Message-ID: <582@voder.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Jan-85 20:31:52 EST
Article-I.D.: voder.582
Posted: Thu Jan  3 20:31:52 1985
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*** I am not a bug but a feature you havn't met yet ***

   The February `85 issue of ANALOG Computing mentions the new Atari
computers in the editorial.  The 16-bit machine will use Motorola's
68000 chip which although called a 32-bit chip by some, it's the same
CPU used in Apple's Macintosh, uses a 16-bit data and address bus.
   It will not be IBM compatible but use an in-house operating system
developed by Atari.  The machine will feature GEM (Graphics Environment
Manager) by Digital Research which will enable it to use such Macintosh-
like features as pull-down menus and windowing.  Specifications have 
already gone out to software developers.  If everything is on schedule
the new computer will be shown this weekend at the Consumers Electronic
Show in Las Vegas this weekend.  Stay tuned!
   The 32-bit machine will use National Semiconductor's own NS32032
microprocessor makeing it a true 32-bit machine and will be the first home
32-bit computer (although there are 32-bit machines available that you can
fit on your desk they cost more than you make in a year!).
   It is still scheduled to be shown at the European electronics fair in
Hanover, West Germany in April.

-- 
Kevin Thompson   {ucbvax,ihnp4!nsc}!voder!kevin

"It's sort of a threat, you see.  I've never been very good at them
  myself but I'm told they can be very effective."

Message-ID: <261@terak.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 10-Jan-85 19:38:17 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.261
Posted: Thu Jan 10 19:38:17 1985
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Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:563 net.micro:9043

Er, um, say folks, but has it occurred to anybody that all of
the great announcements from Atari are a smokescreen to cover
up their financial troubles?

ANYBODY can announce anything they dang please.  I think I'll
announce a system based on a VAX 11/780, with 2048X2048 pixels
in 16 million colors, voice response and speech synthesis,
priced at $49.95, to be available later this year.  Wow!
What a deal!

The indications are that Atari will be in bankruptcy court very
soon.  Whether they avoid it or not, a reasonable observer would
have to ask "Where are they going to get the money to design
these great and wonderful machines, when they can't pay the
bills they've already got?"

Talk is cheap.  It's all that Atari can afford right now.

Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug

Message-ID: <280@enmasse.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 11:01:16 EST
Article-I.D.: enmasse.280
Posted: Sat Jan 12 11:01:16 1985
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Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:564 net.micro:9044

[color=blue]>  The indications are that Atari will be in bankruptcy court very[/color]
[color=blue]>  soon.  Whether they avoid it or not, a reasonable observer would[/color]
[color=blue]>  have to ask "Where are they going to get the money to design[/color]
[color=blue]>  these great and wonderful machines, when they can't pay the[/color]
[color=blue]>  bills they've already got?"[/color]

Atari has apparantly sold 600,000 800xl's since the price cut, which is
how J.T. is financing development.

Message-ID: <221@eneevax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 16:27:29 EST
Article-I.D.: eneevax.221
Posted: Sat Jan 12 16:27:29 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 14-Jan-85 04:46:20 EST
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Organization: U of Maryland, EE Dept., College Park, MD
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[color=blue]> Er, um, say folks, but has it occurred to anybody that all of[/color]
[color=blue]> the great announcements from Atari are a smokescreen to cover[/color]
[color=blue]> up their financial troubles?[/color]

This is certainly a possibility. However, I don't think Jack
Tramiel took over Atari to preside over a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
I think he will at least try to make a go of it with his new
68000 machine.

[color=blue]> ANYBODY can announce anything they dang please.  I think I'll[/color]
[color=blue]> announce a system based on a VAX 11/780, with 2048X2048 pixels[/color]
[color=blue]> in 16 million colors, voice response and speech synthesis,[/color]
[color=blue]> priced at $49.95, to be available later this year.  Wow![/color]
[color=blue]> What a deal![/color]

From what I understand Atari has actually shown the machines at
the winter ces. Of course it would be better if someone posted
a review based on hands on experience. Based on the specs that
were posted I certainly think it is possible to design such a
machine. After all a 68000 doesn't cost that much these days and
atari is buying them in volume.  I certainly hope atari gets a
chance to market these machines as it will introduce some much
needed competition into the home computer industry. 
-- 
ARPA:	eneevax!ravi@maryland
UUCP:   [seismo,allegra]!umcp-cs!eneevax!ravi

Message-ID: <828@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Jan-85 13:24:32 EST
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.828
Posted: Mon Jan 14 13:24:32 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Jan-85 01:37:15 EST
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Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:567 net.micro:9055

Re: talk is cheap

I spoke to a local dealer on Friday who was at CES. He said that Atari
was showing a functioning model of the 68000 machine *and* letting 
people touch it and mess around. Atari does have a little more than
just talk going for them. It remains to be seen whether they can do
it at the stated prices, but they have done it in prototype!

I for one hope they can do it. As announced it will be an amazing home
machine. I have one of their glossy handouts -- highlights are:

- 68000 based with 128 or 512K (C$500 and C$700 respectively)
- GEM graphics system (apparently similar to a colour Mac)
- 3 graphics modes - 320x200x16 colour
                   - 640x200x4  colour
                   - 640x400 monochrome
                   - output to tv, composite or RGB monitor
- built in interfaces for hard and floppy disks
- 1 each, serial and parallel ports
- mouse (standard equipment)
- 3 voice music synthesizer plus MIDI interface

All of the above are on their list of *standard* features!


Rick Sellens
UUCP:  watmath!watdcsu!rsellens
CSNET: rsellens%watdcsu@waterloo.csnet
ARPA:  rsellens%watdcsu%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa

Message-ID: <350@rlgvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Jan-85 13:09:52 EST
Article-I.D.: rlgvax.350
Posted: Mon Jan 14 13:09:52 1985
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Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:569 net.micro:9066

[color=blue]>  The indications are that Atari will be in bankruptcy court very[/color]
[color=blue]>  soon.  Whether they avoid it or not, a reasonable observer would[/color]
[color=blue]>  have to ask "Where are they going to get the money to design[/color]
[color=blue]>  these great and wonderful machines, when they can't pay the[/color]
[color=blue]>  bills they've already got?"[/color]

I think that are probably wrong. I read last week that Jack T was seeking
50 million in financing. Apparently the machines has already been designed.
If he managed to find cheap labor and facilities abroad he can likely
begin production. Let's give him a chance. It is far better to encourage
people in their business/financial endeavors than to label them
failures before startings. I hope the ATARI company succeeds.

						geller!rlgvax

Message-ID: <264@terak.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 11:58:41 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.264
Posted: Thu Jan 17 11:58:41 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jan-85 02:36:51 EST
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Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:579 net.micro:9103

[included quotes follow my comments]

I also hope that Atari succeeds.  But it's one thing to hope, and
something else again to (as a bunch of people have) get terribly
excited about wild announcements from a company that is in deep
financial trouble.

Especially when that company is headed by Jack Tramiel.  In the years
that Tramiel ran Commodore, Commodore announced a ton of new machines
ranging from the Max-Machine super-video-game to a Z-8000 based
Unix machine.  They demonstrated prototypes of all of these at
the time of announcement.  The only one they ever produced was
the SX-64 "portable C-64".  And Commodore was even making money!

By the way, "seeking 50 million in financing" is not the same as
"getting 50 million in financing".  And Tramiel would never seek
any outside financing if he had any choice.

We can all hope for Atari's recovery, but in the meantime I intend
to keep my feet on the ground and not get excited about new computers
until AFTER they're on the dealer's shelves.  There'll be plenty
of time then.

--- Quotes:
[color=blue]>  I think that are probably wrong. I read last week that Jack T was seeking[/color]
[color=blue]>  50 million in financing. Apparently the machines has already been designed.[/color]
[color=blue]>  If he managed to find cheap labor and facilities abroad he can likely[/color]
[color=blue]>  begin production. Let's give him a chance. It is far better to encourage[/color]
[color=blue]>  people in their business/financial endeavors than to label them[/color]
[color=blue]>  failures before startings. I hope the ATARI company succeeds.[/color]
......
[color=blue]>  I spoke to a local dealer on Friday who was at CES. He said that Atari[/color]
[color=blue]>  was showing a functioning model of the 68000 machine *and* letting [/color]
[color=blue]>  people touch it and mess around. Atari does have a little more than[/color]
[color=blue]>  just talk going for them. It remains to be seen whether they can do[/color]
[color=blue]>  it at the stated prices, but they have done it in prototype![/color]
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug