Xref: utzoo comp.sys.transputer:288 comp.sys.atari.st:11218
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!atari!good
From: good@atari.UUCP (Roy Good)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer,comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Taken ABAQ, back to the days of void and vapor.
Message-ID: <1153@atari.UUCP>
Date: 2 Sep 88 17:02:52 GMT
References: <5643@ut-emx.UUCP>
Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 32

in article <5643@ut-emx.UUCP>, jbone@ut-emx.UUCP (Jeff G. Bone) says:
> 
> 
> So, what's the scoop on the Atari ABAQ? 
> 
> [miscellaneous comments deleted]
>
Atari/Sunnyvale has no direct responsibility for the "ABAQ" project, which
is being handled directly by Atari UK.
47 units of Revision (aka Issue) 3 logic were built for Beta test, almost 
all of which remained in Europe. Production may go with these Revision 3
level units, or may wait for Revision 4, which includes higher integration
of logic, revised packaging etc.
The Helios OS is being developed independently by Perihelion Software in UK,
and is available from them, though I expect ultimately that it will be
made available bundled with the hardware. I hear they have X-Windows ported
to it, and applications are starting to come through (this was a primary
intent of the Beta units, and hence the reason that the majority went into
Europe, where Transputer experience is more widespread).

Sig Hartmann has responsibility for US coordination (408-745-2906), whereas
the main contact at Atari UK is Les Player (011 44+753 33344)

So, it is alive and moving forward. It will not be taken to mass production 
until there is a reasonable amount of available software for it, including
languages and development environments.

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Roy J. Good
Product Development, Atari Corporation
Views expressed are my own. Atari may agree or disagree; they have the right.
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