Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!uunet!mcsun!unido!opal!tmpmbx!lime!techno From: techno@lime.in-berlin.de (Frank G. Dahncke) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Just gripin'... Keywords: gripes software naught Message-ID: Date: 3 Dec 90 21:33:31 GMT References: <249@stbimbo.UUCP> <17941@netcom.UUCP> Organization: LIME Systems featuring a TOGA Party Lines: 67 seitz@netcom.UUCP (Matthew Seitz) writes: >I retract my earilier statement that Atari ST is dying. What is dying is >1. Dealer support, and >2. Interest by the general computing public and major software publishers. >Outside of these two areas, there are lots of signs of strength: >1. There are plenty of ST periodicals. I just picked up a half dozen. Some >of these are available at general computer stores (not just Atari dealers). >2. New software and hardware products and updates to old products are still >being released. I've read reviews this week of 3 68030 upgrades. >3. Atari is still making and improving on the ST. The STe is shipping. The >Stacy is shipping. TOS 1.4 is shipping. The TT and Mega STe sound darn close >to shipping..e >4. There are plenty of mail order shops with lots of titles available. >No, the ST doesn't look like it's going to replace DOS or the Mac as the most >popular computers. It doesn't even look like were giving the Amiga much to >worry about. But why does that have to kill the Atari? Isn't there enough >room in the market for a fourth computer standard? Just because the ST is #4 >doesn't make it dead. It just makes it #4. >Owning a popular computer makes your life easier. More software, more dealers. >But just becauase a computer isn't popular doesn't make it inferior. It just >means you have to work a little harder to find the parts you need. But if you >take that time, you may have a better computer than if you took the first IBM >clone that got stuck under you're nose. >Yes, I'd love for Atari the be the most popular computer. I'd like there to >be plenty of dealers, and Borland and Microsoft writing software for it. But >those aren't the critical issues. The critical issues for me are: >1. Is there another computer that can do what I'm doing with my ST for less > money? >2. Is there another computer that can do what I'm doing sufficiently better > to justify paying more than I do for my Atari ST? >3. Is there another computer than can do something my Atari can't, and is worth > paying more than I do for my Atari ST? >I think the ST/TT family can survive as a #4 computer. I think there are >enough users and developers out there that I'll continue to find the software, >hardware, parts, and support that I want and need. It may not always be as >easy as with an IBM or Mac. But with a little work, I can have a better system >for less money than with either of the big two. > I totally agree with Matthew on every point. All reades of this newsgroup should print out this article and pin it to their bedroom wall. If you don't agree with this, why are you reading this newsgroup for ? Matthew, this is my letter of the month. Techno -- | techno@zelator.in-berlin.de ||| Please do not e-mail from outside Germany ! | | techno@lime.in-berlin.de / | \ Hardcore ST user ! ====================== | | Nothing that's real is ever for free, you just have to pay for it sometime. | | (Al Stewart) |