From: poehland%phvax.dnet@SMITHKLINE.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: ATARI CLASSICS: UPDATE
Date: 2 Oct 92 23:04:44 GMT

**********************     A T A R I   C L A S S I C S    **********************
TE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDA

     Well, I've been keeping kinduv a low profile the past few weeks.  With
good reason: I've been hard at work on the Premier Issue of Atari Classics.

     Our first issue will be 32 pages cover-to-cover.  It will be distributed
for free beginning Oct. 10 (the kickoff of our subscription drive) at the WAACE
AtariFest in Reston, VA; and it will contain a subscription form in the back
(we will even take VISA/ MasterCard!).

     I just received the proof copy of the Premier Issue a couple days ago.  It
looks nice by any standard, but actually it's a miracle considering the 
unbelievably short time that elapsed between the time AC started from nothing
(August 5) till the copy deadline of Sept. 19.  I mustah been plumb crazy to
think I could locate & hire a staff of 15-20 people, get them to write stuff,
solicit ads, & throw together a professionally printed magazine in six weeks.

     Fortunately, as most of you know- I *AM* crazy- which is probably why AC
is now rolling forward with irresistable momentum.  The magazine is now at the
printer, & latest word from our Publisher is that it will be ready early next
week.  I'm now biting my nails to the quick wondering if the 500 issues I'm
supposed to distribute at the Fest will arrive before I depart for Virginia on
Oct. 9.  Lotsa fun, waiting.  Gee, what's that gnashing sound?  Wups....  my
teeth again.

     We'll start officially accepting subscriptions the week of Oct. 12.  You 
can still get on our mailing list for a FREE complimentary copy of the Premier
Issue by sending your POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS to:

               ATARI CLASSICS
               179 Sproul Rd./Rt. 352
               Frazer, PA  19355  USA

We prefer that you should get our magazine in your hands first.  If you like it,
just snip out the subscription form in the back, fill it out, & send it in with
your payment.

     Up till this year I was just a simple research chemist; this Managing 
Editor stuff is new ground for me (I'm still a chemist, only now I do Editor
stuff at night).  During that final week prior to the copy deadline our vendor
community had a feeding frenzy.  If you guys out there think you're desperate
for an 8-bit magazine, let me tell you our vendor/developer community is just
as desperate.  Consequently, the Premier Issue ended up being something like
30% advertising.  And we didn't even try very hard.

     Now, for issue #2, I'm working with our Advertising Editor to blitz every
known 8bit developer/vendor to let them know we exist 
& are offering low commercial ad rates.  The ad solicitation campaign will kick
off the same time as our subscription drive.  It is AC's intention to rattle
every cage & breathe new life into the corpse of every 8bit vendor we can dig
up (which is what we might have to do for some of them!).

     Provided vendor support for the magazine continues strong- AND if we get
a strong response to our subscription drive- well, um... mumble, mumble...
>cough, cough<, maybe our Publisher will let us go to 40 pages for issue #2 ???

     Stay tuned, everyone.

      - BEN POEHLAND
        Managing Editor,
        ATARI CLASSICS
        "The Magazine for the Dedicated 8-Bit User"

*******************************************************************************