=*==*=›       THE EDITOR ON THE SOAP BOX››     To confirm   what   I  have  often›  said, I would like to share with  you›  part  of  a  letter  that  I received›  (name ommitted at  writers  request).›  It reads in part as follows ...››     "Now  for some "ramblings". I read›  with interest your past comments  and›  advice  on not up-grading from XL  to›  an  ST, PC or clone unless needed for›  a particular  reason, such as a   job›  related   work.  I  recently  bought ›  a Macintosh computer for my  work  at›  the University,  (forced    into   it›  actually, as  their standards for  my›  thesis presentation are based on  Mac›  software and  a  Mac  laser  printer,›  for Chemistry Dept. ›  ›     Although I find the Mac  wonderful›  for the purpose I  bought it, I still›  spend  much more time  at  my  800XL.›  Apart  from the old  40 column screen›  drawback,(Ed. An 80 Column upgrade is›  available. A.P.) I don't  think  that›  there is any  application in  general›  computing which cannot   be  achieved›  in practice on the  XL.››     Sure,   the    others   have  more›  colours,  higher res.  graphics  and ›  a more   "professional"   appearance,›  but these things  mean little   after›  the novelty has worn off.››       My  800XL can play  music, print›  newsletters, produce  a  spreadsheet,›  process  words, (word processors) run›  text adventures  and  play  wonderful›  games at a level which should satisfy›  any but the  most  critical,  but not›  necessarily   knowledgable, user. And›  it  is  easy  and looads  of real fun›  to  program! Let's  face it,  the  ST›  or Mac are not liable to push the IBM›  from  the   office,  and  so will, in›  most cases,  be put to the  same  use›  as  an XL/XE, where  its  performance›  will not realistically   be that much›  better,  as to  be  worth  the price.›  difference.››      Why    isn't    the    XE   games› machine  touted  as  a  REAL computer?› Why  must  Atari  always  be  labelled› as a "Games" machine, and  be  treated› with disdain  by the  whole  computing› fraternity?  Where are the 8-bit Atari› magazines?  GONE!  Why  didn't   Atari› outsell   the   much   more  expensive› machines  many years  ago?  Don't  use› the   PIRACY  argument,  as there must› also  be   many  IBM,   etc.  pirates.› I  think  that poor  software  stocks,› lack of  budget titles years ago, poor› distribution of 8-bit computers   such› as  the  130XE   and  lousy  marketing› are  making sure that it is  only  the› Atari  faithful  who will continue  in› this  field,  and they  will   be ever› tempted to make the move  to  IBM,  ST› etc.  I  love my Atari and  I  fail to› see  why  many   others,   child   and› adult,   cannot   sample the  delights› of this wonderful machine, and at such› a  reasonable cost.......›  .......Sorry.  I  got  carried   away› there for a moment"› ›        (Ed. 'Nuff said! Dont  you dear› members get carried away by  trying to› keep up with the JONES!  My  Thanks to› ------- and happy computing to all out› there-- A.P.)›                 *=**=*›››