Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!ria!uwovax!4224_5132
From: 4224_5132@uwovax.uwo.ca (Andrew Semple)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: A few random thoughts
Message-ID: <4448.257a46e4@uwovax.uwo.ca>
Date: 4 Dec 89 15:28:51 GMT
References: <21653@brunix.UUCP> <24548@cup.portal.com> <1833@atari.UUCP> <472ae52a.14a1f@force.UUCP>
Lines: 70


 covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) spews,

> You know Ken, that is ONE reason why I refuse to buy the new TT. If you can't
> even upgrade a Mega ST2 to 4 megs because of some manufacturing decision to
> save 10 cents by using a MMU chip that can't address 4 megs, then what does
> that tell me about Atari?? It is INSANE to sell a Mega ST2 that is crippled
> so that it can't be upgraded to 4 megs. That is another example of Atari's
> No Upgrade Policy. Why do you folks do that??
> 
> And are you folks going to change this policy with regards to the TT/p? Or
> if I want to add more memory after I purchase a TT/P will I have to sell
> it and buy another TT/p with more memory?? 
>
  The above statement about the ST2 not being able to be expanded to 4 Megs 
is absolute CRAP.  I know of about 20 ST2's that have been expanded to 4 Megs.

  To Richard directly:  Please have the guts to flame me by mail, don't waste
space here!

> Oh well, life goes on.

  I guess it does ...

  I was recently in one of my local (non-authorized) Atari dealers when I 
noticed that he had an Atari product called VT100 Emulator.  It was a cart
that you plugged in so your screen resembled those old VT100 terminals that
astronomy people use :-).  Has anyone used it.  It was only 10$ so I might
go back and purchase it just fo rthe heck of it.  Do I have to be hardwired to
the system I want to use, or can I use Flash! or something.

  In speaking about Flash!, I would like to ask the authors of Shadow if they
consulted the authors of Flash! before or during the construction of thier fine
program.  No flames here, just interested in the development process.

  Finally, I would like to share a bedtime story with y'all.  The same
un-authorized Atari dealer I mentioned above, warned me that they might soon  
be ending thier (limited) Atari support.  "Not selling enough units", he said.
It should be mentioned here that he also sells PC's and Amiga's.

  "How many ST's did you sell last month", I said?

  "Oh, about (pause), twenty", he said.

  "And how many PC's in that peroid", I enquired?

  "(Long pause, and a search of the records), one", he admitted.

  "Hmmm", I grined.  "And how many Sega game systems"?

  "(Easy one I guess), Ten in the last week", he blurted.

  Conclusions;  there is no doubt that this dealer has low prices, but he is 
only interested in the quick sale.  If you could see his store you would see 
racks and racks of games for the Amiga, ST, Mac(?), and PC's.  Atari people
are smart enough to buy at the lowest price, but go to the authorized dealer
for their software support, games for the ST just aren't cutting it for this
guy.  I mean save for a few wordprocessors and this VT100 emulator (which was
a mile deep in dust), he has games.  My point?  Don't underestimate the need
for serious support in software for the Atari user.  The authorized dealer
can't keep Calamus in stock, this other guy hasn't even heard of it...

  Graduate of the Linda Ellerbee school of journalism...  

--------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Semple                               ads@hydra.uwo.ca
2nd Year Applied Math/Computer Science      Andrew.Semple@hydra.uwo.ca
The University of Western Ontario           Semple@uwovax.BITNET
London, Ontario
Canada     "I think in the predicate calculus."   - I. Newton :-)