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: <22817@bbn.COM>
Date: 30 Mar 88 18:40:27 GMT
References: <679UD140469@NDSUVM1> <22782@bbn.COM> <943@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>
Sender: news@bbn.COM
Reply-To: wbe@BBN.COM (Winston B Edmond)
Organization: BBN Laboratories Incorporated, Cambridge MA
Lines: 24

MS = Matthew Singer
WE = me

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

[MS] With regard to the paragraph above...
[MS]
[MS] Are you saying that given a SUN and an Atari at the same price and
[MS] the same features, you would buy the Atari?

No, I was just saying that it was not unreasonable that Atari could build a
Unix box intended to sell in that price range.  I, too, would pick Sun over
Atari if they produced comparable products at comparable prices.  But, if
Atari produced an '030 box for about 1/2 the cost of a comparable Sun box,
because Atari wanted the home market and Sun was selling to businesses that
were willing to pay for lots of support, then yes, $2500 or $5000 difference
on the purchase of a personal computer would encourage me to consider the
Atari machine.
 -WBE