JALKIO@cc.helsinki.fi (Jouni Alkio) (10/25/89)
I just want to tell you why am I using an Atari. First of all, it is supported enough for my usage. There are some options for almost every application. There are much more programs and hardware devices to choose from in the PC-world, though. The reason for why I haven't got a PC is that I'm used to my system. I think the operating system is effective and robust. I guess many people get used to their own system and it is hard to change the hardware completely. This leads to many flames. Some flames are resonable, though. If somebody makes a non-objective comparison, for example, I think it should be noted (whatever the computer)! Another reason for having a ST is the MIDI. I'm making music with synthesizers. ST is the cheapest and the most reasonable computer for MIDI-usage (at least I think so). Third: When I bought my ST, it was at least three times cheaper than a comparable Mac. I don't know about the US prices, but the situation is still much the same here in Finland. AND if the TT will cost 1300 pounds, it will be quite a bit cheaper than a comparable Mac. (Well, the Finnish prices are high for all computers. I bought my ST from England. It should have paid twice the price if I had bought it from Finland). Fourth: You can get very nice emulators for the ST. There are now two usable PC-emulators and two usable MAC-emulators. I have notified, that ST's are most supported in Germany. I have subscribed a German ST-Magazine - they make lots of different devices and programs for the ST especially in Germany. By the way, I think that the US ST-magazines aren't very good. What do you think of them? At least they have only few serious articles. Jouni Alkio
horsch@grads.cs.ubc.ca (Michael Horsch) (10/26/89)
With all the talk around here about how people feel about their decision to buy/support or not to buy/support the Atari line of computers, I thought I'd put in my CDN$0.02. Way back when I was one of the first to buy a 520ST, I bought it because of the price. It wasn't cheap for me, but it was cheaper than comparably able MACs or Amigas or PCs. I knew I was bringing it into a household which, aside from me (and I was still learning), had no computer experience at all. GEM's intuitive user interface was important! I suspect that quite a few people bought STs for these reasons. But I remember an article in STart #2 (I think) by Tim Oren. He waxed speculative about the potential of the ST line: there were many interesting things one could do with a machine which had a lot of memory standard (recall that in '85, having 512k standard was a big deal for most personal computers), graphics abilities, a reasonably fast microprocessor which was not going to hamstring future processors in the 68k line with compatibility problems, etc... I believe Oren was right. The ST had a lot of potential. Somehow, we, the ST users community forgot about that potential (no blame, just observation). If I may venture a guess, I think we expected too much from Atari in terms of improved hardware (re: ROM TOS, blitter, 1040, SLM, MegaST, ATW, STacy, TT, TOS 1.4 ((I know TOS is software, but when it comes in chips from a factory, and one can only get it through Atari, it looks the same as hardware))). The sentiment seemed to be: "If only I got the X, then I could do amazing things with this machine!" (X being a member of the previous list). Of course, as X became known as Vapourware, so did the 'amazing things.' It is clear that the ST line lost its edge in potential. I am not sure that the TT will provide any more potential for those willing enough to try it (again: not opinion, just lack of data). Right now, I know someone who needs to upgrade his computer system from an old (hardly) portable 64k CP/M Kaypro (I think). Based on my experience with my Atari, he seems ready to get a 1040 for himself. He will undoubtably get a good price, but I wonder what else he will be inheriting...or not inheriting. I am not sure, but maybe I'll tell him to look around a bit more at the competition. Mike (All this for CDN$0.02. Opinion without the Price!) -- Michael C. Horsch Dept. of Computer Science, horsch@cs.ubc.ca University of British Columbia