Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84 chuqui version 1.7 9/23/84; site nsc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!nsc!chuqui From: chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) Newsgroups: net.micro.mac,net.micro.atari Subject: Re: Re: Atari ST vs. Apple Mac Message-ID: <2790@nsc.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Jun-85 00:29:18 EDT Article-I.D.: nsc.2790 Posted: Mon Jun 3 00:29:18 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Jun-85 00:49:53 EDT References: <123@watmum.UUCP> <2081@sdcc6.UUCP> <347@aurora.UUCP> <994@peora.UUCP> <2450@wateng.UUCP> Reply-To: chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) Organization: The Blue Parrot Lines: 57 Xref: linus net.micro.mac:1579 net.micro.atari:785 In article <2450@wateng.UUCP> broehl@wateng.UUCP (Bernie Roehl) writes: >I've *seen* the ST and played with it, and can safely say: > >1. Yes, it exists. >2. It is what the Mac should have been, but isn't. >3. It's essentially an improved version of the Mac at a third of the price. > >If Atari can really supply it at the price they're quoting (and I still feel >that's a big "if", regardless of what Tramiel may say) Prototypes are wonderful, but I'll believe the ST when I see it. The latest, per the San Jose Mercury News, is that the ST, which was supposed to be shipped to around now, will go to user groups next month. Also, the lower priced machine (128K???) that was to be sold in mass market stores has been cancelled, and the larger machine will be ready Real Soon Now. Atari claims 200 software developers workin on the machine, but nobody has been able to find a company admitting to this -- software looks to be as much vaporware as the hardware right now. Atari, which previously announced that the operating system would be in ROM for speed, has now recanted and said it will be on disk and loaded, so you lose a fair amount of your ram and your available disk and the speed advantages of the ST. I've been following the Atari machine, both on the net and in the trade, and what I see is a highly ambitious product with minimal profit margins and a set of production specs that changes hourly. If I was a software developer, I'd be VERY wary of this machine, simply because it seems Atari isn't exactly sure how to build the turkey yet. If they did, they wouldn't keep changing the specs out from under themselves and delaying shipping. It is quite possible that the machine will get to market and be the greatest thing since sliced bread. My opinion is that talk is quite cheap, and until I see a production level machine, all of this is so much vaporware. Prototypes are great, but I've see a number of products that almost never made it out of prototype stage because what you can build one at a time doesn't always translate to volume. Keep your eye on Amiga, folks, and if Atari gets its act together without going broke (again) first, then we can worry about the ST... >... and a second button on the mouse (interesting, but necessary?). Actually, yes. The one button mouse on the Mac is, in my opinion, its strongest weakness. I've hacked to some degreee with mice with from one button to four (and also a trackball, which has some advantages of its own) and I find the two button mouse to be the best tradeoff between functionality and confusion. You can easily get to either button, and you don't need to watch the mouse like you do with four buttons, and you don't need to use a 'Meta' key like you do with a one button mouse. Realistically, the Mac IS a two button mouse -- look at how much you use the key while clicking and dragging and imagine how much nicer it would be if you had that shift key on the mouse where it was convenient... -- :From the misfiring synapses of: Chuq Von Rospach {cbosgd,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!nsc!chuqui nsc!chuqui@decwrl.ARPA This space for rent. Political, religious and racist quotes need not apply.