Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!bbn.com!wbe
From: wbe@bbn.com (Winston B Edmond)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Atari 030 box (giggle)
Message-ID: <22782@bbn.COM>
Date: 30 Mar 88 00:10:59 GMT
References: <679UD140469@NDSUVM1>
Sender: news@bbn.COM
Reply-To: wbe@BBN.COM (Winston B Edmond)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Lines: 27

In article <679UD140469@NDSUVM1> UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes:
>... About the only thing that lends it [the Infoworld report about an Atari
>68030 machine] any credence is the
>fact that it wasn't reported in the "Robert X. Cringly" rumor column--it's
>apparently a for-real "ghost" (or at least vapor) sighting.

Actually, I've seen references to this machine in several other places
(newspapers, magazines) before seeing it today in Infoworld.  In fact, less
than a month ago, I think there was a message on this mailing list from
someone at Atari describing the machine.

> ...However, if they want to prove their sincerity ... they can ...
>... c) show the prototypes ... instead of showing it in Europe and never
>letting North America see it until after it's been shipping in Europe.

It's my impression that Atari showed the machine first in Europe because
their European sales have been good.  They expect that demand for the 68030
machine will be greater than their production capacity, so they plan to
introduce it in Europe in late 1988, and introduce it in the U.S. in spring
of 1989.

If Sun can make a Unix workstation with an Ethernet interface, VME slots,
multiple RS-232 ports, a 1K * 1K resolution monochrome monitor, etc. (3/50)
and make a profit when selling at 30% off the $5000 retail price ($3500), or
make a (rumored) 386 machine with a color monitor for under $8000 retail, why
shouldn't Atari be able to do something comparable in a similar price range?
 -WBE