🚀 go-pugleaf

> ***********just in case something gets the munchies************
> 
>     There have been a number of comments concerning Atari selling the ST in
> general merchandise stores at a lower price than in the computer specialty
> stores.  Some have stated that this makes the 520ST a 'toy' computer.
> 
>     You can develop gigabytes of software, but, if there is no one to buy
> it, what is the point?  Atari sold the ST in specialty stores at the lowest
> price it could to build a base of developers and cash flow.
> By selling in general merchandise stores at a lower cost,
> Atari makes the product available to home users (as opposed to developers).
> This will mean more money in everyone's pockets and an enormous library of
> off the shelf software for *all* ST owners.
> 
>     Of course there are a number of people, many of them developers, that have
> already bought 520ST's for $799 or $999.
>  If this change in marketing policy by
> Atari is going to work, these people will have to be appeased also.  If the
> dealers are going to get a 1 meg ST for the same cost as the 520ST the current
> owners should be provided the upgrade at no, or minimal, cost.  And, if a DSDD
> drive is put in the dealers package, current owners should be able to trade up
> to the DSDD drive or in some way be compensated.  This appeasement is necessary,
> I think, because many of the current owners are developers.

I agree with the basic premise that those who have been buying the ST initially
have been primarily developers.  Those developers can get be "appeased" best
not by rebates for or "free upgrades" but by getting help from Atari in getting
their software (even some of this "public domain stuff") onto the shelves of
stores like K-Mart.  The profits from software sales to non-developers
would pay for the new machines several times over.

I mention "public domain" because their are those who would rather "buy
it off the shelf" than get it off of compuserve, because it is hard to
find what you are looking for on a 300 baud modem.  I've seen a "public
domain" ram-disk on this net, and seen the same basic package sold over
the counter for $15.  It sells well as an "Impulse Item" that doesn't
require a lot of "pitching".

Perhaps Atari will put an "electronic software store" on-line via
telenet or something so that shoppers aren't paying $6.00/hour to "Read
the Ads", but they could Buy the Software for $6-$20 using their VISA.
The Software could be down-loaded, just like any other bulletin board,
but the documentation, micro-floppy... could be sent via regular mail
or picked up at a local "specialty store" in two or three days.
Of course they could still pick up $1-$2/hour for "just browsing" and
still be a "Nice Place to Shop".