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From: Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET (Z4648252)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: RE: Disappointing ST support from Atari
Message-ID: <890318.15195162.015395@SFA.CP6>
Date: 18 Mar 89 21:19:52 GMT
References: <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
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      Karl Rowley writes:

      >"The support for the machine from Atari is still disappointing.
      >There is a new line of hardware (the Mega ST and the laser
      >printer) but there are no enhancements from Atari for
      >520ST and 1040ST owners."

          Personally, I prefer third market people to enhance my ST.  Having
     had owned an ST since summer of 1985, I have been exceedingly satisfied
     with the box and the upgrades offered.
          My 520ST ended up being sold for a Mega2 ST and the owner of the
     520 has bumped it up to four meg!  He is very happy.  I have had my
     Mega2 ST since fall of 1987, and other than needing the ram drivers
     replaced, have been very happy with it.  I'm no casual user.  I run
     FullWrite and Excel via the Spectre 128.
          Compare the Atari ST with other systems.  How many times has the
     Amiga been upgraded?  Look how the Amiga 1000 was dropped so that the
     Amiga 500 and 2000 could take its place.
          Look at IBM.  For years, it spent millions trying to convince the
     world to go with the AT standard and now has dropped that in favor for
     the Personal System 2.
          Look at the Mac.  From the Mac Plus to the Mac IIcx...  The Mac
     Plus is not upgradeable and Mac SEers are having to pay $1100 for the
     Mac SE 30 upgrade.  They also have to trash any peripheral cards.
          Other than the Apple II series, there is not ONE home computer
     platform that has been able to hang in there due to upgrades that don't
     cost an arm and a leg.
          Getting back to the ST.  Double sided drives can replace the
     single sided drive residing in the 520.  Third market people, not Atari
     are offering upgrades, match co-processing, and acceleration.
          As far as the ST series is concerned, look at the changes done to
     the mother boards of the individual machines.  There is a constant flux
     of improvement.  I hope and pray that Atari never builds a box that can
     be improved but in a way that we have to pay a dear price, that is, a
     price kin to the SE's $1100.00.  Let's go further.  The Mac II is being
     offered an upgrade that costs $2100.00!
          There is one area that I do agree with Karl Rowley on:

     "The nicely printed documentation for the ST has never materialized.
     Years ago this documentation was supposedly close to release."

          For shame!  The ST has been out for almost four years and there is
     yet for an 'official' technical manual to show on the shelves.  Yes, I
     know about Abacus....
          But, all in all, I think the ST machine is right on track especially
     when we note that it is a low-volume box in the American market.
          Just my opinion.  Of course it is flavored with the fact that I'm able
     to run commerical-grade Macintosh software on it.  I LOVE IT!

Larry Rymal <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>