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From: rjd@nancy.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: GDOS update
Message-ID: <12270@brunix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Feb-87 10:12:51 EST
Article-I.D.: brunix.12270
Posted: Thu Feb 12 10:12:51 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Feb-87 05:10:44 EST
Sender: root@brunix.UUCP
Reply-To: rjd@brunix.UUCP (Rob DeMillo)
Organization: Brown University - Planetary Sciences Group
Lines: 59
Keywords: where the heck is it?

OK, it's time for my once-every-two-months inquiry into the status
and availability of GDOS. I do this partially because I am amused (in a 
sick sorta way) at the sheer volume and variety of answers (while, at the
same time not containing *any* information that is useful) and partially
because *I WANT IT.*

OK, the story so far: 

- it *is* available to developer's, at least in a
  limited sense, and for a price. (Analog was quoted as saying that the
  Atari Corp. is charging developer's $500/year for licensing GDOS...I hope
  this is a disgusting rumor, because if its true it reall sucks.) 

- it *will* be available to the common user, at a price, I assume.

- President of Regent Software, Frank Cohen, *is* fed up with the whole
  thing and will be writing an in-house substitute for GDOS called RDOS.
  Cohen makes no bones about the notion of paying $$$ for something that
  should be an integral part of the OS. He *will* be uploading RDOS
  to public networks for PD distribution. (How compatable RDOS will be
  with GDOS, I have no idea...)

At those are pretty much the only "hard" facts I have gleemed from statements
from people on this net (including Atari reps), magazines and CompuServe.

Now, will someone from Atari *please* answer the following questions before
I totally lose faith in your company?

   (1) Where the hell is it? When will it be available and how much
       will it cost us? (I am willing to pay for it because it is
       useful - I have an IBM with GEM on it at home - but I do *not*
       intend to shell out half the cost of my machine per year to
       use it.) Is the $500/year licensing fee a myth?
   (2) What does DRI think about all this? GEM is, after all, their
       product, and when they ship GEM to MS DOS based machines, it
       comes *with* GDOS.
   (3) Did son-of-Jack Tramiel *really* make that comment about
       the Ferrari and we should all be satisified with the fact
       that Atari is still making computers? (Actually, you don't have
       to answer that one, I just threw that it so that you guys can
       control your PR a little better ;-) )

I'm a satisfied Atari customer, and I'm sure you don't want me to stop
now...I've already recommended ST's to a total of nine people, 5 of which
have bought one, and one of whom is strongly considering...a happy customer
is a vocal customer, but so is an unhappy one.....



                     - Rob DeMillo
		       Brown University - Planetary Science Group
		       
	UUCP: 		...{seismo!harpo}!ihnp4!brunix!rjd
	CompuServe: 	73537,2737

------
	"...I am not so sure what you want me for!
         Either your machine is a fool, or me..."   -- "WarGames", CSN