From: rost@tecrus.dec.com (My name is Brian Rost)
Subject: Re: a blurb
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 11 JAN 93 09:24:01    


In article <1993Jan11.015110.13461@bsu-ucs>, 01mbmccabe@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu writes...
>P.S.  Why are the only people who actively promote the clones _I know_, the
>ones who are able to hook up with _pirate copies_ of the hard-drive munching,
>processing-time gobbling software they rave about?  I reckon a large number of
>people would sing a different song if they _had_ to play by the rules.  Not to
>mention they wouldn't be able to afford to fill those bulging hard-drives their
>shiney new system sports.

Hear hear.  I'm currently "on hold" relative to purchasing any more Atari
stuff (should have bought that damn Mega STE last summer instead of deciding to
"wait" for Falcon).  On the *hardware* level, I could buy a clone or Mac for
even or less money than a new Atari BUT then the software investment would be
prohibitive (never mind that my printers are useless with a Mac).  At least
with a new Atari platform, I can run what software I own without having to
upgrade immediately.

I should mention:

	1. I still do not have a hard drive, I just added an outboard floppy
	a few months ago, for years I was a single floppy user.  Both my 520
	and 1040 have no extra memory.

	2. I still use 1st Word (not even Plus) because it works for what
	WP tasks I have.  I did ALL my grad school papers on it plus wrote
	a number of magazine articles.  The magazine, BTW is published on an
	ST. 

	3.  I do not play games on my ST, I do not do my own programming.
	I *do* run MIDI applications, do WP, balance my checkbook and maintain
	mailing lists for my bands (i'm a semi-pro musician).  

	4.  The one application I would like to add is DTP.  I'm holding off
	for now but there are certainly acceptable applications today for 
	the ST, and they are affordable both new or used. 

	5.  I bought almost ALL of my stuff used, since there are no local
	dealers but a good user's group near where I live.  I bought two CPUs
	(a 520 and a 1040), mono monitor and a bunch of SW for total investment
	of about $600. The only *new* hardware I have bought was a color tube
	(the TV resolution was hampering the kids from using some of their
	software).  

So it has been a VERY cost effective solution for me, I have no complaints. 
Yes, I would like to be able to go to a local dealer and upgrade my system over
time but it's not like my machine has become useless.  I am an engineer by
trade and have worked with everything from IBM machines running punch cards to
workstations including CP/M, VMS, UNIX, DOS and Macs. For home use the ST works
great for me which is all that counts, I suppose.  But as I said earlier, no
more $$ from me unless it's an emergency need or Atari starts showing some life
again.


					Brian Rost @tecrus.enet.dec.com

					508-568-6115

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