Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!ll-xn!singer
From: singer@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Matthew R. Singer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Changing  to / in TOS
Message-ID: <914@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>
Date: 20 Feb 88 12:14:18 GMT
References: <4805@ihlpg.ATT.COM> <981@atari.UUCP> <909@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> <280@nunki.usc.edu>
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Lines: 67
Summary: another clarificaation

In article <280@nunki.usc.edu>, rjung@sal23.usc.edu (Robert Jung) writes:
> In article <912@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> singer@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Matthew R. Singer) writes:
> >> ]Perhaps when Atari supports their machines professionally, professionals
> >> ]will buy their machines.  Until then, my company is dropping its support
> >> ]for the ST.
> >
> >I guess I should clarify that....
> >
> >What I am not doing is any ST specific development.
> >...Too few sales and too much piracy.
> 
>   Maybe I'm wrong (why not?), but why are you blaming Atari for piracy
> of Forem ST (that's what I read from the above). Piracy is piracy, and to
> say "Well, Atari isn't professional enough to stop it, I won't be making
> improvements in ST software" strikes me as completely misplaced. I've never
> heard of Broderbund dropping their Apple support because of all the piracy
> that goes on in that market, for example.
> 
> 
>   I'm also interested in how many (few?) copies of Forem ST you've sold.
> From the ST-BBS-sysops I talk to, they're \/\/ild (hint to someone out there)
> about your program, and loyally promote it. Hearing you talk of "low-sales"
> is a bit of a surprise.
> 
> 
> 
> 						--R.J.
> 						B-)
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Bitnet: rjung@sal124.usc.edu              "Who needs an Amiga?"    = == =    
>                                                                    = == =    
>                   Power WithOUT the Price                          = == =    
>                                                                ===== == =====
>    Just because it's 8-bits doesn't make it obsolete.          ====  ==  ==== 


There are two issues.  

   My original posting was a suggestion as to why there is a shortage of
   real software for the ST. I do not consider FoReM in that category.
   Its something I do in my spare time.  Atari cannot attract "real"
   software companies to support the ST when in 3 years they have not
   addressed the easy or the most obnoxious bug in Gemdos.  

   That was what I was aiming at.  The issue of continuing support for
   my ST software has nothing to do with this. Or almost anyway...
   The smaller the market, the more of a problem piracy is. And the ST
   market will remain small as long as the base of "real" software is
   limited.  And this base will remain small until such time as Atari
   deceides it is in its own best interest to support the ST like
   a "real" computer vendor.


Another amusing issue:

   I find it truely fascinating all this discussion about David Beckmeyer
   releasing RTX into the public domain.  I can't believe how few people
   even knew it existed.  They want it free, but are willing to pay a
   small amount for the docs.  Well I have news for you all, its never
   NEVER been that cost prohibitive. All of 69.95 list and its been around
   for about 2 years...  How can you expect him to support it for less?



Matt Singer
Commnet Systems