¢ATARI 8-BIT MEMORIES¢¢with Alan Hitchen¢¢¢MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS¢¢ It is Christmas 1985 and I feel I am being left behind by the revolution in computer technology. I need a home computer, but which one shall I get? Looking about the shops I see that several special offers are available.¢¢ The Tandy Color Computer looks good but is only 16k, so that one is ruled out. The Commodore Plus 4, with its built in software is interesting and I nearly buy it, not realising I would need a disk drive to use the software. But luckily for me it's the Atari 800XL that seems to have the best overall package of hardware and software at the right price¢¢ I made my decision not a moment too soon, as I purchased what seemed to be the last Atari package available in the area. The display model from Currys was removed from the window for me.¢¢ Having got it home, I picked up the manual and got a shock. It was a small booklet masquerading as a manual. The Introduction to Programming cassette was also quickly gone through. I was bemused, was that it? The other tapes provided kept me entertained, but the white heat of computer technology seemed to have passed me by.¢¢ Then I discovered the Atari User mag by chance. At last some real information, things were looking up. I ordered some of the books mentioned in the magazine from my library, my knowledge increased by leaps and bounds.¢¢ However I also discovered that I was not going to be a programming genius. In fact it took me a great deal of effort just to type in and debug the simplest of programs.¢¢ So what about commercial software. No problem. The local outlets had lots, but only a few budget titles were for the Atari, and the tapes took so long to load. What a pity the disk package had been sold out. But in the end I lost interest altogether so the Atari ended up stowed away under my bed.¢¢ Some years later I was reading the small ads in the local paper when I spotted an Atari system for sale with a 1050 drive. Making enquiries, I discovered that the computer was broken, but the drive and software was too good a bargain to miss. My interest in the Atari was rekindled.¢¢ Unfortunately my own 800XL soon decided to become unreliable, and eventually had to be replaced with a second hand unit I picked up very cheaply from the local second hand shop. It was joined by a printer to complete the set up.¢¢ Now, having put together a reasonable working system, I discover that the Atari 8 bit range is, officially speaking, as dead as a Dodo. So I have to rely on New Atari User, remaindered software, the Public Domain, and all the dedicated Atarians who do their best to keep the Atari flame burning, long may they continue to do so.¢¢¢ -----¢¢¢Ed: Do you have favourite (or least favourite) memories of computing with your Atari 8-bit? Why not send them to the usual address so that all Atarians can enjoy your memories with you?¢¢ Send your memories on disk or paper to: NOSAUG, PO Box 10001, Peterhead AB42 6ZN. You'll be offered a free NOSAUG PD disk as soon as your memories are published.¢
