jackin@utacs.UTA.FI (Markku M{enp{{) (10/16/89)
I have just read the article 'Computing in cold' (something like that)
in October PCW (Personal Computer World). I have thought of USSR being
a very attractive marketing place for Atari ST. The writer (don't remember
his name) told that ATARI (the company) missed a big chance to make ST
de facto in Soviet schools. That's sad. Has any one more information
about this ? I can't see any reason why Atari still couldn't make it
big in the USSR. If Atari is going into the American market in a big
way in -90, why not USSR as well (competition shouldn't be too fierce :-).
Just a thought. Any comments any one ?
! Markku M{enp{{ (jackin) ! peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) (10/18/89)
In article <758@utacs.UTA.FI> jackin@utacs.UTA.FI (Markku M{enp{{) writes: >I have just read the article 'Computing in cold' (something like that) >in October PCW (Personal Computer World). I have thought of USSR being >a very attractive marketing place for Atari ST. The writer (don't remember >his name) told that ATARI (the company) missed a big chance to make ST >de facto in Soviet schools. That's sad. Has any one more information >about this ? I can't see any reason why Atari still couldn't make it >big in the USSR. If Atari is going into the American market in a big >way in -90, why not USSR as well (competition shouldn't be too fierce :-). > >Just a thought. Any comments any one ? > >! Markku M{enp{{ (jackin) ! Yeah, i've a comment on this. I don't think that the USSR is an attractive market place for ATARI. The computers the Soviet Union wants to buy aren't produced by ATARI. They need mini's and super computers and they do not have the bucks to buy STs for their schools. I've been twice in the USSR, i talked to many pupils and visited a couple of schools, but i didn't meet anyone who had ever worked with a computer (even not with a pocket-calculator; some friends of mine sold a few of those solar powered credit card sized calculators, each worth a few bucks. They got about 60 rubels, that is 90 dollars ! The average salary of a russian is 150 rubels ...). I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within the next 5 or 10 years. pii/West Germany (Besides, in the GDR, there are quite a lot computer owner and user !) -- # Peter Bechtold # Th.-Mann-Str.91 # D 7000 Stuttgart 30 # West Germany # # voice: +49 711 813240 # data: N/A # telex: (0402) 6101056 mac lu # # ..!uunet!unido!nadia!peterii # peterii@nadia.UUCP #
suhonen@tukki.jyu.fi (Timo Suhonen) (10/20/89)
In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: >In article <758@utacs.UTA.FI> jackin@utacs.UTA.FI (Markku M{enp{{) writes: > > >I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >the next 5 or 10 years. They DO have IBM-compatibles in (technical)schools. At the time I bought my 520ST (In the early 1986), you weren't allowed to sell a ST to USSR. I think it was because of the Motorola prosessor. At that time it was too much 'high- tech'... Timo -- Timo Suhonen suhonen@tukki.jyu.fi Disclaimer: The text above is from my left brain cell. The right one is for SeX and Drugs and Rock'n Roll. Al K. Hall has eaten the others...
dnewton@carroll1.UUCP (Dave 'C is cool, but what about LOGO?' Newton) (10/20/89)
In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: >I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >the next 5 or 10 years. The Russians have been using Apple ][+ clones in their schools for some time now, and are starting to use PC clones. -- David L. Newton | uunet!marque!carroll1!dnewton | The Raging Apostle-- (414) 524-7343 (work) | dnewton@carroll1.cc.edu | for the future-- (414) 524-6809 (home) | 100 NE Ave, Waukesha WI 53186 | for the world.
kirkenda@psueea.uucp (Steve Kirkendall) (10/21/89)
In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: >In article <758@utacs.UTA.FI> jackin@utacs.UTA.FI (Markku M{enp{{) writes: > >>I have just read the article 'Computing in cold' (something like that) >>in October PCW (Personal Computer World). I have thought of USSR being >>a very attractive marketing place for Atari ST. The writer (don't remember >>his name) told that ATARI (the company) missed a big chance to make ST >>de facto in Soviet schools. > >I've been twice in the USSR, i talked to many pupils and visited a couple >of schools, but i didn't meet anyone who had ever worked with a computer >(even not with a pocket-calculator; some friends of mine sold a few of those >solar powered credit card sized calculators, each worth a few bucks. >They got about 60 rubels, that is 90 dollars ! The average salary of a russian >is 150 rubels ...). > >I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >the next 5 or 10 years. I saw an article in Newsweek(?) about 8 months ago (?) about the USSR and microcomputers. It seems that some Russians are concerned about the growing "hacker gap" -- Soviet children aren't as computer literate as Western children. And, although schools don't have the money to buy computers, there are a *few* Soviet citizens and groups that can. In particular, one of the Soviet chess champs bought a roomful of computers for the use of the children in his neighborhood. >>>> AND THE COMPUTERS HE BOUGHT WERE ATARI STs! <<<< Also, the Soviets are in the market to buy *thousands* of IBM clones for their universities. (A friend of a friend submitted a bid to supply them; he didn't get the sale, though.) -- Steve Kirkendall ...uunet!tektronix!psueea!jove!kirkenda or kirkenda@cs.pdx.edu
stank@anvil.WV.TEK.COM (Stan Kalinowski) (10/21/89)
In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: . . . >I don't think that the USSR is an attractive market place for ATARI. >The computers the Soviet Union wants to buy aren't produced by ATARI. >They need mini's and super computers and they do not have the bucks to >buy STs for their schools. >I've been twice in the USSR, i talked to many pupils and visited a couple >of schools, but i didn't meet anyone who had ever worked with a computer >(even not with a pocket-calculator; some friends of mine sold a few of those >solar powered credit card sized calculators, each worth a few bucks. >They got about 60 rubels, that is 90 dollars ! The average salary of a russian >is 150 rubels ...). > >I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >the next 5 or 10 years. > I agree that it is unlikely that the Soviet Union offers much potential for Atari sales, but for different reasons than Peter gives. I believe the IBM PC class of personal computer has become the accepted standard for personal computing in the USSR. An article in the New York Times business section (Oct. 1, 1989, "Soviet Plant, U.S. Managers") told of a contract awarded to Phoenix Group International, the firm is to build some 12,000 PC AT compatible computers here in the U.S. and will setup an assembly plant in Pensa that will deliver the remainder of a total 6 million computers by 1994. The article said that 3 million computers were slated to go to schools and the other 3 million were to go to factories and offices. The article also mentioned that Siemens A.G. currently has a contract to supply 300,000 personal computers for Soviet schools. The article went on to say that a PC class machine sells for 30,000 - 50,000 rubles in the USSR and is typically "junk", the new PC's in the Phoenix deal are expected to sell for 100,000 rubles. When asked if such a high price might invite price competition, the article claimed a Soviet official said "What's competition?" One other interesting note was that the Soviet Union would pay the split in profits from the joint venture to Phoenix Group by providing chemicals, scrap steel, and other goods to Austrian Laenderbank for sale in the West, as a means of generating hard currency. Sheesh, the things 'ya gotta do to make a buck these days. OK, so the article said the deal was worth as much as $8 billion. stank US Mail: Stan Kalinowski, Tektronix, Inc., Interactive Technologies Division PO Box 1000, MS 61-028, Wilsonville OR 97070 Phone:(503)-685-2458 e-mail: {ucbvax,decvax,allegra,uw-beaver}!tektronix!orca!stank or stank@orca.WV.TEK.COM
mn@atari.UUCP (Mike Nowicki) (10/24/89)
In article <767@carroll1.UUCP> dnewton@carroll1.UUCP (Dave 'C is cool, but what about LOGO?' Newton) writes: >In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: >>I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >>the next 5 or 10 years. > > The Russians have been using Apple ][+ clones in their schools for some >time now, and are starting to use PC clones. > A few months ago on '60 Minutes' they had a short piece on computer hobbyists in the Soviet Union. One scene showed a fellow drinking a Russian logo Pepsi while hacking away on a 1040ST. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Michael Nowicki N6LUU Atari Corp,Sunnyvale CA {ames!atari!mn} | |............................................................................| | char *disclaimer="Views expressed are my own, not my employer's"; | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sbrown@bgsuvax.UUCP (Scott F. Brown) (10/24/89)
I have finally decided to throw in my two cents on this discussion. The (I believe) 1988 Atari Corporate report to the stockholders stated that the Atari was availible off the shelf in the Soviet Union. I am going down to the University Library to get the report so that I can type that section in. BTW: It may not be the 1988 stockholders report, it is probably one of the early '89 quarterly reports. I know, its vague. If you have access to Shareholders reports you may want to read them to get an idea of how much Atari does sell. - Scott F. Brown ****************************************************************************** * - Death is part of the ecosystem, that doesn't mean that you should * * enjoy it. * * * * -Scott F. Brown * * * * sbrown@andy.bgsu.edu.uucp * ******************************************************************************
peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) (10/27/89)
In article <767@carroll1.UUCP> dnewton@carroll1.UUCP (Dave 'C is cool, but what about LOGO?' Newton) writes: >In article <595@nadia.UUCP> peterii@nadia.UUCP (Peter Bechtold) writes: >>I can't imagine that the USSR would by ANY computers for their schools within >>the next 5 or 10 years. > > The Russians have been using Apple ][+ clones in their schools for some >time now, and are starting to use PC clones. > Maybe at universities, but definitely not at ordinary high schools ! (And if true, only at some universities !) pii -- # Peter Bechtold # Th.-Mann-Str.91 # D 7000 Stuttgart 30 # West Germany # # voice: +49 711 813240 # data: N/A # telex: (0402) 6101056 mac lu # # ..!uunet!unido!nadia!peterii # peterii@nadia.UUCP #