An article by Brian Walker about his experiences with the new European 8-bit suppliers.¢-----------------------------------¢¢Two foreign firms advertised in the number 56 edition of Page 6 Publishing's New Atari User magazine (June/July 1992). KE-SOFT of Germany and A.N.G.Software of Holland.¢¢A.N.G.were advertising the three back issues of their 8-bit disk 'Mega Magazine' and the latest edition available around 'May/June'. KE-SOFT invited you to send off for their free price list, which I immediately did. It only costs the price of a first class stamp to send a letter from the U.K. to other European Community countries.¢¢From the postmark it seems that my letter took four to five days to reach Germany and the reply eleven days in transit to reach me! Why so long I wonder?¢¢An illustrated brochure arrived which doubled as the order form. All descriptions of the software were in English and prices were in pounds sterling and dollars. Software on offer was a mixture original arcade and puzzle type games but also some P.D. and some older software such as S.S.I.'s War in Russia for four pounds. A bargain! I was tempted and sent off an order.¢¢Since the cost of sending money abroad seems to be so expensive I took a risk and sent cash. In fact a twenty pound note which exactly covered the cost of software and postage and packing. Never ever send coins by post. Besides increasing the cost of postage it is a sure giveaway to any potential thief. It's better to send slightly too much money in notes and maybe ask for a credit off your next order.¢¢Two and a half weeks later a jiffy bag arrived. Again from the postmark it seems that my order was dealt with promptly but the delayed delivery was due to the postal service.¢¢One of the original games, Atomit II, had instructions in German but it was so easy to pick up the gameplay that it wasn't a handicap. War in Russia arrived with original documentation and maps but without the bulky box. Sensible really. So no problems with KE-SOFT.¢¢I also sent off ten pounds cash to Holland for the four issues of Mega Magazine. I sent it off in late May and they still haven't arrived yet two months later. I have sent off a chaser today to see if they received my order.¢¢Postscript:The day after I wrote the above and sent off the chaser my disks arrived! It seems that the delay was due to a combination of 'May/June' becoming 'June/July, a change of address and a break for holidays. So, contact has been established and I will send another order off for software from their catalogue which came with the disks. By the way A.N.G. stands for 'A New Generation'.¢¢The new address of A.N.G. Software is:¢¢A.N.G.Software¢Ridderkerksestraat 60¢3114 RK Schiedam¢Holland.¢¢KE-SOFT are at:¢¢KE-SOFT¢Frankenstrasse 24¢6457 Maintal 4¢Germany.¢
