🚀 go-pugleaf

I thought this letter was rather interesting; however, I didn't write 
this letter and, therefore, can't take responsibility.

The letter came from GEnie Information Services.

   How do _you_ feel about STReport? Do you think they editorialize or
   report information? Why?


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December 1992


 TO:  Bob Brodie, Atari Corporation
      Dorothy Brumleve, President - IAAD
      GEnie FEEDBACK
      Darlah Potechin, Atari ST RT
      Members of the GEnie Atari ST RT
      STReport

 RE:  STReport - My vote of no confidence (my opinions as well)

 FM:  Walter S. Wilson (WALLY.W)

 History:   ST  Report  (Silicon Times Report) is  an  electronically
 distributed  weekly E-Mag.

 The Publisher/Editor is Ralph Mariano; who  also owns  ABCO Computer
 Electronics   "Full Line Dealer & Mass Storage" [1].   ABCO runs  an
 average  8,677  byte  advertisement in each ST  Report  issue  (this
 constitutes an average of five to seven percent of ST Report).

 ST Report has historically editorialized (reported) from the, "Atari
 is  trying to pull a fast-one" point of view,  and has a  record  of
 stretched facts,  contradictions, and bullying folks who disagree or
 take  issue  with things they print.   DoubleSpeak  is  ST  Report's
 native tongue when pressed on most issues.


 Onward:    Recently,  I've  made  myself  aware  of  all  the  major
 complaints  against  ABCO Computer Electronics (also known  as  ABCO
 Computer Consultants).   There are many,  in fact, nearly as many as
 were lodged against Zephyr/etc.

 Recently,  I've seen STR (ST Report) writers ("editors")  harassing
 the Atari ST RT sysops and others who might call them on the  carpet
 for numerous issues.

 Issues such as...

      STR's Non-accountability to its reader base

      STR's extremely lop-sided reporting of Atari-related items

      STR's apparent agenda concerning Atari and Atari supporters

      ABCO's "FREE" advertising in a pay area on GEnie via STR

      Valid complaints about non-delivery of products from ABCO

      STR's "quiet" stance in this issue concerning ABCO

      The obvious conflict of interest concerning STR, Mr. Mariano,
      and ABCO

      STR's unwillingness to actually report items that are public
      domain (FCC item regarding Class B for the Falcon030) [2]

      STR's vindictiveness towards people who point out these things

 ST  Report's  Publisher/Editor  has an area on  GEnie  that  is  for
 letters  to  the editor of STR.   Many issues of great  concern  are
 being  touched on in this Topic,  yet the  Publisher/Editor  doesn't
 address a single item.

 This  same Publisher/Editor (who owns ABCO),  has a bad rating  with
 the  Better  Business  Bureau  in his  home  state,  has  many  very
 unsatisfied customers,  has a FREE FLAG on GEnie in the ST RT,  gets
 free  advertising for his company under the guise of an E-mag  in  a
 GEnie  pay  area,  and is completely aloof concerning any  of  these
 complaints.

 It appears to me and others in the Atari community that Mr.  Mariano
 is not "supporting" anything in the Atari community - except  gossip
 and bad business practices.

 To add to this debacle,  his senior writer ("editor") is akin to the
 "front  line"  in  his  GEnie  defense  squad,  and  nothing  posted
 regarding  Mr.  Mariano  gets  past  Mr.  Pulley  (either  with  his
 "official" STR stance or his "my own opinion" stance).

 It's  gotten this ridiculous...   In the ST Aladdin  RT  Mr.  Pulley
 states  as  a fact that he _is_ leaving STR after the first  of  the
 year.   Then in the Atari ST RT he and another STR writer ("editor")
 quibble over the fact that he said, "may be", and really hasn't made
 his mind up.  This is just the beginning of the doublespeak in these
 issues.   Who are we to believe;  the ST Aladdin RT Lloyd Pulley, or
 the Atari ST RT Lloyd Pulley?

 STR  writers ("editors") continue to harangue Atari Corporation  and
 Atari users in general over this Falcon FCC Class B approval.   This
 is after these writers were told where the information was (that the
 FCC had the information - which makes it public domain).   They (STR
 staff)  are still trying to convince the world that Atari is  trying
 to hide something...in the face of publicly available information to
 the contrary.

 Thanks  to  Lloyd  Pulley,  posting under  both  his  own  "personal
 opinion"  and his "official STR opinion" we've seen this  incredibly
 drawn  out harassment over  "interpreting the rules" in the  ST  RT.
 Simply  because  he  didn't like the  fact  that  his  objectionable
 message  got deleted...now he's on this personal vendetta to  police
 us all to death to make his point.

 I remember when STR covered the Zephyr computer store's questionable
 business dealings.   They did in in their best hybrid 20/20-National
 Enquirer  fashion,  and pulled absolutely no punches.   Now ABCO  is
 involved  in the very same type of questionable  business  dealings,
 and  still graces the pages of STR with no (I repeat,  NO)  scathing
 editorializing...   As  a  matter of fact,  hardly a  peep  at  all.
 Obviously  ABCO  is  receiving some sort of favoritism  due  to  the
 relationship  it  has with the Publisher/Editor  of  STR.   This  is
 hardly an "independent" publication we are talking about...hardly  a
 credible   source for  unbiased  information.  This  is  an  obvious
 conflict of interest.

 Even  further  back  (and on several subsequent  occassions)  I  can
 remember  STR's scathing stance on mail-order places,  and how  they
 hurt  real  dealers.   If  ABCO is advertising in an  E-mag  that  I
 receive in Sitka, Alaska, and they offer me ways of ordering through
 the mail...doesn't that make ABCO a mail order outfit  also?   These
 contradictions are rampant in STR's colorful history.

 What I have the biggest heartache with is this:   These people  have
 free reign in the ST RT.   They have free flags, and this gives them
 unlimited  online  resources  to  continue  this  kind  of   abusive
 activity...and apparently Atari Corporation and GEnie and the ST  RT
 approve  since they (STR and its staff) are allowed to do  all  this
 and still maintain free flags without being accountable to any of us
 for what they do, say, sell, advertise, etc.

 Sincerely,
 Walter S. Wilson


 [1] STR No.8.50, December 18, 1992  under dealer listings
 [2] STR No.8.51, December 26, 1992  STReport Confidential
    Class 'B' Certification Aye -Nay?

 The author retains all rights to this letter.  It may be used freely
 provided it remains intact and unedited in its complete form.