Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!ucla-se!curtiss.seas.ucla.edu From: plinio@curtiss.seas.ucla.edu (Plinio Barbeito/) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Glendale Conference Impressions Message-ID: <2610@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU> Date: 29 Apr 91 20:06:12 GMT Sender: news@SEAS.UCLA.EDU Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles Lines: 92 As many of you may have heard, last Saturday (Apr. 27) was the date of a conference for which Bob Brodie flew down from Sunnyvale to chat with and and answer the questions of Southern California Area user group representatives (people from as far as San Diego drove up; to everyones' astonishment, one developer made the drive down from Seattle in one day). The format of the conference was: John Tarpinian with the introductions and background, Bob Brodie with a 'state of things' talk, a break, and then a question and answer session. After the conference, one of the dealers, TCN of Glendale, set up developer displays inside the (small and crowded) store and people were able to talk to the company reps and try out (and buy) the software. Most of Brodie's talk concentrated on the dealer network and what Atari is trying to do to strengthen it. He also mentioned management changes and how they are trying to stabilize that by trying to hire only people that already know how to use (and like) Atari computers. He noted his desire to improve the availability of software in the U.S. by sending scouts out at Dusseldorf and Hannover during the big computer trade shows to try to get people to link up with U.S. distributors. Atari is buying the rights to a defunct word processor (wordup? I forget), which they may release under their own label, include bundled on hard disks purchased, etc. Much talk about "retouche", apparently from France. I don't recall exactly what it was for, except that it was graphically oriented and loaded with features that can't be found even on the Mac (sorry about the thinness there). Brodie showed a good sense of humor throughout, and was even willing to make a crack about Leonard. On the whole, it was a pleasant talk, so don't let my criticisms below change that impression. The question and answer question harvested a few interesting tidbits. - Inmos H1 processor will be used in the ATW. I thought I heard something about a change in the operating system, but I didn't catch the name. Mach, I hope. - Factory in Israel is being built because Western Digital would not supply Atari with the controllers it needed, and Atari decided to build its own. Israeli techs reverse engineered the WD1772(?) and the resulting chip can be revved up to higher clock rates to support the higher density floppies. - Tax problems the reason Atari claims as why it has not finalized plans for a facility in Houston, Texas. - Atari looking into a 1 GByte 3.5" disk for the TT (next year). No word on Unix pricing yet (an audience member dogged him until he had to repeat "has not been finalized" a few times). No way to switch between TOS and Unix on the same TT. The techie said that to do so would slow the machine down too much, since they'd have to build an emulator "similar to PC Ditto". This is kind of an unfair comparison, since the processor wouldn't have to be emulated -- all you should need is a toggle for two different ROMS, and a 2-type hard disk partitioning scheme. But they said that the hard disk purchased will determine the (one) operating system. - Long discussion about the memory system in the TT (I left to move my car -- when I was back, they were still talking about it). You can upgrade the ST memory in the TT to up to 10Meg (total of 23 Meg possible, I think). They were treating it as if no-one would ever need that much memory. Ha! I've already used machines with 32 that didn't have enough (a Unix server). There were other things mentioned which I forgot, because I didn't bring a notepad or a tape recorder (some people did), but I think these were the main points of interest for the Conference. Later in the day, at the TCN open house, I was able to ask a GBS representative a couple of questions. He said that the only thing keeping an SST board from being used in a non-Mega ST is the space inside the case. It mounts in a socketed slot where the 68000 usually goes. Those people that already have tower or other large cases should be able to use it. Furthermore, he said there was no word yet on availability. My intuition tells me it should be at least a month before they start shipping -- the rep didn't bring a prototype, so they probably haven't gone to fabrication and are still busy with the (expensive) prototypes. I also had a chance to ask J. Tarpinian (local user group VIP) about ST sales. He said that they were actually picking up in the U.S. due to their popularity with music dealers and customers. In the LA area, these dealers mention Atari in their radio commercials right next to fast-paced talk about Fender Guitars. Music dealers are also advertising in the print media here, with big, full-page ads. Well, if anyone else attended, maybe you can fill in some more details. plin -- ----- ---- --- -- ------ ---- --- -- - - - plinio@seas.ucla.edu I speak for myself, not for my employer. I am a bad ventriloquist, anyway.