🚀 go-pugleaf

In the Jade flyer that came with this month's Byte they have a Genicom
laser printer for $998, about $1300 expanded to a 1.5 MB HP clone.
They've also got the HP laserjet ii for a pretty reasonable price.
Think Atari will announce their laser printer this week?  Just based
on the ads in the magazines I don't see how they could ask for more
than about $900-1000 for their no-RAM model.
What I find most disturbing is the continuing drop in 80286 AT-clone
prices.  The folks across the hall just got several of these cheapies,
and to be fair, they are pretty nice.  Price/performance is easily
comparable to the ST (especially with Atari's higher dealer margins
these days), and of course they offer the ever-popular "standardized
compatibility" (more so than IBM's products!).
It is computer purchase season around here, with dividend checks and
research grants coming in.  The question of the day is "Where can I
buy a 1040 or Mega?"  The answer is "at the nearest authorized Atari
store, for new higher prices."  The response is "Forget it, then...
Atari isn't the only computer company."  The AT clones are popular second
choices, and the Macs (after university discount) aren't far behind.
Funny thing...there were some complaints recently on info-apple about
mail order/discount suppression and high dealer margins (which no doubt
finance their university discounts)...the writers asked if Apple was trying
to become an IBM clone.  Is Atari trying to become an Apple clone?
(If so, let's have comparable university programs from them!)
Sorry, annoyance is breeding fatalism.
Don Rice
FXDDR@ALASKA.bitnet