New Atari User - my history¢---------------------------¢¢The first time I ever saw 'Page 6' (as it was then called) was back in 1987. I was walking around a shop called 'Atari World' wondering what cassette to spend my hard begged-for cash on (no disk drive in them days!) when my eyes just happened to rest on the magazine rack and their before my eyes was a magazine dedicated to the Atari computers. I had never even heard of 'Page 6' before this time and the only magazine I bought regulary (but not every month) was the old 'Atari User'. Anyway the magazine was the last on the rack and it showed! Something rather strange had happened when printing and cutting the magazine and the first few front and back pages were actually smaller than the rest of the magazine. I thought this was intentional at first until I realised that some lines from the type-in listing 'Ants in your Pants' were missing.¢ Well, undaunted, I bought the issue and took it home to read. Was I impressed! The magazine was absolutely brilliant and in my opinion knocked spots off 'Atari User'. I can't explain why but it just seemed to feel better than 'Atari User' ever did.¢ After this I would impatiently wait for the next issue of the magazine (just why wasn't it monthly?!) and when it was due out I'd make the trip into town to buy a copy. This happened for a few issues until I saw Les Ellingham pleaing for people to make a commitment to 'Page 6' and subscribe. I decided this was what I'd do and whilst I was at it I bought all the back issues that were available (back to issue 20). If anything, after subscribing, the wait between each issue seemed to get longer but this of course wasn't true!¢ Everything was fine and dandy for quite awhile but then suddenly my copy didn't arrive when due. I waited for a couple of days and then, thinking it had gotten lost in the post, I 'phoned 'Page 6' to tell them. Unfortunately I was wrong and the reason the issue hadn't appeared was because 'Page 6' were in a bit of financial trouble and had had to postpone the issue.¢ This was a great blow and I honestly thought I'd seen the last of 'Page 6' but thankfully it wasn't to be. The magazine bounced back and carried on, more or less, the same way as before. The Editor was again asking for our financial support via the Accessory Shop and so I decided to order a few PD disks that I'd had my eye on for quite awhile. I also got a free copy of 'Pokey Player' (which I originally thought was a card game!) for spending over a certain amount so you may remember this?¢ Everything rolled along as normal until it was announced in 'Atari User' that the magazine was to merge with 'Page 6' for the new 'Page 6 Atari User'. What this basically meant was that 'Atari User' was to cease and live on only in name. The new magazine was just 'Page 6' with an added title. True, it did have a few of the old 'Atari User' columns in the 'first' issue but we didn't see anything else from the old 'Atari User' except for a few 5-Liners.¢ Again, everything rolled along for a short while and then came another name change. 'New Atari User' was born in the effort to grab more attention on the shelves. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't, but it wasn't long before the magazine was available through 'order- only' and later through the old system of subscribing.¢ Issue 59 brought along another shock. Maybe the colour cover was no longer necessary as the magazine wasn't available on the newsagents shelves but the new cover looked tacky and cheap. Also this issue seemed to have an extremely poor content but maybe the cover gave me such a shock that I wasn't expecting much?¢ Issue 60 was, in my opinion, one of the best issues for a long time, with a nice mix of articles and programs. I'm sure Les could scour the Public Domain for a better game than 'Ten Pin Bowling' though!¢ The thing that surprised me the most about issue 61 was the fact that I wasn't expecting it! I just heard a rather loud plop at the front door and when I went to see what had been posted I noticed tha familiar transparent cover. It did quite shock me actually because I'm usually looking forward to the magazine a couple of weeks before it is due.¢ So, does 'New Atari User' have a long lasting future? I think so. The Atari 8-bit users of today are the last in the line. The people left are the people who love their Atari 8-bit and wouldn't sell up for the world. Many will (and have) upgraded to bigger and better (?) machines but they don't get rid of their Atari 8-bit. For example I have recently bought an STe but I use my 8-bit more than it on a ratio of about 5:1.¢ Thus, if 'New Atari User' can survive with present day sales there is no reason why it shouldn't survive for quite a few years to come. Of course a lot depends on the quality of articles but, in fairness, it is rare to see a poorly written article in the magazine. Most are of high quality.¢ Well, I have waffled on a bit haven't I? Sorry about that but I hope you enjoyed reading the 'Page 6' history as it relates to me.¢¢John E. (TEBSF)¢
