Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!gatech!udel!udccvax1!gdtltr From: gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Gary D Duzan) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit Subject: Latest ZMAG (part 2) Message-ID: <1941@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU> Date: 24 Sep 88 17:06:30 GMT Organization: University of Delaware Lines: 642 ----------------------------- CUT HERE ------------------------------ 770-772 774 776-779 785 989 STBONIFACI 446 STCROIXBCH 436 STILL WATER 430 439 VICTORIA 443 WAYZATA 470 471 473-476 WH BEAR LK 426 429 653 WYOMING 462 City: NEWARK NJ Area code: (201) BAYONNE 339 436 437 823 858 BELLEVILLE 450 751 759 BLOOMFIELD 338 429 509 680 743 744 746 748 783 893 ELIZABETH 289 351-355 527 558 820 965 JERSEY CITY 309 332 333 420 432-435 451 547 626 653 656 659 714 792 795 798 860 915 963 KEARNY 955 991 997 998 LIVINGSTON 533 535 716 740 992 994 MILLBURN 376 379 467 564 912 NEWARK 242 243 259 268 318 344 371-375 399 430 456 465 468 480-485 565 578 589 596 621-624 642 643 645 648 649 690 705 733 824 877 923 926 961 NUTLEY 235 284 661 667 ORANGE 266 325 414 669 672-678 731 736 SO ORANGE 378 761-763 UNIONVILLE 686-688 851 964 VERONA 239 857 City: NEW YORK NY Area code: (212) BRONX NYC 220 231 292-295 298 299 304 305 320 324 325 328 364 365 367 378 379 402 409 430 491 515 518 519 538 542 543 547-549 562 579 583-585 588-590 597 601 617 652-655 665 671 681 711 716 731 733 740 792 796 798 822-824 828 829 842 863 881 882 884 885 892 893 901 904 920 931 933 960 991-994 NEW YORK 205-208 210 213 214 216 218 219 221-223 226-228 230 233-250 254 255 260 262 264-267 269 272 276 277 279 280 281 283 285 286 288-291 296 301-303 306-310 312-316 319 321-323 326 329 330 333-335 337 340 341 344 346-363 368-371 373 374 380 382 385 390-393 395-399 401 404 406-408 410 412-416 418-422 425 427 428 431-433 436 437 439 440 449 451 452 457 458-461 463-469 472 473 475 477 480-490 492 493 495 496 502-506 508-514 517 520-530 532-537 540 541 545 546 550-561 563 564 566-578 580-582 586 587 593-595 598 599 602 603 605-610 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353 356 359 NORRISTOWN 265 270 272 275 277-279 337 350 354 480 531 539 630 631 768 920 962 SWARTHMORE 328 543 544 690 WAYNE 254 293 341 687 688 964 971 WILLOW GRV 657 659 784 830 WOODLYN 833 City: PHOENIX AZ Area code: (602) CHANDLER 732 759 786 821 895 899 940 961 963 GLENDALE 434 435 439 486 543 588 589 841-843 846 848 872 876 878 930 931 933 934 937-939 972-979 LITCHFLDPK 393 849 853 856 873 877 925 932 935 936 MESA 461 464 497 827 830 832-835 844 890 892 898 924 926 962 964 969 NO PHOENIX 371 395 482 493 563 678 788 789 861-864 866 867 869 870 879 942 943 944 971 992 993 995 997 PHOENIX 220-280 285 351 352 370 375-377 379 381 389 390 392 397 433 437 460 468 484 490 495 498 549 551 631 954-957 SCOTTSDALE 391 423 443 451 481 483 494 840 860 941 945-949 951-953 990 991 994 996 998 TEMPE 345 350 431 438 496 730 731 752 756 784 820 829 831 838 AGUA FRIA 546 566 583 584 DEER VALLEY 492 561 581 582 780 PARADISVLY 569 585 FT MCDOWEL 471 837 HIGLEY 987 988 SPSTNAPJCT 373 380 396 891 981-986 City: PORTLAND OR Area code: (503) PORTLAND 220-246 248-257 273-275 279-289 291-295 297 299 323 335 464 721 731 733 760 761 771 774 775 777 778 781 790 796 844 936 City: RTP NC Area code: (919) APEX 362 387 CARY 460 467 469 481 677 CHAPELHILL 929 932 933 942 962 966-968 CREEDMOOR 528 575 DURHAM 248 254 286 361 382 383 470 471 477 479 489 490 493 530 541 543 544 549 560 596 598 620 681-684 687 688 941 990-992 KNIGHTDALE 266 RALEIGH 662 664 733 737 740 755 772 779 781-783 787 790 821 828 829 831-834 836 839 840 846-848 850 851 856 859 860 870 872 876 878 880 881 890 899 976 WENDELL 365 ZEBULON 269 City: SALT LAKE UT Area code: (801) BOUNTIFUL 290 292 295 298 299 COTTONWOOD 943 944 947 DRAPER 571 572 FARMINGTON 451 HOLLADAY 272 273 277 278 942 KAYSVILLE 543 544 546 547 KEARNS 964-969 MAGNA 250-252 MIDVALE 255 561 562 565 566 569 576 MURRAY 261-269 287 RIVERTON 254 SALT LAKE 220 237 321 322 328 350 355 359 363 364 366 481-483 488 521 522 524 526 530-539 570 573 575 578-580 594-596 799 933 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839 840 874 891 893 987 999 SAN FRAN 221 227 239 243 255 264 267 274 282 285 330 333 334 337 338 346 362 386 387 391-399 421 431 433 434 441 442 445 467-469 474 476-478 495 541-546 550 552-554 556-558 561 563-567 576 584-587 597 621 622 624 626 627 641 647 648 661 664 665 666 668 673 681 695 731 739 750-753 755 756 759 761 764 765 768 771-777 781 788 821 822 824 826 861 863 864 882 885 894 896 921-923 928 929 931 936 951 953-957 972-974 978 979 981-986 989-998 SAUSALITO 289 331 332 OAKLAND 265 486 524-529 540 548 549 559 642-644 649 841 843 845 848 849 860 PACIFICA 355 359 RICHMOND 222 223 231-237 374 620 970 SOSAN FRAN 244 266 583 588 589 742 871-873 875-878 952 City: SAN JOSE CA Area code: (408) CAMPBELL 370 371 374 377-379 559 866 879 LOS GATOS 353 354 356 358 395 399 SAN JOSE 221 224-227 234-238 241 243 244 246-249 251-253 255-259 262 263-270 272 274-277 279-289 291-299 365 432-437 446-448 452 453 463 473 491 492 496 534 553 554 562 575 578 629 723 725 727 729 748 765 864 865 920 922-927 942 943 945-947 957 970-974 977 978 980 982-988 993-998 SARATOGA 741 867 SUNNYVALE 245 522 524 720 721 730 732-739 742-747 749 752 756 773 991 992 Area code: (415) LOS ALTOS 941 948 949 MOUNTAINVW 336 691 694 940 960-969 City: SANTA ANA CA Area code: (714) ANAHEIM 239 321 414 490 491 502 517 520 533 535 630 632 635 666 742 743 745 758 762 764 772 774 776 778 956 991 999 GARDEN GRV 530 534 537 539 636 638 663 740 741 748 750 971 HNTNGTNBCH 536 840-843 846-848 960 962-965 968 969 IRVINE 250 253 261 474 476 551-553 559 651 660 726 727 733 752 756 757 786 833 851 852 854 856 857 863 955 975 NEWPORTBCH 509 515 548 631 640 642 644-646 650 673 675 720-723 759 760 ORANGE 282 283 385 516 532 538 633 634 637 639 712 744 746 747 749 771 921 937-939 974 978 997 998 SANTA ANA 241 258 259 418 432 433 475 505 513 531 540-547 549 550 554 556-558 567 568 641 647 648 662 664 665 667 669 691 708 730 731 751 754 755 775 832 834-836 838 839 850 953 954 957 966 972 973 977 979 SILVERADO 649 WESTMINSTR 372 890-898 CYPRESS 220 229 236 503 527 761 821 826 827 828 952 995 FULLERTON 441 447 449 519 525 526 680 732 738 773 870 871 879 992 City: SEATTLE WA Area code: (206) BELLEVUE 451 453-455 462 562 641 643 644 646 746 747 865 SEATTLE 223 224 234 281-286 292 296 322-326 328 329 340 343-346 358 382 386 421 441-443 447 448 461 464 467 522-527 543-545 547 548 583 587 621-626 628 632-634 655 682 684 721-723 725 727 728 762-764 767 772 781 782-784 789 932 935 937 938 947 948 953 955 969 972 977 982 986 989 991 993-998 BAINBDG IS 842 BOTHELL 481 483 485-489 788 DES MOINES 824 838 839 874 878 941 946 HALLS LAKE 670 672 742 743 745 771 774-776 778 ISSAQUAH 391 392 KENT 395 630 631 657 773 852 854 859 872 KIRKLAND 820-823 827 828 867-869 881-883 885 889 MAPLE VLY 432 RENTON 226 228 235 237 251 255 271 277 656 RICHMNDBCH 542 546 SEATTLE AD 232 233 236 SEATTLE NR 361-365 367 368 SEATTLE SR 241-244 246 248 394 431 433 575 City: ST LOUIS MO Area code: (314) BRIDGETON 232-234 291 298 344 731 739 777 895 FERGUSON 521 522 524 595 FLORISSANT 831 837-839 921 KIRKWOOD 821 822 957 965 966 LADUE 432 567 569 694 872 991 993 994 997 MEHLVILLE 487 892 894 OAKVILLE 846 OVERLAND 423 424 426-429 RIVERVIEW 388 867-869 SPANISH LK 355 653 741 ST LOUIS 231 235 241 247 261 263 277 289 321 331 342 351-353 361 362 367 371 381-383 385 389 421 425 436 444 454 481 531 533-535 539 542 544 553 554 571 572 577 578 621 622 631 638 644 645 647 652 658 664 679 721 725-727 746 747 752 768 771-773 776 781 823 826 829 832 848 854 855 862 863 865 879 889 941 963 964 969 973 982 WEBSTERGRV 961 962 968 ANTONIA 942 CHESTERFLD 532 891 CREVECOEUR 275 434 469 576 851 878 EUREKA 938 FENTON 343 349 HARVESTER 441 928 HIGH RIDGE 671 677 IMPERIAL 464 MANCHESTER 227 391 394 MAXVILLE 296 POND 458 PTGDESIOUX 899 SAPPINGTON 525 842 843 849 ST CHARLES 946 947 949 VALLEYPARK 225 Area code: (618) E ST LOUIS 271 274 337 482 GRANITE CY 451 452 797 City: TAMPA FL Area code: (813) TAMPA 221-229 231 232 234 236-242 247 248 251 253 254 258 259 264 272 273 276 286 287 289 620-623 626 628 671 677 830-832 835 837 839 840 870-879 882-889 931-933 935 960-963 968 969 971 972 974 977 978 980 985 988-990 TAMPA EAST 653 654 681 684 685 689 986 TAMPA NO 948 949 973 996 TAMPA SO 633 634 641 645 TAMPA WEST 854 855 920 City: WASHINGTON DC Area code: (202) WASHINGTON 223-226 228 232-234 244 245 252 254 259 265 267-269 272 275 282 287-289 291 293 296 298 324 326 328 331-334 337 338 342 343 346-348 357 362-364 366 371 373 374 376 377 382 383 387-389 392 393 395-399 404 426 429 432 433 447 452 453 456-458 462 463 466 467 472 473 475 477 479 483-485 488 523 526 529 535 537 539 541-547 554 561-563 566 574-576 581 582-584 586 592 597 613 623-626 628 632-639 646 647 651 653 655 659 662 663 665-669 673 675 676 678 679 682 686 687 692-697 707 714 722-728 732 737 745 746 752 755 756 763 767 775 778 783-786 789 797 822 825 828 829 832 833 835 837 842 844 857 861-863 865 872 877 879 882 885 887 889 895 896 898 928 936 939 941 943 944 947 954-957 962 965 966 991 994 996 999 Area code: (301) ASHTON 421 570 774 854 BERWYN 206 220 286 344 345 369 441 474 552 595 688 935 937 953 982 BETHESDA 227 229 295 320 365 380 469 480 492 493 496 530 564 571 650 652 654 656 657 680 897 951 961 986 BOWE GLNDL 249 261 262 390 464 470 621 629 794 858 970 973 CAPITOLHTS 336 350 420 423 449 499 568 599 702 735 736 763 899 925 967 981 CLINTON 238 297 372 856 868 888 GAITHERSBG 330 540 869 926 963 972 977 990 HYATTSVL 277 306 322 341 386 422 436 454 459 559 577 699 731 772 773 779 851-853 864 927 940 985 KENSINGTON 230 231 443 460 468 649 770 871 881 929 933 942 946 949 984 LAUREL 490 497 498 596 604 725 776 LAYHILL 236 384 598 890 924 989 MARLBORO 627 952 OXON HILL 248 283 292 505 567 630 753 839 843 870 894 ROCKVILLE 217 240 251 258 279 294 299 340 353 424 428 590 640 670 738 762 840 921 948 975 983 SILVER SPG 270 394 427 431 434 439 445 495 520 565 572 580 585 587-589 593 622 681 891 930 980 Area code: (703) ALEXANDRIA 274 325 355 360 370 379 548 549 550 553 578 660 664 671 683 751 765 768 769 780 795 820 823 824 836 838 875 931 960 971 998 ARLINGTON 235 243 247 276 284 329 358 461 486 521 522 524 525 527 528 557 558 643 684 685 739 756 799 841 845 850 892 920 922 954 974 979 BRADDOCK 250 266 278 830 DULLES 661 ENGLESIDE 339 440 455 781 FAIRFAX 239 242 246 260 264 273 280 323 425 487 591 631 691 733 758 759 764 834 934 978 FLS CHURCH 222 237 241 256 321 354 442 448 451 482 532-534 536 538 551 556 560 569 573 641 642 644 658 698 734 749 750 847-849 866 874 876 883 941 HERNDON 263 378 391 430 435 437 444 476 481 689 826 860 LORTON 690 MCLEAN 285 351 356 761 790 821 827 893 VIENNA 255 281 352 359 385 450 471 478 620 648 938 968 ``````````````````````````````````````` GEnie Confrence Highlights ``````````````````````````````````````` Please note that this confrence has been edited and displays only the highlights we feel are most important. For the full transcript of this confrence, read issue #52 of ST-Report, or download directly from the ST area on GEnie. ============================================================================ (C) 1988 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May be reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on GEnie are *official* information services of Atari Corporation. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN. The system will prompt you for your information. =========================================================================== <[Holly] HS> Okay... welcome to our formal conference with some of our favorite Atari folks. You all pretty much know how this runs, but for those who don't.... if you have a question you'd like to ask, use the /RAI command to raise your hand and get into line. I will ack your raise with a private message and tell you who you'll follow so you know. I'll also try to give you some kind of warning when you're time is about to come up. When you're through with your question, please let me know via some kind of ack like GA (Go Ahead) or something... it makes things a little easier. Also, please remember that Neil and John are my guests tonight. Please treat them accordingly. *smile* In two weeks, we have Charles Johnson of G+Plus fame scheduled for a formal. I hope you'll make it... <[Holly] HS> Let's start by having each of our guests introduce themselves and let us know just what they do at our favorite computer company... *grin* <[Neil] NHARRIS> Sure. I've been with Atari Corp. for 4 years now, in a variety of roles, including publishing Atari Explorer, heading up PR, user group support, online support, advertising, product marketing, and sales for the east coast. My current assignment is with the Federated stores, specifically to bring them into the computer business. ga <[John @ Atari] TOWNS> I have been with Atari Corp for almost a year now. I work in the Technical Support Dept and handle a wide variety of tasks. Everything from Online support to Shows to Technical Support on the phones during the day. It makes it quite an interesting job and I get the opportunity to meet alot of interesting people. ga <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> I've been with Atari for almost three years. I was the first technical support guy at New Atari, and then I moved into other things, like shows, West Coast Editing of Atari Explorer, Internal and Developer documentation, and various product development stuff, making sure New Things are Good Things. ga <[David F.] D.FAIRWEATH1> Neil, does Atari have a definite strategy for increasing the ST's market share in the U.S. and will we see that strategy implemented before the ST becomes obsolete? Ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> Before implementing any strategy, the issue we're facing is product availability. We have been living from hand to mouth for some time now. The DRAM chip shortage hurts, because we prefer to hold the line on pricing and that limits how many chips we can buy and how many machines to make. Right now, the lion lion's share of the computers are going to Europe, to keep the hottest ST market in the world supplied. Once we can get more machines built, the US will get our fair share. At that point a strategy can be implemented. ga <[David F.] D.FAIRWEATH1> O.K. but is there a defined strategy already in waiting for that eventuality? gaga <[Neil] NHARRIS> Any strategy is time and market dependent. If we had machines to sell last year, we had a strategy ready. If we have machines this year, we have a strategy, but not the same one as last year, because the product is more mature now, with more and better applications, and because the market changes. Next year's strategy is likely to be different again. ga <[David F.] D.FAIRWEATH1> O.K. one last point... I think that when the time comes you should push the fact that with hardware and software emulation the ST is 3-way compatible with Mac and IBM. GA that's all. <[Neil] NHARRIS> I agree... as a selling point it is important. But when people buy the hardware, I know they'll find enough fine ST-native software so the compatibility issues are not a factor. ga <[Rick] R.GRIDLEY> Mark, do you have any comments on the 3rd party development of the 16mhz board? <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Not really...I'll have more to say when I see one. <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Last I heard, it was still being worked on... ga <[Rick] R.GRIDLEY> Neil, do you think that Atari owners are more concerned with the status of the parent company than other computer owners? ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> I think it is reasonable to be concerned with the company which makes your computer, particularly in the case of a custom operating system. Apple users are concerned with Apple. I doubt that most clone owners care much about their company, they watch IBM. Overall, it is healthy, because the company steers the future development of the product to a large extent. Atari welcomes user inquiries and constructive criticisms, and we act upon them more frequently than is widely known. We love ya, honest we do. ga <[Rick] R.GRIDLEY> Ok, (Grin) thanks and thanks to John with helping me with a problem about a year back. I am done thanks Hollyhuggs, Neil 1. Any truth to the rumor that the laptop will be available by the end of the year? 2. IBM or MAC compatability is a _major_ factor NEIL. The portability of office<-->home is a great selling feature. And _we_ have a choice of the _best_ that is available in software to do the job at hand. ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> Any announcement of new hardware will have to wait for Comdex, sorry. Shipping times, too... <[Neil] NHARRIS> I agree that it is an important selling factor, but we won't let that overshadow the need for continuing development of TOS programs.] ga Atari users are prone to say.. I love _MY_ Atari, but I don't know if I love Atari.... We all know we have the greatest personal computer available...you folks at Atari do to.... so who's job is it to tell the others? ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> Mainly ours, of course. But, from a BUSINESS perspective, which is the only perspective that our boss takes, you have to look at the return on any promoting we do. Right now, we sell every computer we make. We'd love to have enough computers to sell where we would have to advertise in order to move them all. So, in the meantime, the grass roots, meaning the Atari community, has the main role. ga <[Darek] DAREKM> My question is a rehash of one already asked, but, why _not_ push the compatibility issue? The Mac, PC, and Atari 800 compatibility would interest a lot of people. Afterall, the 130XE looks very much like a 520, yet Atari rarely mixes ads of 8 bits and STs. However, you look in most Atari user group newsletters, and they mix the two computers all the time. Earlier tonight I was demoing my 8 bit drive to ST interface to a group of about 30 8 bit users (no ST users in the gruop) and about 1/4 of them indicated that they've thinking of getting an ST. When I showed them 8 bit software booting off an Indus GT, they all indicated they are _more_ interested. Wouldn't it be a great way to upload a lot of 520s and single sided drives, by having some kind of upgrade policy for 8 bit users to upgrade to the ST. I know you're short of DRAMs, but with the RAM of a Mega 4 you can unload 8 520s. ga oops, I meant to say "unload", not "upload" <[Neil] NHARRIS> The Mega uses 1 megabit DRAM chips. The ST uses 256K-bit chips. So, making a Mega does not impact production of ST's at all. There has definitely been a solid trend toward 8-bit Atari users moving up to the ST. But to reiterate, it is difficult to justify from a business sense, promoting a product when we don't have enough to satisfy the current demand. ga <[Darek] DAREKM> The 8 bit users indicated that one of the reasons that they'd like to upgrade is because the 8 bit software market is dead. I just see it as a great opportunity to get these potential ST owners before they get tired of waiting and buy a non-Atari 16 bit product. ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> I don't know how to sell our chairman on giving a special deal to anyone, even our most favorite customers, at this time. ga <[Norm] N.RECHTMAN1> Are there any plans to make a laser printer with more memory for 1040 users? and how about a desk jet copy? ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> I think a better answer is for 1040 users to get more RAM. The reason for that is this: if you have RAM in the laser printer, it ONLY helps you when you are printing. If you put it in the computer, then it is available for other jobs as well. 4 megabytes comes in mighty handy when you are spreadsheeting, or doing a Cyber animation. I am not aware of plans for an ink jet printer from Atari, but again, we are not here to announce products tonight. ga <[Norm] N.RECHTMAN1> that was just a suggestion. I would really like to see PC hardware addons ga Three cheers for Atari taking the bull by the horns and making plans to move production back to the US of A!!! Neil, can you tell us how things are progressing with the proposed plant in Houston? ga <[Neil] NHARRIS> Well, our negotiating team is still terrorizing the folks in Texas. We expect some news shortly, but at the moment, nothing new to report at this time. ga <[Dan] GRIBNIF> I have two questions: First, what is the current status of the CD ROM? ga <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Most recent I heard is that we're trying to get some good applications together... Makes more sense than saying "Here's a CD-ROM player. Go to Tower Records and buy some CDs. Have a good time." It would be nice if there was something to _do_ with it first. ...so we're working on it. ga <[Dan] GRIBNIF> Is that the only setback? Does it work with a Laser and HD yet? <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Yes. And headphones. :-) <[Dan] GRIBNIF> <[Neil] NHARRIS> There is a driver for the CD ROM that lets it be read by TOS applications as if it were a really big drive. You can open it from the desktop and read files directly. So now it is a fairly simple matter of getting software which reads the databases on the CD ROM disks and does something with it. ga <[Dan] GRIBNIF> (I was reffering to the rumored problems with other DMA devices) <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> I know several people with the setup you described. <[Dan] GRIBNIF> ok, thanks. The other question is one that Neil probably saw in my letter to Info-Atari16... I was curious as to how normal users (not developers) will be notified of TOS 1.4... <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Skywriting, blimps, dancing girls...(sorry, I couldn't resist.) and if they will also be provided with an "official" way of reporting bugs. ga <[John @ Atari] TOWNS> <[Mark @ Atari] MJANSEN> Well, it's like this... People will find out through magazines, etc. And dealers will know about it. The plan is to polish up a little program we've got here that is used for developers to submit bug reports, and release that to the public too. <[Neil] NHARRIS> Through the dealers, primarily. And through all the communications at our disposal. <[Dan] GRIBNIF> "through magazines, etc??" Atari Explorer is still reviewing things that came out 8 months ago as NEW! <[John @ Atari] TOWNS> I believe that the information will also be published in the User's Group newsletter as well (Right, Neil?) <[Neil] NHARRIS> Like I said, through all the communications vehicles at our disposal. I tend to think the Atari community is very well wired together. ga <[Dan] GRIBNIF> ok, now THAT's more like what I wanted to hear <[Dan] GRIBNIF> yes, I tend to agree. Sorry about that comment a second ago sounding a bit huffy. ga. (sic. EOF)