Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis.llnl.gov!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!ucsd!rutgers!att!whuts!homxb!twolf
From: twolf@homxb.ATT.COM (T.WOLF)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Random Atari Bashing
Message-ID: <2866@homxb.ATT.COM>
Date: 26 Jan 89 18:17:33 GMT
References: <1497@psu-cs.UUCP> <11830031@hpldola.HP.COM> <1046@hudson.acc.virginia.edu>
Organization: AT&T BL Holmdel NJ USA
Lines: 61

In article <1046@hudson.acc.virginia.edu>, gl8f@bessel.acc.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) writes:
> ****** SOAPBOX ALERT!!! SOAPBOX ALERT!!! ******

...some deleted stuff...

> Let's see: The Mega ROMS have come out. But Atari announced on the net
> that they provided only a few bug fixes plus blitter support. Ergo,
> they won't give you much in your 1040 and would be a waste of money.
> Should Atari mail a card to every US owner inviting them to pay money
> for nothing, especially when they plan a real upgrade in the future?

If you look at it in this light, you may be right.  But the question here is:
"Why did Atari only incorporate these few bug fixes?" -- I've had my
1040ST since Spring '86.  I think TOS was put on ROM a little before that.
Since then, there has been NO upgrade to the ROM that I was notified of (come
to think of it, I never got any mail from Atari PERIOD (except some Developers
Newsletters.)

Somehow, I don't think 3 1/2 years is too short a period to wait for some
"bug fixes".

> No, that would be stupid. What you _REALLY_ want is for them to
> finish TOS 1.4, do a really good job, and then mail you a card.

So, when is that going to be?  Another 3 1/2 years?  What makes you think
Atari would send ANYONE cards telling them of upgrade opportunities?

> The blitter chip hasn't come out to fit old 1040s; from what they've
> been saying all along, the chip yield is too low.

When I bought my ST from the dealer in '86, the guy promised me that
Atari Corp. would make these Blitters available in a "couple" of months.
...36 months later...

> What's the point? How can you and I read the same newgroup and get
> such different information? I may not agree with some of Atari's
> actions, but at least I've kept my eyes open.

Point well taken.  But I don't think ANYONE is totally objective about
the way Atari Corp. has been doing business....not even you.

> Why don't we talk about something useful on this group instead of discussing
> misinformation and misconceptions? Why do we spend so much time
> second-guessing Atari's busines strategy in silly ways?

Ditto.
> 
> step,
>    step,
>       step down off that soapbox.

...spark...spark...crackle...crackle...My soapbox is providing a good fire...


(If I seem abusive, ignorant, sadistic, masochistic, overly vocal...don't
blame my employer - My traits have not been discovered yet.)


-- 
Tom Wolf
Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ			E-mail:  twolf@homxb.att.com