geller@rlgvax.UUCP (David Geller) (03/22/84)
I also believe that ATARI will be around for a while longer. Despite
a great many problems, the most recent of which was the layoff of over
200 people, ATARI has a fine product line at very competitive prices.
The XL line seems to be a solid line built upon the very successful
foundation on which the 400 and 800 were based. Although a number of
the designers of the 400/800 line are no longer with ATARI the company
still has the potential to get their stuff together and produce quality
consumer electronic products. I support ATARI as I have done for the
past few years. I'm only sorry that 3 years ago people just were NOT
well enough educated to have seen how advanced a computer system ATARI had
produced. I'm amazed the world bit the apple for so long without recog-
nizing the power and sophistication of the 400/800. That was a long
time ago. Looking back with a smile,
{seismo}!rlgvax!geller David Geller
Computer Consoles, Inc.
Office Systems Group
1760 Reston Avenue
Reston, VA 22090
703-471-6860
(of course these views are mine and not those of my employer!)2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (henning) (03/23/84)
A recent microcomputer magazine describes the PCjr as a machine designed for the school environment. By not having any disks but only using the plug-in cartridges one can avoid a very expensive maintenance problem, that is trying to use floppy disks around chalk. They are incompatible. I haven't investigated the PCjr since the PC at regular price is obsolete now. That would also avoid the problem of will Atari be there tomorrow. P.S. By obsolete, I mean that the new PC look-alikes are 4 times as fast and cless expensive.
Knisely%his-phoenix-multics.arpa@BRL.ARPA (03/25/84)
TO: Mark Henry, AT&T Bell Labs. Tried to send mail several ways and
failed, so I'll post this here. Atari adamantly denies that it will
drop out or be forced out of the home computer market. I think there
will still be problems, but my guess is that they're a survivor now.
The new Atari 600XL and 800 XL would both be suitable for elementary
school use. At $199 list the 600XL can use cartridge or cassette based
software, has excellent color graphics, built in basic and a good
selection of soft- ware. The 800XL is basically a 600 with 64k memory
and a monitor output added. It can use disk drives however, and most of
the best software comes in disk form. There is an excellent
implemenation of LOGO (by LCSI and virtually identical to Apple Logo) on
cartridge, a PILOT cartridge and a wide selection of educational
software from a variety of sources including the Minn Computing
Consortium (MECC). Reliability of the hardware seems above average, and
service should be available from any Atari Service Center in almost any
city. The only problem might be finding someone to put a package
together -- try a local dealer or consultant who specialises in the Ed
market, all the stores dropped Atari and the other low cost home
machines in the price wars of last year.
Good Luck. Dick Knisely
Knisely.DSP1%pco at CISL