¢ IBM---NOT FOR HACKERS!¢ or¢ WHY STAY WITH YOUR 8 BIT!¢¢ I know that there are probably many Atari computer hackers who think that they have outgrown the Atari and should move up to a "real" computer, such as the IBM. Well, I have access to both an Atari and an IBM and, after using both extensively, I think you should reconsider!¢¢ Consider the following list and see what you think:¢¢(1) The IBM is extremely expensive. The basic system --without a disk drive and with a monochrome monitor is close to $2000. Also, believe it or not, you must buy DOS separately, for about $100! The whole computer is useless without it!¢¢(2) Graphics extra. Wonderful graphics capabilities are built in on the Atari, but to get them on the IBM, you must buy a graphics card around $500.¢¢(3) Unfriendly DOS.!! IBM DOS doesn't even have a menu of commands that can be called up! You must keep the manual handy at all times.¢¢(4) No syntax checking in BASIC. The computer will accept anything as long as it begins with a line number! You won't find out about your errors until you run the program.¢¢(5) Limited string capability. Your strings can be DIMensioned to any length, but string functions, such as MID$, only work on strings up to 255 characters.¢¢(6) The IBM is a memory hog. I had the opportunity to use the IBM Pascal compiler. After typing in a short ten-statement program, I attempted to compile it. I received the message "compiler out of memory." At the time, I had 128K RAM and two 320K double-sided disk drives. The program had filled an entire disk!¢¢Also, why does a mediocre word processor on the IBM take 128K, when a great one on the Atari only needs 16K?¢Good question, NO?¢¢ Maybe now you'll look at your good OL' ATARI in a new light. The IBM may be a great business machine, but it is far from a hacker's dream.¢ Sincerely,¢ James Haque¢ Randolph, NJ¢¢(An excellant analysis, that happens to agree with all of the OL' HACKERS! Editor)¢¢-----------------------------------¢I also agree with this analysis. I have used many machines, ranging from a crummy ZX81 through to a DEC mainframe. In fact, the news-disk is put together using the DEC, various IBM PCs, and the Atari, but I like the Atari best!! All the final editing is done on the Atari using good old Atariwriter. Editing on the DEC is a bit of a no-go area, what with having to struggle with Unix and horrible editors. The PC is better, but Wordstar (word-processor) is a pain to use (even after a years course on it!) and MS-DOS is not the best DOS in the world. The Atari gets the thumbs-up from me!¢¢As well as the PC's faults listed above, I have another moan about it. Sound, or rather acute lack of! One channel sound, barely usable with horrible reproduction from tiny speakers built into the PC. A "SoundBlaster" card has to be bought (100quid) to get it to produce sound anywhere near as good as the Atari.¢¢The Atari wins for me!¢Dean Garraghty, News-disk editor.¢
