Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Vapourware!!!
Message-ID: <24502@cup.portal.com>
Date: 27 Nov 89 04:45:01 GMT
References: <8911070804.AA12600@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <9802@zodiac.ADS.COM>
  <34785@grapevine.uucp> <9823@zodiac.ADS.COM> <1475@cc.helsinki.fi>
  <24310@cup.portal.com> <17212@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 36

Just to clear up what seems to be a general misunderstanding:
 
David Paschall-Zimbel says:
>Yes, I was around on GEnie back in the good old days of 1986.  No, I don't
>remember reading anything which was labelled "OFFICAL PROMISE" from Neil
>Harris.
 
Neil Harris was the *OFFICIAL* representative of Atari Corp.  *ANYTHING*
he said, unless specifically accompanied by a disclaimer to the contrary
was  *OFFICIAL*  from Atari Corp.
 
It was HE who _insisted_ on adding the wording "Official On-Line Service
of Atari Corp" to the log-on message.  He enjoyed the limelight and perks
of being the "Official Atari Rep", even thought he generally tried to
duck the responsibility and work that went along with them.
 
Atari Corp *themselves* acknowledged his "official" capacity several times
when they came down on him for overstepping what they wanted revealed to
the public.  The premature release of pricing on the Megas was one of these
times.
 
So when Neil Harris would say something like "the Blitter upgrade will cost
$120 including the daughterboard and TOS 1.2 ROMS, and it will have to be
installed by a local dealer", this was *NOT*  just some flunky employee
spouting off unofficial rumors.
 
Yes, I *do* have copies of virtually everything that went on during that
time, including public messages, conferences and private "nasty-grams"
from Neil Harris.  No, I don't plan on wasting my time searching them just
to fill in faulty or selective memories.
 
Most people did not attend _every_ conference, or read _every_ public
message.  I did, and I heard enough claims and announcements of the blitter
upgrade from the "Official" Atari Representative.
 
BobR