Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!elroy!usc!nunki.usc.edu!rjung
From: rjung@nunki.usc.edu (Robert  allen Jung)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: ST future
Keywords: should i have bought an amiga
Message-ID: <3707@nunki.usc.edu>
Date: 2 May 89 17:10:01 GMT
References: <602@greens.UUCP>
Reply-To: rjung@nunki.usc.edu (Robert  allen Jung)
Organization: O-Mayer V BBS, Los Angeles, CA  (213) 732-0229
Lines: 64

In article <602@greens.UUCP> allegro@sunpix.UUCP ( SunNCAA) writes:
>     I'm fairly new to the ST realm (6 mos) and after aquiring a 520 ST,
> 40 meg HD, modem, memory upgrade, and gobs of software, I keep hearing that
> atari will soon drop the ST line in favor of a 'GAME MACHINE'!
>            What is this game machine?

  Oh brother.

  To clear the air,there are a bunch of UNCOMFIRMED rumors/speculations/guesses
floating around the Atari community, and it goes something like this:

  1. Atari wants to release a "Mega 1" ST computer this fall. Basically, this
would be a 1040ST in a Mega body.

  2. Atari will stop producing the 520 and 1040 ST's. See #1.

  3. Then, Atari will release a "Delux home game system" (aka Nintendo/Sega),
which will run Atari ST software. It's still an ST, but marketed differently.
Given the amount of European ST Game software, this might not be a bad move.

>Is my $2,000+ investment (no drop in the bucket for most) for naught?

  What, the Atari ST isn't going away any time soon. It's all a marketing
RUMOR at best. But if you're paranoid, I'll take your equipment off your hands
for a mere $20.  B-)

>Will the already minimal support I get going to be non-existant?

  If you have a support problem, talk to either the net.Atari.people here,
or to Sig Hartmann the next time he comes by. He seemed really serious about
resolving support gripes at the Anaheim World of Atari Show.

>Should I have bought an Amiga?

  Depends. Do you WANT at "game machine"? If so, then you should have, since
Commodore is already pushing the Amiga as "a powerful home game system"... B-)

>     I bought my system especially for development work geared toward the home
> market, Will this market disappear? (did it ever exist?)

  It sure does. Are you looking in the right place?

>     I had a hard time deciding between the ST and the Amiga. I picked the ST
> because I thought it had a bright future. Now I'm afraid I was wrong. 

  You're not wrong, but it sounds like you don't have enough faith just yet.
I would have simply sent E-mail on this, but I just dislike random cries of
"Arggggggh! My investment is shot! It's Atari's fault!" whenever someone hears
a half-baked RUMOR about anything negative towards Atari.

  Even if the above scenario is true, there's NOTHING in it about Atari
vanishing into the void or stopping production/support of all ST computers.
If you want to get paranoid, how about the fact that Commodore filed for
Chapter 11 (bankrupcy) last month?

						--R.J.
						B-)

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