Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ncar!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!UMass.BITNET!Consult
From: Consult@UMass.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: sink or swim
Message-ID: <88032219051620D.AFQC@Mars.UCC.UMass.EDU>
Date: 23 Mar 88 00:19:02 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 37

While I did not see the editorial in Compute, I agree with it's basic
message.  Let's use the Macintosh as a comparsion to the ST.
About 3 or 4 years ago apple introduced the mac.  Everyone said "Gee,
it sure is neat, but it can't possiblely do anything."
True, the machine had it's share of problems.  Starting before last
summer, however, that reaaaly started to change.  I'm not saying the mac
wasn't flying before that time, but rather, that the sales really started
to jump.  I was selling macs at that time.  The Key: advertising!
I looked in a recent music mag (Music Technology) and found comparable
ads for macs and ataris.  The mac's was slick, with good photography.
The atari ad was pretty lame.  It showed three screens (colour I think)
that were poorly photographed and lame programs that are long outdated!
They were: Hybrid Arts CZ editor, Dr. T's copyist (looked really lame)
and Softsynth from digidesign and, oh I forgot, Midisoft Studio from
Passport.  Only Softsynth is a new program, and all the photographs look
like they were taken on a colour monitor.  Now most of these programs
look ten times better in mono!  So why not photograph them the way they
look best.
This is an example, perhaps not the best one, of Atari's mistakes in
advestising.  If they correct this kind of thing their sales could only
go up.
The other problem atari has is more basic: support.  The atari support is
pretty lame right now.  As an example, I wrote a letter to Allan Pratt
with some questions, and although I know he's a busy guy, I thought he
might at least respond.  I guess, (I'll take that back) that that is asking
too much.  Granted.  Ok, but how about some books on the ST?

The mac took about 4 years to get off the ground.  The ST is in it's 3rd
(?) year.  If they are planning on surviving (actually I know they will
survive because of european ST sales) then they better get working....

The clock is running...

Damian Roskill
___________________________________________________________________
All opinions expressed here are my own...so naaaah!
-------------------------------------------------------------------