actor@percival.UUCP (Clif Swinford) (09/15/88)
I don't know where this "The ST is a dying computer" bull is coming from,
but it certainly isn't the case around here. Our ST sales are as brisk as
ever, hampered only by the fact that we can't get enough 1040's to meet the
demand!
David Beckemeyer claims that ST sales are now only 20% of BDT's business.
I submit that that's because, powerful as they are, BDT's products are a
pain in the gluteus maximus to use. I mean, we're talking about a machine
with a windows-mouse-icons interface here. Most ST buyers are looking for
programs that DON'T require a command-line interface or a lot of manual-
reading to use. Yeah, I know that's not the case with a lot of the ST users
on the net, but we AREN'T typical ST users. I sell the things; I see who
buys them. And I have to teach these people things you'd think your average
cocker spaniel would intuitively grasp, day in and day out.
Atari has found their market. The great silent majority. The same folks
who voted for Reagan, read The Enquirer, and made The Gong Show a hit.
There's a lot of them out there...
(Sorry if I sound bitter, I just get tired of working with the brain-dead.)
--
Clif Swinford
"This is not a dress rehearsal. It's a f***ing audition!"
..!tektronix!reed!percival!actor fnordgp@ohsu-hcx.UUCP (glen plam) (09/15/88)
In article <1364@percival.UUCP> actor@percival.UUCP (Clif Swinford) writes: >I don't know where this "The ST is a dying computer" bull is coming from, I think it's coming from Apple and places like that. I'm sure that they would like the world to believe that the ST is dying and or died. I don't see that at all. >David Beckemeyer claims that ST sales are now only 20% of BDT's business. >I submit that that's because, powerful as they are, BDT's products are a >pain in the gluteus maximus to use. I agree. David has written a good set of programs but I think he is ahead of the ST group. The other point is so what. I have look at his stuff and I don't think it meets my needs. DBT products do not have a lock on the ST world so they do not represent the state of Atari. >Atari has found their market. The great silent majority. The same folks >who voted for Reagan, read The Enquirer, and made The Gong Show a hit. Now this makes me mad. I read the Oregonian, watch the Love Connection and voted for Mickey Mouse. (I think he won) -- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. * Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool * about it. * Glen Plam
c91a-ra@franny.Berkeley.EDU (reader.john.kawakami) (09/16/88)
I don't have any figures, but looking at out local stores, I'd say the ST is not dying. The STs and Megas are selling, as is software, there is no market growth. In the computer industry, stability looks like slow death. This is exaggerated by the fact that Amiga sales have been picking up for a while (but I suspect they wil slow as well). As for Beckemeyer, I would agree that his sales are not a good barometer of the ST market. He deals in tools, and business systems--two areas where the ST is pretty much locked out (until there are PC compatible card cages and co processor boards) because there is not the huge customer base. I also suspect that to some degree, BDT products have reached some saturation point. And BDT sells PC baced systems, which obviously are more attractive than ST systems. John Kawakami
sikorski@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (TED SIKORSKI) (09/16/88)
I was just watching a movie during prime time here in Canada and saw a commercial for the Atari 520 ST. The ad claimed that the 520 is twice as powerful as most business macnines and had great graphics and games. The ad was very well do although they did seem to want to cram a lot into a 30 second spot. Now why would a company that a lot of people claim is dying all of a sudden spend lots of money producing spiffy ads, it just doesn't make sense. Just thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in. -- Name: Ted Sikorski (University of Toronto Computing Services) Path: sikorski@utcs.gpu.toronto.edu alias: ted@utoronto.bitnet
rjung@sal1.usc.edu (Robert allen Jung) (09/16/88)
In article <1364@percival.UUCP> actor@percival.UUCP (Clif Swinford) writes: >I don't know where this "The ST is a dying computer" bull is coming from, >but it certainly isn't the case around here. Our ST sales are as brisk as >ever, hampered only by the fact that we can't get enough 1040's to meet the >demand! Nice to hear, especially from a dealer. Now let's get Atari to crank up that distribution/advertising shortfall in the US, eh? >David Beckemeyer claims that ST sales are now only 20% of BDT's business. >I submit that that's because, powerful as they are, BDT's products are a >pain in the gluteus maximus to use. Good point! I hope BDT doesn't go crazy at me for saying this, but I had to get an ST word processor over the summer. After looking at everything out there (especially at WordPerfect for the ST, what with all the "big software house making ST titles" hoopla), I settled on ... WORDUP! Maybe this is just a sign that (currently) the majority of the Joe ST-user public does not _want_ or _need_ all the features of WordPerfect (especially at the price). Forget piracy, forget "dying ST" theories, people will buy what they NEED. And if they don't need WordPerfect, well... >Atari has found their market. The great silent majority. The same folks >who voted for Reagan, read The Enquirer, and made The Gong Show a hit. >There's a lot of them out there... Silent majority, yes (all of us who keep harrassing stuck-up Apple dealers can relate). Voting for Reagan, no B-). The Gong Show, definetely! >(Sorry if I sound bitter, I just get tired of working with the brain-dead.) 'sokay, I can relate. --R.J. B-) P.S. And if I haven't already, let me give an unsolicited endorsement to Neocept's WORDUP. A very good GEM-based word processor, with _lots_ of potential to do even better (is it true that Neocept is currently doing a total rewrite of the program?). Fun to use, even if it is GDOS-based (all that RAM for fonts!), and the multiple fonts and graphics make it just like those fancy-dang overpriced Macintosh WPs. (If only this was released two years ago -- YOW!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: These are my views, and mine alone. # ## # Mailing address: Beats me, just reply to this message # ## # (rjung@sa132.usc.edu?) ## ## ## #### ## ####
brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (09/18/88)
While the ad says business, it also notes games, and Atari would be foolish not to advertise with Christmas coming. Unless they could sell all their production, in which case they would be foolish to advertise. -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473