--------============>>>>  A T A R  I  ›C L A S S I C S   <<<<============----›---  -----=====>>   A  New   Magazine ›for   the   8-Bit   Enthusiast  !!!   ›<<=====----- ››  Greetings Fellow Atari 8-Bit Users!  ››     My name is Ben Poehland, and  I'm›pleased  to  announce  that I shall be›serving as Managing  Editor  of  Atari›Classics    (AC),   a   new   magazine›exclusively devoted to the Atari  8bit›user.  If  you are among the thousands›who have bemoaned the recent  loss  of›nationally  distributed magazines that›once sup- ported your  beloved  8-bit,›I'm  here to add a ray of hope to your›8bit future!›     The philosophical orientation  of›AC-  incorporated  in its Manifest- is›to be a magazine "of, by , and for the›Atari  8bit  user".   Unlike  previous›8bit  periodicals,  the  content of AC›will directly  reflect  the  expressed›desires   of   the   user   community,›especially   as  recorded  during  the›Mail-In Campaign conducted January 15-› May  2,  1992.   The magazine will be›staffed   by   members   of  the  user›community, and  its  content  will  be›drawn    entirely    from   the   user›community.›      Unicorn   Publications,  already›well-known for its  outstanding  Atari›Interface  Magazine (which covers both›the ST and 8bit markets),  has  agreed›to provide publishing services for AC.›AC   and   AIM   will  be  essentially›independent   publications,   and  the›addition of AC to Unicorn's stable  of›products will not affect AIM's present›subscribers.  One of the  many  unique›arrangements concerning AC is that its›actual day-to-day  operation  will  be›largely  in  the  hands  of  the  user›community  rather  than the publisher.›Whatever "flavor" we decide to give it›will be entirely our own.›     Atari   Classics   represents   a›unique  experiment  in  the history of›the   Home  Computer  Revolution  that›began in the  mid  '70s.   With  Atari›Corp.'s  cessation  of support for all›products beginning January  1992,›an  entire  class  of  machines with a›global installed user  base  numbering›in  the  hundreds  of  thousands   was›abandoned  along with the community of›users who still use them.  But for the›first  time, a rejected user community›has   marshalled   its  resources  and›declared   its    right    to    exist›independent  of  Corporate America. We›respond to Atari's challenge in a  way›that would make our forefathers proud:›by rolling  up  our  shirtsleeves  and›doing the job ourselves!›     This  will  be YOUR magazine.  AC›will succeed- or fail- on  the  number›of  subscription  orders it receives. ›Although   seed  money  to  print  the›Premier Issue has been  provided,  the›magazine    will    need    500   paid›subscriptions to  succeed.  A  limited›production  run  of  800   issues   is›scheduled  for  October  or   November›1992.    Most   of   these   will   be›distributed- FREE OF  CHARGE-  to  the›roughly  600  people   who   sent   in›commitment  cards  during   the   Mail›Campaign.›     That's right: if you sent in your›card,›     YOU WILL GET TO  READ  THE  FIRST›ISSUE  FOR  FREE  BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO›BUY.›     (When was the last time you saw a›deal like THAT???)›     Of  course, there were some folks›who got missed in the  Mail  Campaign.›So  we  ordered  up  those  few  extra›copies  which will also be distributed›for free.  First  come,  first  serve,›please  don't block the stampede!  You›can write to:››              Atari Classics ›          179 Sproul Rd./Rt. 352›          Frazer, PA  19355   USA ›   ATTN: B. Poehland, Managing Editor››to have your name added  to  the  list›for  a free copy of the Premier Issue.›(No guarantees, and be sure to include›your  postal  mailing address!) If you›sent in your Campaign card it will NOT›be  necessary  to  request  your  free›trial  issue,  as your name is ALREADY›among the LUCKY 600!›     The  basic  subscription  fee  is›$25/year  in the USA, with higher fees›for   Canadian   and   other    non-US›subscriptions.    Full    details   on›subscriptions   will   appear  in  the›Premier   Issue    and    in    future›announcements.   Beginning in 1993 the›magazine will be distributed bimonthly›(6 issues/year).›     A  software disk bearing programs›published   in   AC   plus    selected›offerings from the Public Domain, will›be available separately for $9/year in›the  USA. The disk will be distributed›independently but  will  be  timed  to›appear  with  every other issue of the›magazine (3 disks/year).  Full details›on disk subscriptions will also appear›in the Premier  Issue  and  in  future›announcements.›     The  content  of  Atari  Classics›will  initially   lean   toward   user›applications,  hardware  tutorials and›modifications, programming, and  soft-›ware reviews.   We plan to agressively›recruit  paid  commercial  advertising›from   scarce  8bit  vendors,  and  to›publish periodic lists of current 8bit›supply sources.›     Best  of  all,  PAID  subscribers›will  be  able to place FREE ads in AC›to buy, sell or trade  their  personal›8bit  treasures!   (But of course, yah›gotta SUBSCRIBE first!)›     And, we'll have a whole bunch  of›other  stuff,  contributed  by some of›the most talented writers and  hackers›in  the  Atari  8-bit  world,  authors›whose  names  you've  seen gracing the›pages of ANTIC, ANALOG, Current Notes,›and Atari Interface Magazine.  (You'll›notice not very many details there- we›wanna pique your imagination!)›     As  of  this announcement (August›5, 1992)  only  a  few  of  the  Staff›positions  at AC have been filled.  We›are starting completely from  scratch,›but    anticipate    most    of    the›administrative machinery for operating›the magazine will be in place  by  the›end  of August and production begun on›our  Premier  Issue.   (We'll  need  a›month to get used to working with each›other  in an environment of near-total›chaos!)›     And when you see that first issue›appear in your  mailbox  this  autumn,›IT WILL BE  YOUR TURN  TO  DECIDE  THE›FUTURE  OF YOUR MACHINE !!››Please    post/copy/distribute    this›announcement freely,  and  stay  tuned›for future announcements !!!                                                    ›