🚀 go-pugleaf

 (neubert@cuphub.cup.edu) wrote:
OS/2> In article <72259@cup.portal.com>, Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes:
OS/2> > Gordon Farrell asks:
OS/2> > 
OS/2> >>What did Atari ever do to you to get you so rabid?
OS/2> > 
OS/2> > Basically, and essentially, Atari Corporation, under the
OS/2> > management of the Tramiel family took a promising, leading-edge,
OS/2> > fresh approach, user friendly, and very hopeful computer system,
OS/2> > and for all intents and purposes, ruined it.
OS/2> >  
OS/2> > In the process, they also affected the lives and livelihoods of
OS/2> > a lot of people who tried very hard to support the Atari computer
OS/2> > line, a lot of whom were, and are, my friends.
OS/2> > 
OS/2> > Perhaps one of the worst things they've done, again and again,
OS/2> > is to raise false hopes among those who still support them and
OS/2> > their computers.
OS/2> > 
OS/2> > I've been involved with Atari computers since the Warner days,
OS/2> > and I've supported Atari computer users all that time.  I'll be
OS/2> > among the last group out the door when they turn out the lights
OS/2> > whenever that might be, too.

OS/2> *VERY* well said, Bob.  Though not a developer, I was an early user...
OS/2> and "believer...yes, I'm using my 1MB 1040STf right now.  But after
OS/2> watching Atari shaft Shiraz and many other good people, I now only read
OS/2> this group for a good laugh.  However, I had to give Bob some support.

I'll throw in my support as well.  How many of you guys remember when
Bob Retelle was one of Atari's biggest boosters on GEnie back in the
mid 80's?  In spite of all his whippings at the hands of those 
bumbling buffoons in Sunnyvale, he still seems to spend a significant
amount of time on this group helping out pigeo...um...new users with
problems and such.

It is truly a sign of things to come when you see the Baggetts, the
Retelles, the Johnsons, the Eisvogs (I know I didn't spell that right)
and yes, even the Darek Mihokas and Ignak Kolenkos disappear from
the Atari scene.  These guys often went above and beyond the call
of duty to get out quality products to the Atari community.  Let's
face it, there's no reason for these talented people to hang around.
There's no money in supporting Atari products and there's not only
minimal support from Atari for developers, but they even go so
far as shitting on the few knights of the Fuji table who are still
around.

Atari's balance sheet and sales are the laughing stock of the computer
world and Wall Street.  Their products are not even close to
being on the cutting edge of technology anymore, nor are they a
good bargain (once you add a usable amount of memory, disk, and
a decent monitor to it).  It has gotten to the point where Atari
could start selling a capable machine (perhaps a 68040-based Falcon)
and they wouldn't be able to find anyone to write software for it.

The fat lady is taking a deep breath and preparing for one hell of
a song.  Start saving up those Atari stock certificates, they'll
soon make great kitty litter.  Actually, that would be a great
idea for you militant disaffected users.  For $20 bucks
you could buy enough Atari stock (at about one dollar a share)
to make a respectable amount of kitty litter.  Let your cat use
it for a few days and then start mailing it to Sunnyvale.  :-)

Cheers,

Chris

--
Christopher Mauritz                 | My views reflect those of my
ritz@ritz.mordor.com                | company since I own the company.
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