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From: grunau_b@husc4.HARVARD.EDU (Justin J. M. Grunau)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: News From Hannover Messe
Message-ID: <1361@husc6.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Mar-87 13:03:22 EST
Article-I.D.: husc6.1361
Posted: Tue Mar 10 13:03:22 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Mar-87 00:39:42 EST
References: <1347@husc6.UUCP> <620@atari.UUCP>
Sender: news@husc6.UUCP
Reply-To: grunau_b@husc4.UUCP (Justin J. M. Grunau)
Organization: Harvard Univ. Science Center
Lines: 55

In article <620@atari.UUCP> leavens@atari.UUCP (Alex Leavens) writes:
>in article <1347@husc6.UUCP>, grunau_b@husc4.HARVARD.EDU (Justin J. M. Grunau) says:
>> 
>>  Will people who don't want to upgrade to the blitter be able to get
>>  new debugged ROMS?  I hope so...
>
>  There's been no final decision made on this--I think Leonard's comment
>about "Leaving this up to marketing types" was more of a hedge than an actual
>statement of intent.  At this point I think we want  your input.  How many
>of you _aren't_ going to upgrade to blitters, but still  want the ROMS?
>
>--alex @ Atari
>
>BIX: alexl.        GEnie: ALEXLEAVENS           AtariCorp: 408-745-2006


I think that answer is easy:  EVERYBODY wants new ROMs.  In particular, when
the work is done to rewrite GEMDOS, in order to remove the 40 folder limit,
then I think EVERYONE will want to have, and will be ENTITLED to having, their
ROMs replaced.  And NO one should have to get any sort of hardware upgrade (such
as the blitter) in order to get a debugged OS that they are entitled to by any
conventional standards today.

This is a far worse issue than the developers documentation.  I do not believe
that Atari is required to provide developers documentation to anyone;  it is
in their own interest, yes, but the fact that they do require you to buy extra
things, such as a compiler, is their own business.  HOWEVER, to require
you to buy a blitter in order to have an update of the OS is ENTIRELY unaccep-
table, in my opinion, and goes against what all other manufacturers are doing.

The question, "who will want new ROMs without the blitter" simply should not
be asked.  Instead, Atari should start shipping new ROMs as soon as they are
available, and have been cleansed of the 40 folder limit, to ANYONE who wants
them, and should charge a bare minimum.

[Please do not take this as a personal flame against your comment, Mr.
Leavens;  I am delighted that this issue IS being noticed, and am very happy
to see you being so present on the net!]


									JJMG
grunau@husc4.UUCP

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