==(((((((((( == Z*BREAK  Z*NET SPECIAL REPORT  Issue #91-39
       =========(( === ...........................................
       =======(( ===== ..LIVE REPORT FROM THE GLENDALE ATARIFEST..
       =====(( ======= ...........................................
       ==(((((((((( == .....September 14, 1991....................
 
                           Edited by Ron Kovacs
                          Reported by John Nagy
 
 
 This is a transcript of a live GEnie ST RT conference where John Nagy
 reported on the first day happenings at the Glendale Atarifest in
 California.
 
 The show had better attendance then was expected and vendors are sorry
 they didn't bring more to the show.  Atari held a seminar along with
 David Small of Gadgets by Small and Nathan Potechin with Calamus SL.
 
 The following has been edited and any additional information not part
 of this live conference is in brackets. []
 
 Special thanks to Darlah Pine, GEnie ST RT Chief Sysop for her
 assistance!

  
            THE Z*NET LIVE REPORT FROM THE GLENDALE ATARIFEST
 
 (C) 1991 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari RoundTables.  May
 be reprinted only with this notice intact.  The Atari RoundTables on
 GEnie are the *official* information services of the Atari Corporation.
 To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem in HALF DUPLEX) 800-638-
 8369.  Upon connection, type HHH  Wait for the U#= prompt.  Type
 XJM11877,GENIE and hit RETURN.  The system will now prompt you for your
 information.
 
 
 <R.KOVACS> Hi there, I am waiting for John Nagy too!!  Shoud be around
 shortly!
 
 <DARLAH> Great!
 
 <R.KOVACS> I am going to call..  I will be here but not here in a
 minute...
 
 <R.KOVACS> John is on the phone!!!
 
 <R.KOVACS> Attendance today is near 2000!
 
 <R.KOVACS> Bob [Brodie] left early this mornig and Bill Rehbock held the
 Atari seminar...Sooooo much news was discussed it is going to take 4
 issues of Z*Net to get it out.
 
 <DARLAH> Ask him if our GEnielamp writer was doing his poll..
 
 <R.KOVACS> As far as John know yes...

 <R.KOVACS> New Story #1
                 The TT is class B as of this week!
 
 News Story #2

 FSM GDOS starts shipping today at Glendale show as part of the WordFlair
 package.  It will be available seperate within weeks at dealers.
 
 The STBook was shown at the show, and it is going into production
 already.
 
 <DARLAH> How was it received?
 
 <R.KOVACS> Very well, they were alot of oohs and ahs...  Very Sexy sez
 John!  The STBook has a 10 hour battery life.
 
 <[Larry Rymal] LRYMAL> How much for the STbook?
 
 <R.KOVACS> Around 1800.oo with hard drive.
 
 <DARLAH> what size drive?
 
 <R.KOVACS> The hard drive for the Book is 40 meg will larger available
 later.

 <E.JOLLEY> Does the STbook have a floppy drive?

 <[Larry Rymal] LRYMAL> Has it been FCC certified, yet?  (ouch!)
 
 <R.KOVACS> News about Falcon and the future of the 1040, but you will
 have to read ZNET for that one sez John.
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> Ron, any hints to a show stealer for Fall comdex
 to go agains the Apple 040 machines?
 
 (Job 6)<R.KOVACS> Non hinted
 
 <R.KOVACS> Bill Rhebock spoke for 1 hour 1/2 and there was not a dull
 moment during it!

 <DARLAH> How was sales at the show so far?
 
 <R.KOVACS> The stylis (ST Pad) will be at Comdex.  Vendors are
 complaining that they didn't bring enough product!
 
 <DARLAH> How were the other seminars attended and who spoke?

 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> will STpad (or book for that matter) be for
 sale at Comdex
 
 <R.KOVACS> ST Book will be for sale only at Comdex.
 Attendance and sales well over this point last year!
 
 <[Dave] D.SHORR> Have the winners of the STe Demo Contest finally been
 announced?
 
 <R.KOVACS> Real production for the book with pick up after xmas ...
 The STPAD will be under $1200.00.
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Was FSM GDOSD available for sale?
 
 <DARLAH> with Wordflair
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> After Xmas? Silly?
 
 <R.KOVACS> FSM only available if you purchased WordFlair.  Consumer
 packing is NOT ready yet.
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> Pad $1200...Book $1800
 
 <R.KOVACS> Yes

 <R.KOVACS> John Tarpinian is on cloud 2300000202054054543000
 
 <DARLAH> I bet he is
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Ron ,does that mean that current owners of WordFlair
 can buy it from Goldleaf?
 
 <R.KOVACS> John will take questions for 5 minutes now!
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> That leaves little room for the other clouds
 ;-)
 
 <DARLAH> How did the other seminars go and who spoke?

 <R.KOVACS> The seminars total 3, Bill Rhebock spoke with James Grunke,
 #2 was Dave Small, doing Neil Young again, and the third in progress now
 is Nathan and Calamus SL and all were HEAVILY 100-200 people in each!
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> John Nagy....be sure and notice the T25 at the
 San Diego user group booth, and the TURBO030 at the Computer Network/
 ISD booth.
 
 <R.KOVACS> John has noticed it and it is running!

 <DARLAH> great show it appears like......very good news
 
 <DARLAH> How does Jim's piece of work look?
 
 <R.KOVACS> He hasn't seen it up close but will take a close up look
 later...
 
 <E.JOLLEY> Is Stalker supposed to be better than Stealth?
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> Ken, is Gribnif still accepting upgrades? (if
 they are, are they doing it at the show?)
 
 <R.KOVACS> Stalker is SUPER!  

 <E.JOLLEY> How much is Stalker running for?

 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> The exhibitors were a little annoyed.  They were
 selling out of stuff. <G>
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> $40.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Not sure about Gribnif....  Stalker (think.. $49.00)  any
 other questions!
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> The udgrade is $25. I think.  At the show it's $40.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Any other questions for John Nagy?

 <DARLAH> Are they seeing brand new users at this show?  Or just die hard
 Atarists
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> Yes. I think there are more music people around.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Not sure.....
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> Any hints for Multitasking tos?

 <R.KOVACS> Earth Wind and Fire (the group) was at the show shopping as
 was Jim Hotz and other music and screen stars..
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Yes, for John: to what do you attribute the success
 of the H.A,.C.K.S. show after a series of less than wonderful turnouts
 earlier in the year?

 [ We missed this question originally and have passed it along to John
 King Tarpinian to answer.  Look for his comments on this successful
 show in the next regular edition of Z*Net ]
 
 <R.KOVACS> Unknown on the STE contest
 
 <R.KOVACS> No multitasking at the show but there is a new TOS.
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> WHAT new tos??? :-)
 <G.RICHARDSO1> What new TOS is that?
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> A 2.05 that fits in the old machines.
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> MultiGem was showing their stuff at the show.
 
 <[Larry Rymal] LRYMAL> Which old machines?  Mega STs and older?
 
 <R.KOVACS> The big change [in the new TOS] is the way it starts up...
 Perhaps 2.05 , not sure, John needs more info!

 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> John, is it correct that FSM GDOS requires the use
 of XCONTROL?  How does this impact owners of TOS below ver 2.x?
 
 <R.KOVACS> The st-book is already Type C  [ This was a tying error ]
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> STs as in all the older machines.
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Are we talking new ROMS here?
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> The Book is the best peice of work Atari's done
 in years...way to go Tracy!!!
 
 <R.KOVACS> To properly operate FSM yes, it also requires 2 meg or more
 to get the full features!
 
 <R.KOVACS> New ROMS, yes
 
 <E.JOLLEY> What does FCC type C mean?
 <[Dave] D.SHORR> When will the ROMs be available?  $$$?
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Any release date on the new ROMS?
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> Usable on an Airplane = Class C
 
 <R.KOVACS> ST Book is type B not C my error (Rons)
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> Can the old ROMS be patched with software?
 
 <R.KOVACS> ROMs, not announced, but except for using them in upgrades
 the difference is insignficant.
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> Any marketing Blitzes scheduled?????
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> How much meory is it theoretically possible to stuff
 in a Mega or an older ST?
 
 <R.KOVACS> If you are using them in an ST you do not need the change. 
 
 <R.KOVACS> Marketing plans are magazines near xmas, no TV.
 
 <G.RICHARDSO1> WIth TOS 2 in an older machine you could get up to 15
 megs of RAM to live in a Mega.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Computers don't sell on TV, image sells on TV, says Mr. Nagy
 
 <E.JOLLEY> Which magazines?
 
 <R.KOVACS> Publishing and Music and Computer magazines
 
 <[Go Auburn!] J.COLE18> Will there be enough machines in the US for an
 Xmas Ad blitz?

 <E.JOLLEY> Well which computer magazines, just Atari mags?
 
 <R.KOVACS> Any blitz will be co-op, the machines are here and they are
 ready!

 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> Mark is running Avant Vector and Dynacadd on it.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Dave Small is relaxing after his seminar...
 
 <R.KOVACS> Mark Booth is selling the buttons for $3.00, people have
 tried to pay him more.. They say ST-REPORT, with the universal NO over
 it!
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> ;-)
 
 <E.JOLLEY> Geez, that's not very original.
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> I guess Ralph stayed home?
 
 <DARLAH> yes, Ralph did not attend

 <R.KOVACS> Ralph Mariano is not in attendance it is a very up crowd!
 
 <R.KOVACS> He wouldn't have felt at home.  :-)
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> Diamond Back now works with Mega STE's.
 
 <R.KOVACS> Closing comments
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> The DJ Utilities will be upgraded in the middle of
 next month.

 <R.KOVACS> Everybody is thinking smaller this year.  Glendale is the
 first sign that this type of thinking is wrong.
 
 <[FAST TECH] J.ALLEN27> Anyone showing Matrix video boards?
 
 <G.RICHARDSO1> Did Gadget's anounce a ship date for SST?
 
 <R.KOVACS> John is leaving and thanks you for appearing here!
 
 <DARLAH> Thank you!!!
 
 <R.KOVACS> Color pictures are coming!
 
 <R.KOVACS> AtariUser's October issue was also distributed.
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> Codehead ran out of Multidesk Deluxe.
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> They only thought they would sell 20. They ran out of
 50 in the first four hours.
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> I don't think I ever did get an answer to my question
 about the factors behind the success of the show.
 
 <[anthony] A.DIPIETRO> Any news on Jaguar?? :)

 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> The CDAR 504 was there. It looked pretty good.
 
 <[anthony] A.DIPIETRO> Did the big Ts make an appearance?
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> T"s?
 
 <[anthony] A.DIPIETRO> is the 504 ready for sale?
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> The 504 is that not the older CD ROM?
 
 <[anthony] A.DIPIETRO> Tramiels
 
 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> No one mentioned them.
 
 <[jdb] JOE.WATERS> What was the model number on the CD-ROM that they
 refused to sell?
 
 <[anthony] A.DIPIETRO> how much (for the 504)

 <[Ken] SFRT-ASST> Around 4-500?

 <R.KOVACS> any news tomorrow, John will pass it along.
 

 Please note that this has been edited down from the original capture
 and answers to some questions did not occur although they are listed
 here.  We missed them either by scrolling off or simply missing them
 altogether.
 
 John Nagy was NOT attending the conference live.  He reported over
 the phone and I typed as fast as possible.
 
 If there is more information worth reporting on this weekend, we will
 issue an additional report, till then look for a full eyewitness report
 in Issue #91-40 of Z*Net Online.
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                              Z*BREAK #91-39
                  Copyright 1991, Rovac Industries, Inc.
        Transcript Copyright 1991, Atari Corporation, GEnie ST RT
 =======================================================================