IHLS400@INDYCMS.BITNET (Holly Lee Stowe) (05/22/87)
Good disk/bad disk:
I have Sony disks (both SS and DS) and DS Fuji disks. I have not tried
to format the SS disks as DS. Something tells me that the minute I
try to do so and put something important on there, it will fail.
"Pessamistic", I hear you say. Yup. I backup my backups on important
stuff. I can get the SS Sony's for $13.95 and the DS for $18.95 at
a local store here in town, the Game Preserve at Glendale mall. I
got the Fuji's when I ordered something from Computability in Milwaukee
for $18.95, although you probably only get that when you place an order.
The Fujis come with a nice little plastic case at the moment. (I
should warn you that since I have only had the ST about 4 weeks,
I can't really say my disks have gotten a real workout yet...)
For the disk drive survey:
I have a 1040STf with the built-in (and occasionally noisy) DS/DD drive
that I bought used from someone in NJ. The system is about a year old.
I also have an SF354 SS/DD drive that I bought for $99 (yes, $99) at a
local dealer here called ComputerWorks (one of only two stores locally
that carries Atari...even B.Dalton's and Waldenbooks have stopped handling
Atari books it seems). I also bought my SH204 from ComputerWorks for
$600.
(Insert the usual disclaimer regarding financial affiliations here.)
(Heck, I pay *them* for the privilege of saying this stuff!)
Here's the gossip part I promised you in the subject: As I understand,
the Megas are in production now. I was told that they are hoping to
have them on the shelves in July/August... BUT... no blitters in them.
The development of the blitter has been suffering from a case of low
bidder contracting and may not even be a working prototype yet... so
the first Megas will be without. I don't know what kind of upgrading
will be arranged on the first bunch, but if I could make my guess, I
don't think it will be a major concern for Atari, since I don't think
they will sell all that many of them without the blitter. (Gossip
says the blitter right now is slated for the fall...don't start holding
your breath yet.) More memory and a detached keyboard alone will not
sell the Mega. End of gossip. Start of opinion: Atari seems intent
on shooting themselves in the foot one way or another. I'm glad that
there are a lot of people out there who will support what Atari will
not through PD and any other methods they can find for their madness.
I love my new ST. I love my old 800. I would love them more if I had
some confidence that Atari Corp. was going to be around in 5 or so years,
but I guess by then my ST will be obsolete and I can start all over again
anyway, so why am I worried? End of opinion.
Note to anyone at Atari who is interested: It seems to me that the users
involved in this group, and the groups on CompuServe, GEnie, etc. are a
loyal bunch who feel some obligation to assist Atari in being the best
company it can be regardless of whether that loyalty exists to help support
their own interests. Unfortunately a great deal of the time, Atari just
doesn't seem to be listening. Soothing words and promises do not work
forever when unfulfilled. I have no quarrel with Atari myself, but I
see users posting the same arguments over and over again with the same
results (or lack of same) from Atari. What's wrong with this picture?
When the majority of users bemoan not being able to boot from their hard
drives or being limited to 40 folders consistently, does it not occur
to someone there that there is a NEED here that Atari could fulfill?
Heaven forbid, Atari might even be able to make some money at it! Instead
Atari tells us that almighty Atari sees no need for more than 40 folders.
Well, gosh... if Atari says it, it must be true. Right? Wrong. The
customer may not always be correct, but they are always right. We are
willing to wait and even pay for the quality we feel we deserve. Atari,
we are sitting here BEGGING to be used... offering our souls to make our
systems and your products better and more useful. Will you still respect
us in the morning?
-Holly
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There is no man so assured that he cannot be made to feel
slightly oafish if a subtle and complex woman puts her mind to it.
John D. MacDonald
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