tob@inuxa.UUCP (T Burger) (01/08/85)
Another ANTIC report from CES85. This report is of special interest to software developers. Jack Tramiel comments on the ATARI philosophy toward software development support and the new line in statements before the Software Publishers Association. ANTIC ONLINE NEWS SPECIAL BULLETIN Permission to reprint or excerpt is granted only if the following credit line appears at the top of the article: ANTIC SPECIAL BULLETIN, REPRINTED BY PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT 1985, ANTIC PUBLISHING INC. Tramiel opens Atari up to software artists Sunday, 6 January 1985 by MICHAEL CIRAOLO, Associate Editor, Antic Las Vegas--Atari chief Jack Tramiel promised the Software Publishers Association that he would open Atari up to software developers. "I'll open the new Atari machines up the way Apple opened up the Apple II," Tramiel said. "I need your help, and will give you any support you need." Tramiel promised technical and financial support for those writing software for his new ST line of 16-bit, 68000-based personal computers. The former head of Commodore also said he would try to put the new ST machines in the hands of software developers by the end of January, three months before the computers are available on retail store shelves. Software publishers reacted with a wait-and-see, yet warm attitude to Tramiel's announcement. Tramiel said he was expecting entertainment, business, educational and scientific software. "We are serving everyone," Tramiel said, stressing that the ST line was a series of personal computers, not home machines. Tramiel said he would give financial support to "any young man with good ideas who is starting a business. I'll give him some money for the work he's doing for us." When asked about continued support for the 8-bit XE series, Tramiel told publishers that he would support an entire line of XE computers and peripherals as long as the consumer continued buying them. Tramiel said that he had been working with Digital Research for over nine months on the ST design. He stated that Tramiel Technologies Ltd. would have brought the ST series to market, even if he had not bought Atari from Warner Communications. Tramiel said that the sophisticated consumer was "bored with the 6502 technology," and that the ST series was the "most exciting upgrade path" available at the lowest possible price. At the end of the conference, Tramiel answered a question regarding disk drives with a very surprising quote. "Atari will be introducing a 15 Megabyte hard disk compatible for the ST series for under $400 before June CES."