juancho@utcsri.UUCP (09/24/87)
Keywords:FLAMES ATARI
Product Release (Confidential)
Atari Corp. is rumoured to have recieved a small number of 78000
Motorola CPU's. (These are as yet unreleased by Motorola) Atari has
been working on a new machine based on these processors. It's unofficial
name is B.S. 3020. Following is a description of the machine.
The operating system will be drun*x, a un*x clone developed by
DRI. The machine comes with 20 rs232 ports. A 80386 coprocessor board
is included for compatibility with the IBM world. GEM processes will run
after the binary files have been passed through a filter developed by
the atari sodtware team. The Memory configuration includes 1 meg of ROM
and 1 meg of ram buffers. On board memory is expandable to a 48 meg limit.
The release date for the B.S. 3020 is 1st April 1988.
We were able to contact a beta test site and these are some of
their findings.
-There can only be 40 processes running at a time. When we
had 20 users logged on we found out that each user could only
have one process running. Apparently this is because the login
process is included in this max.
-There can only be 20 files open in the whole system at one time.
-A compile requires 6 files to be open at the same time.
-We have not been able to get PCC (Portable C Compiler) to run.
-The password file is not encrypted.
-Atari seems to have solved their i/o problem. Floppies run faster
than their own hard drives. (Or could it be that their new improved
hard drives run slower than their floppies)
-If the sysop logs in from a different terminal the system crashes.
-GEM programs passed trough the filter seem to be able to over ride
the memory protection and will crash the system.
-But apart from these problems it seems to work ok.
=========================================================
* These opinions are mine but after atari reads them *
* they will probably start climing that they are theirs*
=========================================================
--
John W. Buchanan Dynamic Graphics Project
Computer Systems Research Institute
(416) 978-6619 University of Toronto
juancho@toronto.CSNET
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utdgp!juanchobrinsmead@calgary.UUCP (Mark Brinsmead) (09/25/87)
In article <5441@utcsri.UUCP>, juancho@utcsri.UUCP (John Buchanan) writes: > > Product Release (Confidential) > > The release date for the B.S. 3020 is 1st April 1988. ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ Ummm... Isn't it a bit early for April Fools jokes? Or maybe this product is really genuine... ?
dyer@atari.UUCP (Landon Dyer) (09/27/87)
In article <5441@utcsri.UUCP>, juancho@utcsri.UUCP (John Buchanan) writes: > -There can only be 20 files open in the whole system at one time. > > -A compile requires 6 files to be open at the same time. > > -We have not been able to get PCC (Portable C Compiler) to run. > > -The password file is not encrypted. > > -Atari seems to have solved their i/o problem. Floppies run faster > than their own hard drives. (Or could it be that their new improved > hard drives run slower than their floppies) > > -If the sysop logs in from a different terminal the system crashes. > > -GEM programs passed trough the filter seem to be able to over ride > the memory protection and will crash the system. > > -But apart from these problems it seems to work ok. > > ========================================================= > * These opinions are mine but after atari reads them * > * they will probably start climing that they are theirs* > ========================================================= Give it a rest. None of the Tramiels read usenet, so you are wasting your time bashing seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers. -- -Landon Dyer, Atari Corporation {sun,amdcad,imagen,hoptoad}!atari!dyer The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Atari or the AI software that has taken over my brain. YOW! I am waiting for my warranty-expired interrupt!
neil@atari.UUCP (Neil Harris) (09/29/87)
In article <5441@utcsri.UUCP>, juancho@utcsri.UUCP (John Buchanan) writes: > > Product Release (Confidential) > Atari Corp. is rumoured to have recieved a small number of 78000 > Motorola CPU's. (These are as yet unreleased by Motorola) Atari has > been working on a new machine based on these processors. It's unofficial > name is B.S. 3020. Following is a description of the machine. > > The operating system will be drun*x, a un*x clone developed by > DRI. The machine comes with 20 rs232 ports. A 80386 coprocessor board > is included for compatibility with the IBM world. GEM processes will run > after the binary files have been passed through a filter developed by > the atari sodtware team. The Memory configuration includes 1 meg of ROM > and 1 meg of ram buffers. On board memory is expandable to a 48 meg limit. > > The release date for the B.S. 3020 is 1st April 1988. > ... Please note the date for release of the alleged B.S. before taking this posting too seriously. -- --->Neil Harris, Director of Marketing Communications, Atari Corporation UUCP: ...{hoptoad, lll-lcc, pyramid, imagen, sun}!atari!neil GEnie: NHARRIS/ WELL: neil / BIX: neilharris / Delphi: NEILHARRIS CIS: 70007,1135 / Atari BBS 408-745-5308 / Usually the OFFICIAL Atari opinion
med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) (09/30/87)
In article <852@atari.UUCP>, dyer@atari.UUCP (Landon Dyer) writes: > In article <5441@utcsri.UUCP>, juancho@utcsri.UUCP (John Buchanan) writes: > > -There can only be 20 files open in the whole system at one time. > > > > -A compile requires 6 files to be open at the same time. > > > > ... EXCESS VERBAGE DELETED ... > > > > > > ========================================================= > > * These opinions are mine but after atari reads them * > > * they will probably start climing that they are theirs* > > ========================================================= > > Give it a rest. > > None of the Tramiels read usenet, so you are wasting your time > bashing seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers. > My, My, have we finally hit a living nerve here??? It's been so long since *ANYONE* from Atari responded here with much more than rumors and the ever expanding list of vaporware and empty promises... But seriously, folks, didn't you enjoy the new product announcement. It probably would be more appropriate if the release date was changed to "by Christmas", just in time to overhang the market... *** FLAME ON *** (maybe I should have done this a few lines sooner..) As one of the original ST owners (yes, my 520ST was built prior to 12/85), I am really *sick and tired* of the overwhelming rash of new product announcements that seem to come from Atari every time some other company plans to announce a similar product (you folks never really believed that the Atari PC existed, do you?? -- If you did, I have some swamp land to sell, just give me a call...). Atari announced their PC to eclipse the announcement of the Amstrad PC, and amazingly enough, no one has seen it since. Our ST club, of which I happen to be the current president (oh well, some of us just have no common sense...) had an Atari show here in Denver just after the infamous PC announcement --- Did we see it??? No, because it is a figment of "seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers" (sorry Landon, but those are your words, not mine). When we asked Neil where it was, we got something like 'there is a show in Europe, and it is more important that it was there'. (e.g. we only have one, and it doesn't really work, and we can hide that fact at a European show much easier than we could here at a computer fair where people could actually put their hands on it - Yuk!). Need I go on with more examples: 1) How about the CD-ROM... Haven't heard about that one since last Christmas... 2) The Laser printer... Just "any time now"... 3) The Blitter... My 520ST should last so long... etc, etc... Yes, it is sour grapes, because I believed in Atari and what they promised for the future. I believed them when the 8-bit line was around (remember the 1450XL?). Yes, that was a different Atari (the names change, but the customer support remains the same - or goes downhill fast). Guess its time for me to "give it a rest" and decide how much money I'll be asking for my ST.... *** FLAME OFF *** =========================================================================== Myron Drapal ..!ihnp4!druhi!med =========================================================================== P.S. Flame me, I love the e-mail.
weaver@tut.UUCP (10/01/87)
In article <2265@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: >In article <852@atari.UUCP>, dyer@atari.UUCP (Landon Dyer) writes: >> In article <5441@utcsri.UUCP>, juancho@utcsri.UUCP (John Buchanan) writes: >> > -There can only be 20 files open in the whole system at one time. >> > >> > -A compile requires 6 files to be open at the same time. >> > >> > ... EXCESS VERBAGE DELETED ... >> > >> > >> > ========================================================= >> > * These opinions are mine but after atari reads them * >> > * they will probably start climing that they are theirs* >> > ========================================================= >> >> Give it a rest. >> >> None of the Tramiels read usenet, so you are wasting your time >> bashing seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers. >> > >My, My, have we finally hit a living nerve here??? It's been so long since >*ANYONE* from Atari responded here with much more than rumors and the ever >expanding list of vaporware and empty promises... > >But seriously, folks, didn't you enjoy the new product announcement. It >probably would be more appropriate if the release date was changed to >"by Christmas", just in time to overhang the market... > .. >Guess its time for me to "give it a rest" and decide how much money I'll >be asking for my ST.... > .. >P.S. Flame me, I love the e-mail. Good. I will flame you to the net. I've owned my 520ST for about a year now. Yes, I have had problems, some so bad that a friend and I had to do hardware mods (like replace the sockets on the ROMs.) But hey, I only paid $589 for my entire system, which is about 100 times the computer I bought 3 years ago (an Atari 800 at ~$400) That is one heckuva lot of computer for a little bit of price, problems and all. It fell out of warranty, I had to fix it! If you own an IBM, an Apple or any other computer and it fails, you will either fix it, pay to get it fixed or trash it. So what's the fuss? I am tired of all of you crybabies talking about the product announce- ments, etc. Big deal; companies do it all the time, Atari is no exception. It just happens to put a few more out than the others. I like my Atari alright, but since Atari Corp has decided not to properly support it, I will probably save my pennies and get either a Mac Plus or a Mac II -- a real machine, with a real[ly big] price tag with real support and real software. But I will keep my ST for messing around with and to give to my kids and show them what we used in the old days :-) Its too bad we don't hear as much about useful tips, programming techniques, etc. in this newgroup anymore. Look at Uniterm, Degas (or any other Tom Hudson product), Publishing Partner. Decent products, all at good prices. No, they aren't PageMaker or Microsoft Word, but the ST isn't a Mac either. Don't let that ST gather dust in your closet. Send it to the address below where it will be given to a needy college student looking for a decent low-priced computer. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Flame me freely, via net, e-mail or whatever flammable material you may find. -- -Andrew Weaver--Guest account courtesy of the OSU CIS Dept- T * H * E -- --COB Computing Services-1775 College Rd., Cols,. OH 43210- O H I O -- ---UUCP: ...!cbosgd!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!weaver-- S T A T E -- ---ARPA: weaver@ohio-state.ARPA---------------------------- UNIVERSITY --
kimes@ihlpe.ATT.COM (Kit Kimes) (10/01/87)
In article <2265@druhi.ATT.COM>, med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: > > But seriously, folks, didn't you enjoy the new product announcement. It > probably would be more appropriate if the release date was changed to > "by Christmas", just in time to overhang the market... > > *** FLAME ON *** (maybe I should have done this a few lines sooner..) > > Need I go on with more examples: > 1) How about the CD-ROM... Haven't heard about that one since > last Christmas... This article contained several good points about the action (reaction) time of Atari. It is common to announce a product before it is actually available but it isn't kosher to deliberately announce a product you have no intention of building. I don't know that Atari is guilty of this with the Atari PC. They still have not officially said that they have abandoned the project. I don't think it is fair to pick on the example of the CD-ROM player though. From the very beginning of the ST era, Atari had hoped that they could product this item but they NEVER said it would be available 'real soon now'. They were very upfront about the fact that they would not produce it if they could not get the assemblies at a price that would allow them to offer this product at a reasonable price. I think that it was a wise decision. Although CD-ROM players are available for PC compatible computers, they have not been big sellers (or profit makers) and I don't expect them to be until such time as the available software (plasticware?) begins to drive the market. I can remember those early days. I wanted one in the worst way and envisioned all kinds of great things--interactive video games, fast search time for any subject in the encyclopedia, etc. I said to myself "here is reason enough by itself to buy an ST". Looking back, I think most of that was wishful thinking. Most people would be better off to spend the money on a hard disk (avoid flames about 40 folder limit). It gives nearly instant access time and allows you to pick the programs you want on the disk. I still think that Atari does have the users interests at heart but it is obvious that they don't feel the need to hire enough people to make some of these thinks happen in a timely manner. I just hope that the latest diversion (aquiring Federated) doesn't further erode their ability to service their primary market. Kit Kimes AT&T--Information Systems Labs ...ihnp4!ihlpe!kimes
jimm@mitsumi.UUCP (10/01/87)
In article <2265@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: )In article <852@atari.UUCP>, dyer@atari.UUCP (Landon Dyer) writes: )> )> Give it a rest. )> )> None of the Tramiels read usenet, so you are wasting your time )> bashing seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers. )My, My, have we finally hit a living nerve here??? Aren't you the sweet one? )*** FLAME ON *** (maybe I should have done this a few lines sooner..) )I am really *sick and tired* of the overwhelming rash of new product )announcements that seem to come from Atari every time some other company )plans to announce a similar product (you folks never really believed that )the Atari PC existed, do you?? -- If you did, I have some swamp land to )sell, just give me a call...). It's not real novel to point out that Atari sux when it comes to delivering on promises. Neil H. admitted it, we've all read about it here and elsewhere. Landon's point was that you are just masturbating (well, my interpretation) if you think your clever flames have a useful effect on the technical troops. Would you prefer that these busy guys didn't even read the net? Have you ever been in Landon's position: trying to make a difference in a frustrating situation? Would you appreciate taking sh*t from weenies on the net who you try to help? )Atari announced their PC to eclipse the )announcement of the Amstrad PC, and amazingly enough, no one has seen it )since. Darn. I thought it was to eclipse the Commodore PC. You're probably right, though. ) --- Did we see it??? No, because it is a figment of "seven or eight rather )over-worked software engineers" (sorry Landon, but those are your words, not )mine). An engineer of Landon's class goes as far as to point out in writing that it isn't the decision makers you reach by flaming on the net, and you still think it's the engineers who pre-announced the PC? )Guess its time for me to "give it a rest" and decide how much money I'll )be asking for my ST.... ) Myron Drapal Normally, it is my inclination to urge disatified Atari folks to think about getting an Amiga. But they can keep you, Myron. You like flames? Flame up on this here. Go work on your .5% of Oryx-Pecos or whatever it is you do on druhi. jimm PS Landon: you guys really have eight software engineers? I don't think we had many more than that at Amiga ever. You guys/gals writing an OS or something? Keep up the good work, there is a lot of empathy for you out here from people who have shared the experience. By the way, you ever consider getting an Amiga? -- Jim Mackraz Mitsumi Technology, Inc. 408/980-5422 {amiga,pyramid}!mitsumi!jimm
jmg@cernvax.UUCP (10/02/87)
In article <2265@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: >Atari announced their PC to eclipse the >announcement of the Amstrad PC, and amazingly enough, no one has seen it >since. Our ST club, of which I happen to be the current president (oh well, >some of us just have no common sense...) had an Atari show here in Denver >just after the infamous PC announcement --- Did we see it??? No, because it >is a figment of "seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers" >(sorry Landon, but those are your words, not mine). When we asked Neil where >it was, we got something like 'there is a show in Europe, and it is more >important that it was there'. (e.g. we only have one, and it doesn't really >work, and we can hide that fact at a European show much easier than we >could here at a computer fair where people could actually put their hands >on it - Yuk!). Currently, in Basel, Switzerland, there are two objects which are claimed to be Atari PCs, running demo programs (complete with a notice to the effect that "die computermachines sind nicht fur gefingerpoken"). There is also a claim that both the new TOS ROMS (German version) and the blitter can be delivered. Like you, I believe only in what I can touch and buy from Atari. I pass this information for what it is worth. (BTW, the show at which they are being demonstrated is quite big by Swiss standards, but whether it can be called more important than an equivalent US show is questionable)
hmm@laura.UUCP (10/02/87)
In article <2265@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: ... irrelevant stuff ... >*** FLAME ON *** (maybe I should have done this a few lines sooner..) > > Our ST club, of which I happen to be the current president (oh well, >some of us just have no common sense...) had an Atari show here in Denver >just after the infamous PC announcement --- Did we see it??? No, because it >is a figment of "seven or eight rather over-worked software engineers" >(sorry Landon, but those are your words, not mine). When we asked Neil where >it was, we got something like 'there is a show in Europe, and it is more >important that it was there'. (e.g. we only have one, and it doesn't really >work, and we can hide that fact at a European show much easier than we >could here at a computer fair where people could actually put their hands >on it - Yuk!). Ok, cool down and get your facts straight ! I don't know if there was only one of these PC clones in existence, but it was certainly at the Hannover Fair, and it was for real. Not that I especially like MS-DOS (Yuck !) or the way product announcements are made at Atari... But this computer show was definitely a bit bigger than your local ST-Club show... And people could actually put their hands on that machine there ! Less american chauvinism and more real information would serve you a bit better :-) On the other hand, I definitely would like Atari to stop talking about / developing the stupid PC (and other stupid projects) and build a decent machine on which I can run my favorite OS... Hans-Martin D
dragon@oliveb.UUCP (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you) (10/05/87)
That's interesting, in the last two shows of which my club attended (one just last weekend), we've seen the Atari PC (which I think is a nice box, all they have to do is come out with it) and worked with it. Tried it running GEM, Windows, etc. We also had Megas for sale. And the laser printer was in its store packaging. (something about Japanese trade restrictions, at least until a new engine is incorporated into the design). And the lowly, 1200 baud modem (at least it's the right price, which is more than I can say for Mega systems). The new color monitors. (Samsung. The case is ugly, but the tube is at least as good as the 'original' SC1224, the Type 2.) Or course, CBM was showing their Amiga A2000, with *fast* hard disks (compared to what was available in that price range), IBM board, plug in 2mb memory, etc... :-) > =========================================================================== > Myron Drapal > ..!ihnp4!druhi!med > =========================================================================== > P.S. Flame me, I love the e-mail. No such luck. Sorry you can't find it elsewhere. -- Dean Brunette {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!olivej!dragon {ucbvax,etc.}!hplabs!oliveb!dragon-oatc!dean Olivetti Advanced Technology Center _____ _____ __|__ _____ 20300 Stevens Creek Blvd. | | _____| | | Cupertino, CA 95014 |_____| |_____| |__ |_____ 'Such a strange girl, I think I'm falling in love' --The Cure