Info-Atari16 Digest         Sun, 23 Jun 91       Volume 91 : Issue 347
 
Today's Topics:
             Atari-To-Amiga Convert Info Source! (2 msgs)
                         Atari-to-Amiga junk
                         Expanding a Supra HD
                How is Atari doing in Europe? (2 msgs)
                              lharc woes
           lharc woes (AGAIN, was Is musedt.lzh corrupted?)
                         Mint and big screen
                   modes.mf (was re: waits.mf?????)
                        speller and Mac fonts
                    Tom and Free-Net Commodore SIG
                     What is wrong?  How to fix?
                           Word Perfect 5.1
 
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 01:27:02 GMT
From: noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!know!daemon@arizona.edu
 (Thomas Hill)
Subject: Atari-To-Amiga Convert Info Source!
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
   First let me begin this message by paying Atari users a kind remark...Atari
users are smart, much in the same way as Amiga owners. We have both choosen
our machines based on the facts, and the facts are that IBM and Apple computers
don't offer us power for the price. IBM is too controlled by dull and generic
standards, and Apple almost has to sell machines at three times what they are
worth in order to keep up their BMW-like image. We have choosen our machines
because they were simply the best (one more so than the other :')) for the
price.
 
 As of late, Atari has taken a sudden turn for the worse. The new machines
didn't live up to their promise of having better features than their Amiga
twin. Software vendors, shows, and even magazines are jumping ship as a result
of the somewhat flat sales of the new machines. Even Atari's best feature,
good MIDI software, is weakening as several of those authors port their
software to the Amiga. Atari has gone deep into debt and not even a rumor of a
totally new computer, if that rumor existed, looks to offer hope.
 
 On the other hand, Amiga sales are higher than ever. New prices, better
outlet exposure, recent introduction of high quality professional software,
new "media" hits (Toaster, CDTV, AmigaVision), recent introduction of leasing
programs and onsight service that even IBM and Apple don't offer, all of this
and more has resulted in a big year for Commodore. Sales are way up. Even the
3000 is sold out right now. The recent trade-up program, which will give you
massive discounts if you already own a Commodore, has put the 3000 in reach
for even lowly Vic-20 owners. The Amiga went well over 3 million units some
months ago and, if sales continue at this pace, could go over 4.5 million by
the end of this year. It is said that Commodore just experienced their most
profitable quarter in history, and Commodore stock is higher than it has been
in years. CDTV, which many predict to be the biggest electronics smash since
"Nintendo", has received much press and will be advertised by Commodore in a
big way this fall.
 
 As a result, the trickle of Atari users switching to the Amiga has (in my
*limited* view) turned into a flood recently. Because of my exposure through
messages here on Cleveland Free-Net, I have received several requests for
information to smooth the conversion from the Atari to the Amiga. I do this as
a service to fellow computer users. If you need any advice on file conversion,
where to buy Amiga-related hardware for the best price, information on the
Atari ST emulators out for the Amiga, or have any other questions related to
the Atari-to-Amiga conversion process, please feel free to write me via Email.
Please note: I'm not impressed by stupid remarks and swear words from those
who still love their Atari. You have every right to stick with your choice.
Please allow others to do what they feel is right.
 
   Tom
 
       Why purchase a MAC when an Amiga with the same CPU will run 99% of all
    __ MAC software..and FASTER at that?! The same can be said of the IBM and
 __/// Atari computers, and I can run those in a window. IBM's greatest sales
 \XX/  tool is ignorance on the consumer's part. IBM=(I)'ve (B)een (M)islead.
A      If you want to be popular then buy a MAC....If you want to be powerful
 M     then buy an Amiga..and use all that money you save to buy friends. :')
  I    Classic=B&W, no blitter, no DMA, almost no sound, almost no expansion,
   G   price tag of $1000. Amiga 500=4096 colors, DMA galore, great sound, an
    A  86 pin expansion port, price tag of $500. Confused? Only the Amiga!!!!
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 14:01:07 GMT
From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!samsung!know!daemon@arizona.edu (Thomas
 Hill)
Subject: Atari-To-Amiga Convert Info Source!
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
aa399@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Len Stys) writes:
 
>I have just read the message posted by Thomas Hill, SysOp of the Commodore
>SIG on the Cleveland Free-Net.
 
 Nice to see you here on the Atari UseNet SIG, Len. I'm afraid you've once
again made the mistake of calling me the Sysop of the Commodore SIG on the
Cleveland Free-Net. Let's hope this is the last time I have to say this...
I am not the System Operator of the Commodore SIG on Cleveland Free-net.
 
>There is no proof that Atari is doing bad anywhere.  There is no proof that
>anyone is switching over to Amiga and if there are some, I am sure the same
>amount are switching to the ST.
 
 Even some members of your SIG in very high "positions" have asked me details
on switching to the Amiga. I was asked to not print their names, so I won't.
Since your an avid reader of the "computer forum", you should know that I
always complain that people make statements without any proof. I'm a big
believer in facts, and putting your money where your mouth is. Much of the
source material for these statements comes from your very SIG. Exactly what
statements don't you agree with? I have source material for everything down
to the Atari music authors switching to the Amiga. I like to think that I
never make a remark without the facts to back it up. Please try to do the
same.
 
>Thomas Hill is famous for attempting to "scare" Atari users into becomming
>Amiga users, especially on the Cleveland Free-Net.  I should know, I am the
>Atari SIG Manager on the Cleveland Free-Net.
 
 This statement is uncalled for. I never try to "scare" people into buying an
Amiga. I present the facts and allow you to make up your own mind. Again, most
of the information I post simply came right from the MAC or Atari SIG. I do
"try" to inform people. I believe that most people buy a computer with no
real knowledge of how it compares to other systems. This is what I am trying
to change.
 
>There is no proof and frankly, I believe Tom just made up information on the
>new Atari computers being a flop because he doesn't really know and would like
>to think so.
 
 I can even give you remarks from Atari users in this very SIG to support that
statement. And I never make up information. To do that would be a turn from
the facts. The facts our that the Atari sales are slowing. The initial sales
flow of the new machines was mainly due to Atari users upgrading.
 
>Many claim, especially developers that the TT030 will be easier to develop
>quality software on the TT than the Amiga.  I'd like to wait and find out.
 
 I'd love to hear your facts to support this statement. The Amiga is well
known for it's excellent library of support routines. I've always heard people
say that the Amiga is a dream to program on. Never heard it the other way
around.
 
>After all, the TT030 hasn't even made it to the U.S. yet!  It is at least
>one-year newer than the Amiga 3000 and I'm sure Atari had enough time to
>examine that of its competitors to bring you- a superior machine.
 
 Being released a year after the 3000 has nothing to do with it being a newer
machine. This just enforces Atari's rap of showing products long before they
are ready. Remember the big discussion we had about the new Atari computers?
You liked to call them "totally new computers", while I made the point that
they are simply the old machines with minor upgrades here and there. They
still didn't offer better special chip ability than what the Amiga already
had. These are repackaged machines, not totally new ones. I wish Atari would
have released a totally new line from the ground up. It would have made the
market competitive again and it probably was the only thing that could have
saved them.
 
>The Mega STe will be selling for $1400 with 55 meg hard drive, 2 megs of RAM,
>LAN, etc. at an Atari Dealer in my home town.  This is an amazing price
>and I definitely do not see failure there.
 
 Not a bad price, but not the best price either.
 
>Atari has had trouble manufacturing enough computers to compete properly.
 
 I find the recent remark on this curious. Atari has had trouble selling
computers. What makes you think fixing a plant problem will increase sales?
 
>And don't worry about ST computer users switching to Amigas on Free-Net.
>They would be switching a computer that is supported by a SIG with a great
>amount of information to a computer with a SIG that only has "my computer
>is better than yours" messages throughout it.
 
 Len, once again your not exactly right. Len had tried to make it sound like
this discussion has gone on in the Commodore Amiga Forum on Free-Net. Not so.
A new section was set aside, called "The Computer Forum", for all computer
users to discuss and compare the powers of their systems. This is not an
Amiga board, not a Commodore board, but a board for the discussion of all
computers. Saying that the Amiga SIG does not support it's users is a remark
based in no fact. I know your SIG supports it's users. Never said it didn't.
If you'll kindly read over a small list below of titles found in the Amiga SIG
then I think we can clear up this small misunderstanding...
 
From the Amiga Forum...
 
First message is #17, last message is #239
 
   R  216. USENET REPOST: Videography Magazine On Amiga
   R  217. Hands-on Toaster impressions
   R  218. COMDEX IN CLEVELAND?
   R  219. How about a "Programmers' Forum?"
   R  220. AmigaUUCP
   R  221. How to find Maple?
=> R  222. USENET REPOST: CDTV AT CES
   R  223. USENET REPOST: Fushion 68040 Board
   R  224. USENET REPOST: Ad For CDTV
   R  225. USENET REPOST: AMAX Compatibility
   R  226. USENET REPOST: CDTV In InfoWorld
   R  227. USENET REPOST: CDTV Reactions
   R  228. USENET REPOST: CDTV Titles
   R  229. USENET REPOST: Comeau C++ Review
   R  230. USENET REPOST: More On InfoWorld And CDTV
   R  231. USENET REPOST: More CDTV News
   R  232. USENET REPOST: IEEE Spectrum Magazine On 3000UX
   R  233. USENET REPOST: Amiga Spotted On Home Show
=> R  234. USENET REPOST: CDTV Spotted On CNN
   R  235. USENET REPOST: USER GROUPS- DEMO CDTV OFFER!
   R  236. USENET REPOST: CDTV Upgrade News
   R  237. USENET REPOST: Commodore SemiConductor In News
   R  238. NOTICE TO NEW USERS OF THIS SIG!!!
   R  239. Prodigy
 
From the Amiga Q & A Forum...
 
   R   24. Re: Amiga 500 as IBM compat.
   R   25. Re: bad sprites ??
   R   26. Re: Amiga hard drives................
   R   27. Re: IFF->MAC converter, anyone?
   R   28. Re: Amiga hard drives................
   R   29. Re: Amiga 500 as IBM compat.
=> R   30. Fonts (Hebrew)
   R   31. Video Inteference
   R   32. A1000 keyboard
   R   33. Amiga 1000 & the printer port
   R   34. Software via FTP.
   R   35. Re: Software via FTP.
   R   36. Re: Amiga 1000 & the printer port
   R   37. New A3000
   R   38. VT220 emulator
   R   39. Re: New A3000
   R   40. Re: VT220 emulator
   R   41. Alegra Upgrade
=> R   42. Amiga Basic: suggestions wanted on how to learn it
 
 As you can see, no messages about "my computer being better than yours". In
the computer forum there are a fair number of pro-Atari and IBM messages as
well as Amiga messages.
 
   Tom
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 04:35:26 GMT
From: cleveland.Freenet.Edu!aa399@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Len Stys)
Subject: Atari-to-Amiga junk
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I have just read the message posted by Thomas Hill, SysOp of the Commodore
SIG on the Cleveland Free-Net.
 
There is no proof that Atari is doing bad anywhere.  There is no proof that
anyone is switching over to Amiga and if there are some, I am sure the same
amount are switching to the ST.
 
Thomas Hill is famous for attempting to "scare" Atari users into becomming
Amiga users, especially on the Cleveland Free-Net.  I should know, I am the
Atari SIG Manager on the Cleveland Free-Net.
 
There is no proof and frankly, I believe Tom just made up information on the
new Atari computers being a flop because he doesn't really know and would like
to think so.
 
Many claim, especially developers that the TT030 will be easier to develop
quality software on the TT than the Amiga.  I'd like to wait and find out.
After all, the TT030 hasn't even made it to the U.S. yet!  It is at least
one-year newer than the Amiga 3000 and I'm sure Atari had enough time to
examine that of its competitors to bring you- a superior machine.
 
The Mega STe will be selling for $1400 with 55 meg hard drive, 2 megs of RAM,
LAN, etc. at an Atari Dealer in my home town.  This is an amazing price
and I definitely do not see failure there.
 
Atari has had trouble manufacturing enough computers to compete properly.
 
It is now over this problem with contracts with several new factories.
 
 
Don't give up on your computer yet folks, because if you let messages like
Tom's frighten you, Atari is doomed because of you not because of them.
 
And don't worry about ST computer users switching to Amigas on Free-Net.
They would be switching a computer that is supported by a SIG with a great
amount of information to a computer with a SIG that only has "my computer
is better than yours" messages throughout it.
Len
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
--
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 06:33:21 GMT
From: arizona.edu!ivax.ccit.arizona.edu!i9853100@arizona.edu (CCITOPER000)
Subject: Expanding a Supra HD
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I have a Supra 20 meg HD which uses a Rodime embedded SCSI mechanism.  Can
I upgrade to a higher capacity drive by just swapping out the mechanism?
(I was thinking of using a Segate ST-157N 49 meg drive).  Also, I have version
2.62 of the Supra software.  Would this software be able to format the drive?
Also, if there newer versions of the software, what are the differences?
Using RATEHD.PRG, my current drive checks out at about 220 k/s and over
100 ms avg access (Very slow!).  Would changing the drive mechanism speed this
up?
Help with any of these questions would really be appreciated.  Thanks!
 
        Doug Tarico
        I9853100@ccit.arizona.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Jun 91 10:42:33 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!ira.uka.de!
 fauern!faui43.informatik.uni-erlangen.de!csbrod@arizona.edu (Claus Brod)
Subject: How is Atari doing in Europe?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
adamd@rhi.hi.is (Adam David) writes:
 
>TOS has yet to be junked. In all seriousness Atari, why not have a REAL OS
>in ROM and the option to load TOS and GEM from disk for backward compatibility?
>There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the Atari hardware, though there are
>certain limitations which I feel should not be imposed.
 
TOS is usable. TOS is useful. TOS isn't more bug-ridden than other OS's.
And personally, I think GEM is a real gem. It has all the potential
to rival the MacOS. So don't junk TOS, Atari. Instead, give us MultiTOS
soon. Besides, you can run lots of other OS's on the Atari NOW: OS/9,
Minix, MacOS, QL OS, MS DOS, Mirage... just to name a few.
And with the advent of Atari Unix we also have a full-featured SysV.4.
Think about it.
 
>The TOS ROMs are a joke though. (Does anyone know which compiler they used?).
>I would guess 20% or more of the space in them is wasted because the C
>compiler didn't optimise the code. There is plenty in need of revision.
>It seems the same compiler has been used for all TOS versions up to at least
>1.62. Even recent TOS versions have backward compatibility to features of CP/M
>which have never been used on Atari ST/TT hardware products. Until very
>recently there has been no support for HD floppies. The list goes on ......
 
The XBIOS floppy routines worked with HD drives from the day they were
created, likewise for BIOS and GEMDOS. Now, isn't that a sign of
thoughtful design? You might start picking on other design mistakes
like the troublesome GEMDOS I/O redirection, but HD drive support
is a very bad example.
 
With machines speeding up considerably and speeders all over the place,
the need for fine-tuning the ROM code diminishes. It's more important
for Atari to have control over the various TOS development lines, and
this is near to impossible to do with hand-optimized code. And the only
reason why Atari does not use Turbo C officially (though developpers at
Atari Sunnyvale are said to be allowed to use their favorite dev
package) is that it is not available in the US - no English docs and such.
With the Turbo C developpers falling off from Borland and starting with
a new distributor, this situation may change soon.
 
>If the hardware wasn't useable and some good quality application software
>packages then I wouldn't have stuck with Atari. Despite their failings,
>the equipment (with third party support) is still a fair cut above the rest.
 
D'accord.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Claus Brod, Am Felsenkeller 2,                  Things. Take. Time.
D-8772 Marktheidenfeld, Germany                 (Piet Hein)
csbrod@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
Claus_Brod@wue.maus.de
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 11:35:47 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ccut!wnoc-ty
 o-news!toumon!wucc!ytsuji@arizona.edu (Y.Tsuji)
Subject: How is Atari doing in Europe?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Well, this is going to be the most familiar talk about whether Atari has a
future or not. I have my personal opinion but I had bette keep it to myself
so as not to offend Atari zealots, particulary German enthusiasts. But let us
remember on this day next year that there were people who believed in Atari's
future.
 
Cheers,
Tsuji (a very, very disappointed person, particularly by ATARI UK's developers
support scheme).
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 05:47:13 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!horga!nathan!ue@uunet.uu.net (Udo Erdelhoff)
Subject: lharc woes
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Hi,
what about giving STZip a try? Ok, it's still called a beta version, but
it works, its faster than LHarc, and the compression rate is alomost the
same as LHarc's...
The actual version is 0.9beta...
/s/
--
Udo Erdelhoff                               smart: ue@nathan.ruhr.de
Am Westheck 170                             Fido:  Udo Erdelhoff on 2:245/52.1
W-4600 Dortmund 12 (FRG)                    Maus:  Udo Erdelhoff @ DO
       Please keep your replies short - I have to pay for recieving mail
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 19:49:14 GMT
From: cucstud!tfd!afp!gna!linn!Vincent.Pomey@uunet.uu.net (Vincent Pomey)
Subject: lharc woes (AGAIN, was Is musedt.lzh corrupted?)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In a message of <20 Jun 91  12:09:42>, dpg@cs.nott.ac.uk (Dave Gymer) writes:
 
 > My complaint with lharc is that's its's too damn slow. I still mainly
 
You could try using STZip, it process zip files (compatible with PKZip on PC),
is faster than LHArc 1.13.19, compress roughly the same (better on big text
files, worse on very small files), and has a built-in GEM interface.
 
Should appear in comp.binaries.atari.st soon.
 
    Vincent.Pomey@linn.fidonet.org
 or tfd.com!afp!gna!linn!vincent
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 08:55:32 GMT
From: mcsun!news.funet.fi!funic!lahtinen@uunet.uu.net (Kimmo Lahtinen)
Subject: Mint and big screen
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I am using my Atari with a big screen (Matrix C32) and would
like to use Mint and GEM together, but so far I have only succeced
it in normal ST-resolution. For some reason the program GEM.PRG
does not like the driver of the big screen.
 
Does somebody has a solution? Otherwise Mint is working fine and
also mgr is nice on 800x600 resolution.
 
Kimmo
 
lahtinen@gideon.fmi.fi
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 07:55:08 GMT
From: mcsun!hp4nl!alchemy!piet@uunet.uu.net (Piet van Oostrum)
Subject: modes.mf (was re: waits.mf?????)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
>>>>> schwab@julien.informatik.uni-dortmund.de (Andreas Schwab) (AS) writes:
 
AS> You should use modes.mf, the successor of waits.mf.  It has the same
AS> functionality and much more.  It is available from the major TeX
AS> archives.
 
How to get modes.mf from the archive at
        Dept. of Computer Science, Utrecht University:
 
NOTE: In the following I have assumed your mail address is john@highbrow.edu.
 
    Of course you must substitute your own address for this. This should be
    a valid internet or uucp address. For bitnet users name@host.BITNET
    usually works.
 
by FTP: (please restrict access to weekends or evening/night (i.e. between
about 20.00 and 0900 UTC).
 
    ftp archive.cs.ruu.nl [131.211.80.5]
    user name: anonymous or ftp
    password: your own email address (e.g. john@highbrow.edu)
    cd /pub
    don't forget to set binary mode if the file is a tar/arc/zoo archive,
    compressed or in any other way contains binary data.
    get TEX/MF/modes.mf
 
by mail-server:
 
send the following message to
mail-server@cs.ruu.nl (or uunet!mcsun!hp4nl!ruuinf!mail-server):
 
    begin
    path john@highbrow.edu (PLEASE SUBSTITUTE *YOUR* ADDRESS)
    send TEX/MF/modes.mf
    end
 
NOTE: *** PLEASE USE VALID INTERNET ADDRESSES IF POSSIBLE. DO NOT USE
ADDRESSES WITH ! and @ MIXED !!!! BITNETTERS USE USER@HOST.BITNET ***
 
The path command can be deleted if we receive a valid from address in your
message. If this is the first time you use our mail server, we suggest you
first issue the request:
    send HELP
--
Piet* van Oostrum, Dept of Computer Science, Utrecht University,
Padualaan 14, P.O. Box 80.089, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Telephone: +31 30 531806   Uucp:   uunet!mcsun!ruuinf!piet
Telefax:   +31 30 513791   Internet:  piet@cs.ruu.nl   (*`Pete')
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 04:55:42 GMT
From: ccncsu!lamar.colostate.edu!sytang@purdue.edu (Shoou-yu tang)
Subject: speller and Mac fonts
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
 Well, Spell32 and Makedict has been added to atari.archive.umich.edu, these two
 programs are from UK archive pdsoft for ST. The spell32 is english spell checke
 , and the makedict is the dictionary maintainer for the spell32. Documents are
 included in the archived file.
 One more file from pdsoft has been uploaded and should be availible soon. It
 contains the Mac fonts converted to be use with GDOS. This file has been
 mentioned in previous messages about Fonts.
 Have fun.
 Tang
 sytang@lamar.colostate.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 04:56:13 GMT
From: cleveland.Freenet.Edu!aa399@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Len Stys)
Subject: Tom and Free-Net Commodore SIG
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
If anyone cares to know how little you should think of the recent message
posted by Thomas Hill, please take a look of a capture that I took from the
Commodore SIG on Free-Net concerning Atari...
 
 
ews
      437. USENET REPOST: Commodore SemiConductor In News
      438. YWCA looking for donation
 
      439. USENET REPOST: Atari In Europe
      440. USENET REPOST: Atari Sells Plant
      441. USENET REPOST: Atari Show Cancelled
 **R  442. USENET REPOST: Atari Us Position
      443. USENET REPOST: Slow Macs
 
      444. Re: USENET REPOST: Atari In Europe
 
 
 
 
-------------------------------
    c = Contribute a new mess
 
 
(AND HOW ABOUT ONE OF THOSE MESSAGES WHILE I'M AT IT?)
 
 
 
 
Article #439 (444 is last):
Newsgroups: freenet.sci.comp.c64.forum
From: ai065@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Thomas Hill)
Subject: USENET REPOST: Atari In Europe
Date: Sun Jun 16 16:47:26 1991
 
 
   What follows is a series of messages from the Atari UseNet SIG. They
represent the down hill trend at Atari right now. While thumbing through the
Atari messages I was taken by the number of "For Sale" messages being posted.
Read into this what you will. Also, if any of you Mac users think Atari and
Commodore activity has always been about the same level, I would suggest you
go to the few Atari SIGs for a quick look, then go to the Amiga SIG (# 5) and
take a quick look around all those special interest SIGs within it. Things are
hopping at Commodore these days. Things at Atari are...Well, let's let the
Atari message traffic speak for it's self. I'd also like to mention to my
fellow Amiga users out there what this could mean to Commodore. With Atari out
of the picture Commodore would be by it's self in the < $1000 market. With the
recent rush of Atari users switching to the Amiga, this "rush" could soon turn
into a flood.
 
Article #28178 (28194 is last):
From: grahamt@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Graham S Thomas)
>Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: How is Atari doing in Europe?
Date: Sat Jun 15 12:16:14 1991
 
From article <1991Jun14.010821.9903@noose.ecn.purdue.edu>, by
 yegerleh@vivaldi.ecn.purdue.edu (James D Yegerlehner):
> I don't think Atari is making much of a splash over here (yet?)
> with the new STEs and TTs, but can any of you guys over in Europe
> say how the new machines are being received there?  Is Atari
> maintaining the significant market share that it once had?
 
I'm fairly sure Atari's market share in the UK is declining.  Most STs
here have been sold as games machines, and judging from the relative
amounts of software in the shops and the number and thickness of
magazines on the newsstands, the Amiga's winning hands down in that
arena.
 
Anything else has been niche marketing.  The TT is more expensive here
than in some other countries, partly because Atari don't expect to sell
many.  The Mega STE hasn't even been released here yet - it's just been
delayed even further until the beginning of July.
 
Atari are still selling a fair number of STFMs (still!) and STEs, and
the existing number of installed machines means that games and music
software will continue to be produced here, along with the occasional
non-games product.  Also, Atari UK have started to advertise the ST as a
'serious' computer again.  But, in my opinion, it's too little, too
late.  The best is not yet to come.
 
Graham
--
Graham Thomas, SPRU, Mantell Building, U of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RF, UK
Email: grahamt@syma.sussex.ac.uk   Phone: +44 273 678165   Fax: .. 685865
 
[END]
 
   Tom
-------------------------------
Would you now like to:
    t - Type out (Re-read) this message
    s - Read next unread message on same Subj
 
 
--------------
 
 
     If posting of information like this makes you angry, do what I do and
try to make the Atari SIG a great place to get information.
 
     In fact, after seeing what Tom is doing, I'm encouraged to work on the
Atari SIG even harder and I'm sure the users are as well.
 
     Join the Atari SIG... or the 16/32-bit Computer Support Team.
 
Len
 
 
--
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 23 Jun 91 03:36:18 GMT
From: cleveland.Freenet.Edu!aa399@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Len Stys)
Subject: What is wrong?  How to fix?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I am collecting information, I have been for sometime on all the things that
people say is wrong with Atari.
 
Some say that Atari is only considered a game machine in some countries.
 
Some say that the technology of Atari computers isn't enough to compete
against other computers.
 
Some say Atari doesn't advertise enough.
Others say that Atari Corp. doesn't support its customers as it should.
 
 
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ATARI?
 
This is what I would like to know from you and I would also like to know
how you would fix it if you had any control of what was happening.
 
 
Please respond to me in e-mail since I don't think people don't want to
read this string.
 
Also please be aware that I understand all computer companies have their
problems not just Atari.  Atari has some positive things going for them but
all I am interested is the things that is wrong with Atari.
 
Thanks.
 
 
P.S. Please give your country's name as well as if you are a user, dealer,
or developer.
 
 
--
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Jun 91 00:31:43 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!gvlf3.gvl.unisys.com!tred
 ysvr!cellar!revpk@arizona.edu (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano)
Subject: Word Perfect 5.1
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
        Well, good luck, and I also recommend making a few phone calls to
WP's help lines as well.
 
        I'd be very interested to know if the following features would be
included:
 
1.      The Tables and Equation Editor functions.
2.      Ability to run of of 720K floppies
3.      The new Labels Formatting ability.
 
In other words, rough compatibility with the IBM version.
 
======================================================================
Brian Siano, aka      [ "Mr. A. Hitler, the old Nazi thing, says
                      [ Mickey's silly. Imagine that! Well, Mickey is
Rev. Philosopher-King [ going to save Mr. A. Hitler from drowning or
                      [ something some day. Just wait and see if he
 revpk@cellar.UUCP    [ doesn't. Then won't Mr. A. Hitler be ashamed!"
                      [ -- Walt Disney, 1933.
======================================================================
 
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End of Info-Atari16 Digest
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