-only archiving is the curse of the .LZH format.
 
--
Steve Yelvington, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
steve@thelake.mn.org
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 02:15:34 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!chaph.usc.edu!girtab.usc.edu!rjung@arizona.edu
 (Robert Jung)
Subject: Assorted Atari queries
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
A few assorted Atari STe computer questions out there. For the record, I am
running a (brand new!) 4 megabyte 520STe with TOS 1.62 installed and a color
monitor.
 
1. Does anyone know for sure whether or not FSM GDOS works with existing
    GDOS applications? The official word from Atari (via Atari Explorer)
    magazine says it does, but I am a tad suspect. My dealer says that a
    program must be written for FSM GDOS to work properly. My biggest GDOS
    application is WordUp, and if I can get a way to squeeze tons of fonts
    out of it without having to fill up my hard drive with bitmapped fonts,
    that would be terrific.
 
2. Speaking of WordUp, should I be moving on to another document processor
    program? WordUp offers me a lot of terrific features -- WHEN it works.
    WordUp is also showing to be very sensitive with new programs out here,
    such as MultiGEM. I'd like to go to a program that offers a similar
    "word processing mixed with image layout" program. I'm not sure I want
    to go to full DTP a la Calamus or PageStream. I hear WordFlair II is
    good, but how does it handle for just writing text?
 
3. Speaking of MultiGEM, is anyone else using this product? It's running very
    nicely for me so far (except for older "breaks the rules" programs), but
    I have one gripe with it. Whenever I change resolutions, I lose all my
    accessories! Is this a known bug? Does anyone else have this problem? Is
    an upgrade available?
 
4. Speaking of MultiGEM again, I am a tad annoyed with the MULTIWIN.PRG
    that's included with the package. It's supposed to channel I/O from
    .TOS and .TTP programs into a window, so I can multitask .TOS and .TTP
    programs. Only thing is, in medium resolution, MULTIWIN.PRG is running
    my .TOS and .TTP output at an 11-point System font. Yuck! Is there a
    solution or workaround for this? Maybe some other PD/Shareware "Put TOS
    output into a GEM window" program I can use?
 
  Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
                                                --R.J.
                                                B-)
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    # ## #              Send replies to rjung@usc.edu
    # ## #
   ## ## ##             I wrote this. If you've got a comment, give
####  ##  ####          it to me and let's cut out the middleman.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 23:29:06 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!cunixf.cc.columbia.edu
 !cunixa.cc.columbia.edu!ia4@arizona.edu (Imran Anwar)
Subject: Atari appears to be on its way down and out
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
It would appear to me that if a product like the ST cannot have a
strong enough base to keep ST-specific magazines in business the whole
line may be doomed.
 
I have been with the ST since the 520 with external ss drives, and now have
the Mega4ST with Megafile 30 since the last three years.  It is a pity that
such a useful machine is simply not found in larger numbers of homes,
maybe because the manufacturer/management never did it any justice.
 
Maybe they too have given up on the product.  It would appear so form the
fact that I have seen one mail order catalog advertise Atari modems (1200)
SX212 for sale for $19.99 each.  It seems that Atari must have dumped
them on this low price seller for REALLY low prices.  What's up, will we see
$150 ST's next?
 
No flames intended, just some questions and comments that came to mind,
with my disappointment inthe Atari Corp's lack of marketing skills with
what was obviously a great product.
 
Imran
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 00:30:33 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!chaph.usc.edu!alcor.usc.edu!baffoni@arizona.edu
 (Juxtaposer)
Subject: Atari appears to be on its way down and out
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <1991Sep22.232906.7001@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
 ia4@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu writes:
>It would appear to me that if a product like the ST cannot have a
>strong enough base to keep ST-specific magazines in business the whole
>line may be doomed.
        This is a bad sign - but it doesn't necessarily mean that the product
is bad - it just shows that the manufacturer is less than good at advertising.
>
>I have been with the ST since the 520 with external ss drives, and now have
>the Mega4ST with Megafile 30 since the last three years.  It is a pity that
>such a useful machine is simply not found in larger numbers of homes,
>maybe because the manufacturer/management never did it any justice.
>
>Maybe they too have given up on the product.  It would appear so form the
>fact that I have seen one mail order catalog advertise Atari modems (1200)
>SX212 for sale for $19.99 each.  It seems that Atari must have dumped
>them on this low price seller for REALLY low prices.  What's up, will we see
>$150 ST's next?
        Oh come on, you can't base a computer company's health on a product
that was discontinued years ago!  Those were sold with/for 8-bit ataris.
They are most likely trying to dump stuff out of the warehouse.  Atari never
made modem sales it's main strength - why should it since all STs have a
standard RS232c port for use with cheaper standard modems by other companies.
You are right however that if someone had a long-lost storage of say 1040STfms
sitting around in a warehouse somewhere, they probably would sell them for
$150 (or less!) to get rid of them (and make a little pocket change).
        Besides, would you pay more for a 1200 baud modem? :)
>
>No flames intended, just some questions and comments that came to mind,
>with my disappointment inthe Atari Corp's lack of marketing skills with
>what was obviously a great product.
>
>Imran
 
Lack is an understatement.  They haven't even bothered with paying minimum
wage for people to pass out flyers.  Maybe they're waiting for the networks
to pay them for an ST/TT spot? :)
 
-Mike
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 04:01:50 GMT
From:
 europa.asd.contel.com!darwin.sura.net!haven.umd.edu!umbc3.umbc.edu!umbc5.umbc.e
 du!chuck@uunet.uu.net (Chuck Rickard; ACS (UGRAD))
Subject: Atari ST equipment for sale!
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
        FOR SALE:
 
        Atari 1040 ST                                   $275
                1 meg main system memory
                Internal 720K 3.5" disk drive
                TOS 1.4 Operating System ROMs
                Atari standard mouse (Japan)
 
        Atari SC 1224 Color monitor                     $225
                Original super-sharp JVC model
 
        Semi-"Home-brew" hard drive                     $200
                SH 204 case and power supply/fan
                ICD Advantage Host Adapter (w/clock)
                OMTI SCSI-to-MFM converter
                Seagate ST-251 40 meg drive (flakey)
                DMA cable
 
        Surreal Systems Internal Clock (w/software)     B/O
 
        Abacus Chartpak                                 B/O
 
 
        If you have a trade in mind, then go ahead and ask.  For now,
        I am looking for mostly IBM and generic stuff:  SCSI Hard drives,
        laser printers, Roland MT-32 or LAPC-1, etc...
 
        Anyway, if you have an offer, then make it!  The worst thing
        that can happen is that I'll say "No way!"
 
        I prefer email, but if you would rather call, you can reach
        me at (301) 521-0015.
 
 
 
Thanks!
 
 
--
 
Chuck Rickard
(chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 23:23:02 GMT
From: ub!galileo.cc.rochester.edu!news@rutgers.rutgers.edu (----* Ho Ling Cherd
 *----)
Subject: Atari Stfm forsale
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I have the following for sale:
 
Atari 1040 STfm
 
   - CPU /w keyboard
   - 1 MG RAM
   - built in 720K 3.5" floppy disk drive
   - RF port - for hooking up to color TV or VCR
 --- $300 or best offer
 
Atari Sc1224 (GoldStar) RGB Color Monitor
 
 --- $180 or best offer (would prefer to sell this with the Stfm)
 
 
   Back Pack - utilities in catridge   --- best offer
   Procopy ST (copying software) --- $5.00 obo
   ST-Talk (communication)  --- $7.00 obo
   Haba Check Minder (checking account reminder)  ---  $7.00 obo
   Gnictron Football (Football Game) --- $7.00 obo
   Space Shuttle (Game) --- $7.00 obo
   Defender of the Crown (Game) --- $10.00 obo
   Tanglewood (Game) --- $3.00 not working with TOS 1.0 and 1.6
   The Darkness Rises (Game) --- $10.00 obo
   Fast (ST Dos and other utilties) --- $7.00 obo
   Dungeon Master (Game) --- $5.00 no manual but with maps and hints
   Falcon (Game) --- $15.00 obo
   Epstart (Macintosh Epson printer driver for Spectre ) --- $30 obo
   VIP professional (Spreadsheet - Lotus 123 clone) --- $25.00 no manual
 
 
and
 
   2 atari joysticks --- free with the stfm
   dusk cover for 1040STFM  free with the STFM
   Box of 10 DIsk with PD and Sharewares free with the STFM
 
Buyer pay shippings.
 
Please e-mail to lchd_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
 
 
Thanks.
 
..
   Ling Cherd
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 20:21:29 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.p
 itt.edu!gvlf3.gvl.unisys.com!tredysvr!cellar!darling@arizona.edu (Thomas
 Darling)
Subject: Emulate?  What about the other way.
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
boyd@bind.cs.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) writes:
 
> In article <1991Sep20.151133.5618@bdt.com>, CATHRYN@bdt.COM writes:
> >How about an ST emulator card which would fit into a slot of a PC clone.  So
> >could run old ST software and clone software without having computers take
> >over the house!
>
> Derek M (the author of STXFormer, the software 8-bit emulator) has stated tha
> he is/was working on a software ST emulator for 80xx6 platforms.  The
> "Gemulator" can supposedly blow an ST out of the water on a 486.  I have not
> heard a followup on this for some time (I read about it in Current Notes
> some months ago).  This should be interesting if it ever appears . . . .
 
In this day and age when you can buy a 1040ST for $399, I find this kind of
silly.  Especially considering that the machine's main pro market, MIDI users,
wouldn't be supported by such emulation.
 
~
darling@cellar.UUCP \\\ Thomas Darling * record production * dance re-mixing
uunet!cellar!darling \\\ Fact HQ Studio * The Cellar BBS:215/336-9503 * FACT
v
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 02:38:55 GMT
From: ub!acsu.buffalo.edu!chu@rutgers.rutgers.edu (john c chu)
Subject: Hard drive advice needed.
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I just got my E. Arthur Brown Catalog and in it are several entries
about Supra's 52 Meg hard drive which has an 11(?!)ms access time. Can
anyone tell me anything about this drive? Would I be better off
putting together my own drive rather than getting this?
 
Please reply by e-mail. Thanks!
 
                                        john
                                chu@acsu.buffalo.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 00:10:25 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!rpi!dinsmm@arizona.edu (Michael John
 Dinsmore)
Subject: Problem printing
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
 I use 1st Word with  Epson LX-800 printeer, but am using a LX-80 printer
driver.  Every time I try to print out a document, it form feeds a page
before it starts printing. What's up?  And how can I fix this?  I tried
looking at the printer driver but I couldn't find anything.  Anyone using
this setup find a solution? Please e-mail me a message or post it here.
Thanks!
 
   ____   /\/\
   \MD/  /    \ike         "You can twist perceptions, reality won't budge."
    \/   dinsmm@rpi.edu                                   - Neil Peart, RUSH
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 23:54:52 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!chaph.usc.edu!alcor.usc.edu!baffoni@arizona.edu
 (Juxtaposer)
Subject: Problems upgrading to 4M (was SIMMS from a Mac SE into an ST?)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <A1290082101@thelake.mn.org> steve@thelake.mn.org (Steve Yelvington)
 writes:
>[In article <1991Sep21.030908.985@cs.sfu.ca>,
>     wolfgang@cs.sfu.ca (Wolfgang Jung) writes ... ]
>
> > My feeling of this is that you NEED (i never read you did) to remove or
> > at least deactivate the 256K Chips , which normaly reside in BANK 0
> > In the case you forgot that, the hardware gets into VERY big Trouble when
> > reading from the rams at an Address greater than 512K. If you leave the
> > HIGH Address line unconnected (MAD10 i think) the system reads and writes
> > into the same bytes, which shouldn't make any Problems.
>
>How do you do this (temporarily)? I have an old nearly-original 520 (with
>modulator, without floppy) that has a half-populated Tech Specialties
>piggyback board. I'd like to bring it up to 4MB, since chips are
>practically free these days, but to do so I need to disable bank 0. I'd
>like to do that without having to get a bunch of chips desoldered -- in
>case it doesn't work and I have to restore the original setup.
 
        You really can't get around the desoldering part (I certainly can't
get in close enough to snip just the Vss and Vdd pins - If _you_ can, then do
that and just resolder them when you are done).  You can however do what I
did which is to desolder all 16 256k drams and then solder in 16 low-profile
dram sockets (like $.50 a piece at Radio Shack - I know, I got ripped, but
they were near-by and ...).  That way, you can mess around with the address/
data/WE/CE/whatever lines by using <insert appropriate probe-like device - hey,
I used old 64k chips with the power pins snipped off, except on the ones where
I needed the power pins, in which case I left the pin on, but never got Vss
and Vdd from the same chip>.  Then, when/if you are done hacking, you just
put in 16 brand new (and more importantly lower-power-consuming) drams and
viola!  All back to where you were before.  Just gotta watch out for where
you swing that soldering iron...
 
-Mike
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 23:23:44 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakar
 i.primate.wisc.edu!doug.cae.wisc.edu!carter@arizona.edu (Gregory Carter)
Subject: ST Magazines (was Re: More Lies From Atari?)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <9469@cactus.org> covert@cactus.org (Richard Covert) writes:
>In article <1991Sep22.062314.9970seitz@netcom.COM> seitz@netcom.COM (Matthew
 Seitz) writes:
>>In article <9411@cactus.org> covert@cactus.org (Richard Covert) writes:
>>>((((((( But NO ST/TT magazines becuase ALL of the USA ST magazines
>>>        are DEAD DEAD DEAD!! And have the Tramiels EVER advertised?
>>>        So don't believe this rumor either!!
>>>)))))))
>>
>>No, SOME of the USA ST magazines are ALIVE, ALIVE, ALIVE!!!  I hold in my
 hands
>>the Septemver 1991 issues of CURRENT NOTES and ATARI USER, and the August 1991
>>issue of ST INFORMER (along with a renewal request card).
>>--
>>                                      Matthew Seitz
>>                                      seitz@netcom.com
>
>
>The rags you mentioned are the standard examples give by all
>Atari Apologists (AA) (TM by Covert)!! And while they are all
>good mags, they are NOT glossy nationally distributed mags which
>show up in the big bookstores. they are rags which you have to
>hunt to find. SO, novice Atarians wouldn't even know about them.
 
They would probably look a bit more professional looking if they
would simply dump the crappy ST DTP software they use to make the
mag with.  PM 4.0/MS WORD 4.0 make a great combination and a
much more capable feature list to make DTP easier and more fun to do.
 
Plus you can run it on your ST!
 
>and speaking of CURRENT NOTES, what did you think of Bill Yerger's
>Hiostory of the Atari ST? I thought that Bill really exposed Atari's
>inner workings for all to see!! Bill probably made a few enemies with
>his articles!! I don't supopse you would ever his articles in a fair
>and impartial magazine like ATARI EXPLORER :-)
 
Current Notes is a fine Mag.  But its quite hard to get where I am.
(Material or article content included is great, layout is crappy.)
 
>--
>Richard E. Covert                 covert@cactus.org
>CACTUS                  ..!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!covert
 
--Greg
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Sep 91 22:27:54 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casba
 h.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u43610@arizona.edu
Subject: Wanted: Floppy for ST..
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I would like to purchase a floppy disk drive(Be it single or double sided) for
a reasonable price.  I would like to use it as a second disk drive to my first
one, a "SF354".  Please do not bother me with the idiotic priced ones.. (No, I
am not interested in a $130 single sided drive.  even if alan Greenspan shat up
on it.)   My network Address is (U43610@uicvm.uic.edu).
-
Ken.
-
PS: State your price in a reply.. DO NOT ask me to make you an offer.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Sep 91 04:02:29 GMT
From: fs7.ece.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!mg20+@sei.cmu.edu
 (Michael Paul Greelish)
Subject: What to buy next...
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Er, hi, fellow Atari users. This isn't an informative post, so if you're
not looking to help someone out, just skip this. It's also somewhat
critical of Atari (gasp!) so if you can't stand that, please skip it too.
 
Anyway, I won't bore you with details, but let me say that I am
currently fed up with the state of the Atari market. IMHO. for anything
except hard-core hackers and die-hard loyalists, the ST market has
become untenable. Atari simply isn't a player in the big leagues anymore.
 
I've got a 1040ST with 1 Meg, TOS 1.0, color monitor, no modifications.
I've sunk a few bucks into the thing, but all on software; I don't even
have a hard drive. 68000 performance is getting me down, and no software
is *really* getting me down. I need a new system. A TT isn't an option,
for reasons I'm sure you can surmise. Neither is a hacked-up
modification-- I'm allergic to non-manufacturer modifications (because
they have lousy support and crash *REAL* often.) So, what do I buy (when
I get the money-- not real soon :-)
 
The options & comments:
 
80386 IBM clone w. SVGA & hard drive
Pro: Popular. Tons of software. Reasonably priced. Easily expanded.
Con: Windows sucks. MS-DOS is from hell. Compatibility problems with all
those different hardware add-ons you need...
 
Amiga (2000, 2500 or 3000)
Pro: Cool games. Cool graphics stuff. Good graphics. Good market.
Con: Amiga market could die just like A____'s. Not truly "popular."
 
Mac (LC, IIsi, or the '030 Classic, if it's color)
Pro: Good O.S. Okay graphics. Lots of good applications. Big market.
Con: No games. Add-ons are EXPENSIVE. Graphics just OK.
 
Well?
 
_____________________________________________________
Mike Greelish                                               mg20@andrew.cmu.edu
Carnegie Mellon University,  Junior year
Professional Writing major (type type type!!!....)
Quote: "Political correctness isn't." ---me
 
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End of Info-Atari16 Digest
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