Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: PYC118%URIACC.BITNET@brownvm.brown.edu (Rasiel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Ataris
Message-ID: <37882@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 2 Dec 90 21:15:37 GMT
Sender: mmdf@ee.udel.edu
Lines: 25

Not meaning to sound condescending to the Atari community but with utmost
honesty I have to say that a close friend of mine has an ST which he'd
heartily trade in for a stock 500. The thing is, ST's have very little over
the Amiga. ANY ST, with the exception of price (and then only a trivial dif-
erence). Some say that the ST has superior sound becuase of its built-in
MIDI but the fact is MIDI is readily available for the Amiga for a mere $30
and that doesn't say anything about its sound chip which is the same as the
ST's I think (8 bit, 4 channel, right?). The biggest downfall for the Atari
market is its support and availability. I have never seen an Atari dealer and
the last place I saw an Atari on sale was in JC Penny's or Sears a few years
back. I believe it was a model 2600. Seeing and playing around with my friend's
ST I can tell it is underpowered (He has a 520 or something like that), worse
yet he ordered some software from a dealer a few states away and they just
cashed his check. Still, I don't want to flame those machines too much, they're
still a better deal than a Mac SE because of color. And they are inarguably
dirt-cheap. If only they had more presence in the US and could emulate more
machines (like, sure, Amiga!) they'd be more successful.

One thing that's bugged me and perplexed me: Why in the world did C='s
engineers ever decide to put the power switch on the 500s in such a retarded
place? Were they on drugs? The only place where it will go is on the floor
and to turn it off or on I must either bend down, way down, or flick it
with my shoe! This is real odd, I'd think the best place for a power switch
would be on or near the console.
Rasiel, pyc118@uriacc