<<->><<->>› AN EDITORIAL, from FUTURA› ISSUE # 10, November/December 1993› (This editorial was written by S.J.› Murray, Editor of NOSAUG, Scotland,› and a member of OL' HACKERS. It› should give us all food for thought.› A.P., Editor for OHAUG.)›› THE YEAR IN PROSPECT› (A BLUEPRINT FOR SURVIVAL)› by Stuart J. Murray.›› It's becoming a regular› occurrence at this time of the year› when we say the following year will› be crucial to the future survival of› our beloved 8 BIT system. However, I› have to say that 1994 will TRULY be a› very important year for the Atari 8-› bit community!› Why? Well, the user base has› steadily decreased since Atari› abandoned us a couple of years back. › This is understandable; afterall, if› the parent company shows no interest› in the system, the run-of-the-mill› computer user will inevitably move on› to another, more popular system.› By now, most of us will know› somebody who has moved onto the ST,› Amiga, or PC. I know of four Atari› 8-bit users who have done so this› year alone! Our user base is not a› bottomless pit! Unless we are very› careful, we will eventually hit rock› bottom. I don't enjoy writing about› such a gloomy subject but it must be› said! Only by facing the problem can› we tackle it head on, and SURVIVE!!› To maintain the current size of› our user base I feel that the› following factors are vital:›› (i) The wide availability of Atari 8-› bit hardware, especially computers,› drives, printer-interfaces and power-› packs! This can only be done by › supporting the remaining sources of› new hardware such as CSS and BEST› ELECTRONICS, AMERICAN TECHNA-VISION,› SAN JOSE COMPUTERS, as well as› smaller suppliers, e.g. (in EUROPE)› Peter Mattock, Gralin International› and Derek Fern. Also, by supporting› ATARI CLASSIC and Page 6 we can use› the buy an sell column, and the› Contact column as hardware mini-› markets.›› (ii) Low-cost, high-quality software!m› Only by offering quality software at› low prices will we keep our user base› interested in the system. Users will› compare their Atari 8-bit to other› systems. If they see the software on› the Atari 8-bit as being of good› value when compared to other systems,› they will stay with us! If software› developers and suppliers charge high› prices we will loose many users!›› (iii) An international forum for› Atari 8-bit users. Publications such› as Page 6, Atari Classics, Zong,› News-Disk, Ol' Hackers Newsletter,› ACPC, TWAUG, Mega-Mag, and, of› course, Futura must be supported! We› need to have the ability to› communicate as an international user› base!›› (iv) A local forum for Atari 8-bit› users. This is very important! You› might call this the front-line of the› battle! If we can keep Atari 8-bit› users interested on a local level,› they will obviously see no reason to› move onto another system. Whether› it's a user group or a collection of› friends, we must keep in touch with› each other on a local level. We need› to know that there are other Atari 8-› bitters out there!›› This is where the user group› comes in. Most people see a user› group as a small group of computer› friends who meet every week-end to› discuss new happenings in the world› of computers. Atari 8-bit user› groups may have been like this in the› past but today they must organize› themselves on local, national and› international levels!› NOSAUG is a very informal user› group. This was always my intention› when I started it back in 1991. › There are no elections for positions,› no weekly meetings, no voting› procedures, etc. This just wouldn't› work today, in my part of the world!› The Scottish membership is spread› throughout the country - east, west,› north and south! There are also many› members in England, Wales, Northern› Ireland, Eire, Europe, North America› and Australia. There are well over› 100 members now and the vast majority› are non-local! Yes, there are local› NOSAUG meetings but they are› generally informal gatherings of› three or four Aberdeen-based members.› The local Aberdeen membership numbers› only six people! However, whether› it's six or sixty, it doesn't really› matter because it's the enthusiasm› and dedication that counts!› Stay in touch on a local level. › If you don't know anyone, advertise› in your local newspaper. › Stay in touch on a national› level. Use the pen, telephone and› car to stay in touch with fellow› Atari 8-bitters in your country.› Stay in touch on an international› level. Write to users in other› countries to let them know that there› are 8-bitters all over the world› dedicated to the cause! Chack out› the ads in Page 6 Contact and Atari› Classics.› (Editor- Stu forgot to mention BBS's,› such as THE MACHINE (516) 764-5748,› and NEW NEST (516) 234-4943, L.I. USA› and commercial ones like INTERNET,› GENIE, DELPHI, etc., which are great› ways to STAY IN TOUCH. A.P.)›› The bottom line is...› IF 8-BITTERS ARE UNITED,› WE WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED!›› Stay in touch and support your› local, national and international› Atari 8-bit community!›› Stu.› [][][][]›