From: JJMCWILL@MTUS5.BITNET (Jeff McWilliams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: comp.sys.atari.8bit.archive
Date: 20 Dec 92 16:36:49 GMT
Organization: Computing Technology Services, Michigan Technological Univ.

I have to agree with Michael Current, somebody did a poll a while ago
to start a news grous for Atari 8 bit binaries, and the results seemed to
indicate that there aren't very many readers using this newsgroup.
But there does seem to be indications that people on Compuserve and GEnie
who don't have diret Internet access are receiving and reading the
Digests, which is a good thing.

I'd like to suggest that rather than lobby for a new newsgroup, you consider
backing one or both of the following ideas:

a. do like Michael says, post the articles here, and have them stored in
   a programming/tutorial directory at Atari.archive.umich.edu.

b. Support Atari classics magazine.  This magazine is being run by
   loyal-to-the-bone Atari 8 bit enthusiasts.  While we recognize that
   we'll never achieve the heights that Analog Magazine had, with
   terrific columns like Bits 'N Pieces, Boot Camp, Ask Dr. Forth, etc.
   providing our readers with the things you mentioned is one of our
   primary goals.

Regarding program development:

Personally, I don't think we need any more Arcade Shoot Em up games.
There have been several of these released in the last 3 or 4 years,
and Software Infinity carries quite a few imports that are quite new.
Frankly, I haven't heard any stories of heards of people flocking to
buy up these games.

On the other hand, ChromaCAD XE from what I heard really sold well.
Both the company that created it and its distributor, was it B&C?
couldn't keep it in stock when it was first released.

Going from this evidence, I think the market is in new and innovative
products, not more games.  Daisy Dot III is another product that I'll
site here as being one of those truly innovative products.  It was a
must have for me until I (unfortunately) upgraded to my 24 pin printer.
I keep hoping somebody will be doing a 24 pin version.  Incidentally,
I just received a letter from some IBM PC development company, who
is selling a similar program.  It resides in the PC's memory, and
makes any dot matrix or Ink Jet printer act like  a Hewlett Packard
LasterJet printer.  The samples of output, even on the 24 pin and
9 pin printers is quite amazing.  I suspect that if this product gets
some good press in the PC magazines, it will become quite popular to
the PC user who can't afford to blow 800 to 1600 bucks on laster printer
technology.  Atari Classics prints a wish list in the magazine, so
you can look there for more ideas, and here are a couple more of
my own.  We don't need another word processor, unless it's something
really special, maybe mixing the Bells and Whistles of Paperclip with
the macro capability of Textpro version 5 and the 80 column output of
Atariwriter 80 or Turboword 80.  How about a new B/Graph?  One that can
import data from a spread sheet application, and prints graphics that
are better than the old Graphics 8 screen dumps.  We STILL don't have any
kind of 2-d CAD program, or a schematic design program. For me, as an
engineering kinda guy, these are a must.

Well, time for me to stop rambling on, hope I've given at least a few
people food for thought.

Jeff  McWilliams
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit