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From: erkamp@arcsun.arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Time for a New Computer: Should it be an Atari ST?
Message-ID: <1990Jul27.163256.15941@arcsun.arc.ab.ca>
Date: 27 Jul 90 16:32:56 GMT
References: <13836@shlump.nac.dec.com> <8525@mirsa.inria.fr>
Reply-To: erkamp@arcsun.UUCP (Bob Erkamp)
Organization: Alberta Research Council, Calgary
Lines: 22


 Well as usual this is getting out of hand and no real useful information is
being produced. I think the bottom line is that any hardware platform has it
niche (some may be bigger than others) and the real key is software. The most
important thing is what do YOU want to do with the machine. If that question
can't be answered save your money. Once you decided on the type(s) of software
you are looking at investigate what's available for the hardware platforms
you can afford as well as compatibility with people you wish to share datafiles
with. You should also consider the ability for expansion (memory, disk capacity,
peripherals). 

 I beleive that all the machines have decent software at the introductory 
(hobbyist) level. It's when you get into the serious (professional level)
products that one or two of the hardware platforms will stick out as the
possible solution. Examples MIGHT be the Atari for MIDI, the Amiga or Apple for
Mulitmedia the IBM for CAD (no flames please).

 In the future when someone requests info about the Atari hopefully we will
suggest some decent software packages for their application and then let them
decide if this is the way to go.

Bob Erkamp