Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!hrc!force!covertr
From: covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Becoming an Official Atari Developer!
Keywords: Atari Corp, ST
Message-ID: <489b42d9.14a1f@force.UUCP>
Date: 12 Feb 90 21:53:03 GMT
Organization: gte
Lines: 48

The following are notes about becoming an Official Atari ST Developer in
the United States. I would be interested in hearing from our friends in
Europe about the rules for becoming a developer there. But now on with the
show!!

I called Gail Johnson in early January 1990 to inquire about becoming an Official
Atari ST/TT Developer. I was sent a large envlope withing a week. The envelope
contained a description of the current plan which is a single level plan costing
$250.00. The Developer MUST be developing a COMMERICAL product for the ST. The
Developer MUST submit 3 copies of said product to Atari Corp. the Developer MUST
re-register annually. The packet I received said a LOT about what the Developer
must do, but very little about what the Developer receives for his $250.00.

Basically, all the Developer gets for his $250.00 is some mailing lists from
Atari Corp. And the option of having his products (demos thereof) being distributed
by Atari Corp to all Atari dealers.

The packet did NOT contain any information about what sort of Developer software,
or Developer Documentation would be provided by Atari Corp. 

So, I called Gail Johnson to ask about all this. I was told that Atari had multiple
levels of Developers, one of which included the Mark Williams C compiler and cost
$250.00. Another level, which did not include the MWC C compiler was $100.00. As
I currently own, and use, MWC I wanted to sign up for the $100.00 Developer Program.
Gail Johnson informed me that such a program was dropped as of December 31, 1989.
So, as of Jan 1 1990 there is only one Developer Program which costs $250.00.
And it doesn't even include the MWC C compiler. It contains the OLD OLD Alycon
C compiler, which I have heard is VERY VERY bad.

so, my question is Why Did Atari change their Developer programs to eliminate the
lower cost option??

Why did Atari Corp drop the MWC C compiler and start shipping the Alycon compiler??

I had really palnned to sign up as a Developer but now I am having serious doubts. I
don't want the Alycon compiler, and I don't like the $250.00 price tag. I do some part
time C programming at home, and don't plan to market a commerical product. So, where
does that leave me?? Out in the cold I believe.

I wish that Atari Corp would try to help their customers more, and this new DEvelopers
program is not a good way to start a new decade.


-- 
 Richard E. Covert, Lead Engineer of Software Tools Group
 AG Communications Systems, Phoenix AZ   (602) - 581-4652
 TCP/IP: covertr@gtephx
 UUCP: {ncar!noao!asuvax | uunet!zardoz!hrc | att}!gtephx!covertr