clutx.clarkson.edu (Matthew S. Walsh) (10/28/89)
The Atari 8 bit will never die. This does not mean that software and hardware support will ast indefinately, but it does mean that the Atari still is capable and will always be capable of doing many things quite well: For example: 1) Despite the fact it uses a square sound wave generator, the Atari's sound capabilities are still \quite good. It beats the Nintendo hands down, and certainly puts the IBM PC to shame. It remains the only computer with true random number generation, meaning it can generate white noise like nothing else can. Lee Actor's AMS is a useful and versatile music program which will always be useful to anyone who wants to hear how a piece of music will sound in four voices. It's not fancy, nor user friendly, but it works and works well. Also keep in mind that an 8-bit makes a good Midi controller, although much more powerful sequencers and computers are available. Still, it's a cheap way for existing owners or new comers to get some decent midi capability. 2) I know of no computer built as ruggedly as the Atari series. I put my poor 8 bit through so many projects and road trips that I was and still am amazed it held up for so long. Anyone who has ever worked with its joystick ports knows it incorporated safety features such as it will automatically cold boot after shutting down (all by itself) if you accidently connect two of the wrong pins together. 3) The Atari also is capable of doing some good word processing. At the school I attended for fresh-soph year, each of us was given an Zenith 286 compatible. After using the bulky programs like wordstar, I longed for the quick and simple Atariwriter Plus. It had all the features I needed, plenty of room with the 130xe, spell checker, etc. and produced nice results. I think just the Word Processing justifies having an Atari. I'm not trying to tell anyone that the Atari has any mystic power that makes the everlasting computer. It had a good design and construction, and this makes it capable of doing quite a lot considering its age and competition. Wheter its 1989 or 2089, people will still have to write papers, and write music, and the Atari can do these plus alot more. It's a good ,down and dirty, workhorse that though it may pale in speed and memory size, remains something useful to have. Final note to pinball fans: Your Atari computer possesses more processing power than any pinball computer (Data East or Williams). Think about how much data a pinball has to absorb and process - 3 targets being hit simultaneously in multiball while music is playing and lights flashing and numbers being added. And unless you have some pinball experience I would appreciate refrain from flames about this last point. Disclaimer: Yeah these are my opinions. And thery're not yours! Nyah! Words to live by: Don't eat bugs (or yellow snow).*****Univ.*of*Illinois* Skuder (new hi tech improved spelling) Matt Walsh ********Home*of*the**** 227 Hendrick (Jimmy's Pad), 904 Green, Urbana, IL 61801*HAL*9000*computer