Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att-cb!att-ih!chinet!saj
From: saj@chinet.UUCP (Stephen Jacobs)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: WHAT ATARI NEEDS TO DO...
Summary: Not just software sells
Message-ID: <4635@chinet.UUCP>
Date: 6 Apr 88 22:15:02 GMT
References: <166leigh@byuvax.bitnet> <2059@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu> <81@avsd.UUCP>
Organization: Chinet - Chicago Public Access UNIX
Lines: 13


This is an expansion on the comment that most people buy a computer as a 
platform for the software that runs on it.  That is probably mostly true, but
another selling point is uniquely useful _hardware_.  The example I'm
thinking of is the LaserWriter, which (I think) has been as critical to the
success of the Macintosh as Lotus 123 was to the success of the IBM PC.  And
so far, Atari has nothing that super in either department.  When it first came
out, Zoomracks looked like the beginnings of a breakthrough--and maybe it was,
but the most energetic follow-up is Hypercard on the Mac.  Now the bare-bones
laser printer could be a breakthrough (Pick a personality-uh-I mean page
description language).  With a good follow-up, Mega ST4+Laser+optical drive
could become a business system too good to keep out.  Could happen, but I'm
skeptical.