data3d@aahs.no (Karl Anders 0ygard) (05/28/91)
[excerpt from Z*Net 22/91] > MORE ON WORDPERFECT FOR ATARI > Z*Net announced weeks ago that WordPerfect was going to end its Atari > support after a cancellation of a major order by Atari Germany. The > story continues to develop. The German order was for version 5.1 of > WordPerfect, which is not yet completed and may now never be. > WordPerfect programmers had prepared the code and had grafted major > parts of the NeXT computer version of 5.1 into what was to be the Atari > version. Full FSM GDOS management and compatibility was also > integrated, making the Atari WordPerfect 5.1 perhaps the most advanced > version that would have been available on any platform. However, after > Atari Germany canceled their advance order of 10-15,000 units under > pressure of German developers, WP contacted Atari in Sunnyvale. Reports > vary somewhat, but the result of that talk seems to be that Atari Corp > will not at this time back WordPerfect by assuring a minimum order. It > is said that Atari cold-shouldered WP, saying that "we have our own FSM > GDOS document processor, called WORDUP!, and we don't need to be funding > the competition." WP has left the matter open-ended, and does plan to > continue the periodic bug-fixes and minor tweaks of the 4.1 version that > is available for the Atari. Some Atari officials are working to reverse > the situation and persuade all parties to take whatever measures needed > to assure production of WordPerfect 5.1 for the Atari. Letters to Atari > and WordPerfect might help. Atari Corp, attention BIll Rehbock, 1196 > Borregas Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94088. WordPerfect Corp, 1555 N. > Technology Way, Orem, UT 84057. I have never been a WordPerfect fan, but I have to say that I find this very disturbing. WordPerfect has become a standard on nearly all computers, early releases also found its way to the ST. Unfortunately, these were bugridden to a such extent that they were practically useless. I have seen people buy computers solely for the purpose of using WordPerfect on it, I have seen people trade in their ST's because of the unavailability of WordPerfect on the ST (Call it madness if you like, I do), and now Atari goes off and says 'NO!' to the possibly most advanced version available on any platform. I can understand Atari perfectly well, but there comes a time when Atari has to think marketing rather than pure profit, like they do here in Norway. I can tell you: IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. Send off your letter to Atari and WordPerfect Corp! =============================================================================== Karl Anders 0ygard More & Romsdal Highschool of Engineering, Norway 'I ache, therefore I am.' Email: Karl A Oygard <data3d@aahs.no> - Marvin, the paranoid android