aer@alice.UucP (D. Rosenberg) (01/01/86)
A friend just told me he was expecting Atari to introduce a
"TT" line of computers- the "TT" standing for "thirty-two/thirty-two", using
possibly National Semiconductor's 32326 (or something) cpu. He said
that it would be so fast, so wonderful, that Atari could "emulate
anything else by brute force if it wanted to." The machine supposedly
would "run UNIX."
Anyone else heard of this beast? (Post replies to net.micro.atari,
and net.rumor I suppose.)
--
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#D. Rosenberg "These are my opinions. Accept no imitations."
#..{ihnp4,research,allegra}!alice!aer csdf@mit-vax.UUCP (Charles Forsythe) (01/07/86)
In article <4759@alice.UUCP> aer@alice.UucP (D. Rosenberg) writes: > A friend just told me he was expecting Atari to introduce a >"TT" line of computers- the "TT" standing for "thirty-two/thirty-two", using > ... > Anyone else heard of this beast? (Post replies to net.micro.atari, Jack Tramiel would promise the moon if he thought he could get money for it. I haven't heard anything about the "TT", but I do know a bit about the way Jack does business, so this "TT" promise might just be an attention-getter. Look at his two biggest successes: the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64. Neither are particularly amazing computers. The VIC-20 sold because it was offered so cheap that nobody could undercut the price (Jack T. tactic #1). Jack's marketing plan for the C64 was simply that he would offer "more bytes for the buck". I don't think anybody's buying computers on that criterion anymore. Most consumers want to know: what can I do with it? How has the ST been doing? -- -Charles
freed@aum.UUCP (Erik Freed) (01/10/86)
> way Jack does business, so this "TT" promise might just be an > attention-getter. > > Look at his two biggest successes: the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64. > Neither are particularly amazing computers. The VIC-20 sold because it > was offered so cheap that nobody could undercut the price (Jack T. > tactic #1). Jack's marketing plan for the C64 was simply that he would > offer "more bytes for the buck". > The TT is supposedly going to be an expansion type deal for the ST. I don't think that it is going to be a 32032. About the undercutting the price: Whats wrong with that?? -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Erik James Freed Aurora Systems San Francisco, CA {dual,ptsfa}!aum!freed
dsmith@hplabsc.UUCP (David Smith) (01/14/86)
> A friend just told me he was expecting Atari to introduce a >"TT" line of computers- the "TT" standing for "thirty-two/thirty-two", using > ... > Anyone else heard of this beast? (Post replies to net.micro.atari, From Electronic Engineering Times, Jan. 6, 1986: Atari Preps 32-Bit Unix Workstations Mulls 68K, WE32100 Atari Corp. is ready to light the fuse on a series of high-performance, low-cost computer workstations. The multitasking computer workstations may sell for about $1,000. They will have screen resolution in the megapixel range and may use either or both the Motorola 68000 family or AT&T's WE32100 chip set. Prototypes of the new workstation systems are said to be working now. Production could commence before the second quarter. Atari had a less-than-nine-month design cycle for its 68000-based ST system. It is already well-recognized as a serious contender in producing 68000-based desktop computers for between $500 and $1,000. [Serious contender? Who else is contending? -- DRS] The $800 512k ST system is gaining momentum as it pursues Apple's Macintosh, and gradually outpaces Commodore's Amiga system in installed units. While company chairman Jack Tramiel boasted last January that he would sell several million STs in 1985, analysts believe Atari will chalk up eight-month sales figures ranging from 125,000 to 200,000 STs. The AT&T Connection The majority of these STs are in Europe. The STs went on sale there two months ahead of the United States, where FCC radiation regulations were being met. Last spring, Atari's engineers were keen on National Semiconductor's 32000 family of micros. That enthusiasm waned when designers found that compiler and system software for the 32000 family gave the prototypes little more clout than the 68000-based 520ST. The next system candidates sported a 68000 air. Atari has built 68010- and 68020-based systems that are accommodating to existing ST software while offering the potential for true multitasking capabilities in the future. But Atari designers also are very taken with workstations designed around AT&T Technologies' WE32100 processor. Prototype workstations with AT&T megabit-RAM chips are being polished as entry-level Unix workstations. Coincidentally, AT&T has been scouting for both a design and a manufacturer capable of delivering a low-cost system to better spread the gospel of its Unix System V. The Atari workstation design could neatly fill the bill. Last summer, AT&T managers described as "unfounded" reports that they were courting Apple, AT&T [sic] and Commodore for a low-end personal computer. AT&T admits having had talks with each of the 68000-desktop micro makers. But the topic at that time was not workstations. The talks revolved around the personal computer offerings of each. ----------------------- End of article -------------------- David Smith H. P. Laboratories
jeffw@midas.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (01/15/86)
>From Electronic Engineering Times, Jan. 6, 1986: > > > ..... While company chairman Jack Tramiel boasted last January that he >would sell several million STs in 1985, analysts believe Atari will chalk >up eight-month sales figures ranging from 125,000 to 200,000 STs. > > The AT&T Connection > >The majority of these STs are in Europe. The STs went on sale there two >months ahead of the United States, where FCC radiation regulations were >being met. Since European EMI regulations for this type of equipment are much stricter than the FCC's, this statement seems rather odd. Jeff Winslow
uh@unido.UUCP (01/18/86)
The 520ST went in Germany on sale on mid August. At this time the
520ST met the regulations of the "Deutsche Bundespost". The sales
figures 'til the end of the year say, that there are a few 10000's
of 520ST sold. Here in Germany it is at the moment the best selling
professional computer (better than PC, XT, AT or MAC and Apple ][).
Uwe Hoch
Computer Science Department, University of Dortmund
4600 Dortmund 50, P.O. Box 500500, W.-Germany
E-mail address UUCP: ...seismo!unido!uh