AtariSociety #1 Posted February 17, 2011 So, what is it about the Atari platform that excites you? Is it a particular hardware, software, user experience, games, pro apps, etc... Just curious what it is about the Atari platform that keeps folks coming back for more and keeping this rather old platform alive. Anyone here actually feel TOS, even at its old age, is still a great OS? I am getting excited about the FireBee and sure hope it sells this year to end-users like myself. I have enjoyed getting back into Atari since I dropped it from use back in the 90s and have been tinkering here and there with them, but just sticking with standard TOS for now. Great booting a computer in seconds! That is what I like about TOS! But, it is not too fun on the eyes in terms of icons or desktop appearance. Maybe one of the newer style OSes would be nice there but I like stock for now. I have been exploring Amiga this last year and must admit, the AmigaOS with multi-tasking was well ahead of TOS at that time. The nice thing is with the current AmigaOS 4.x is it looks quite modern, fast, and appears to have more going for it versus the Atari platform in terms in modern apps running on it. Even with the Amiga web browser behind those of Mac or Windows based web browsers, it seems decent still. Atari really lacks a good web browser. Other than for pure retro fun, the Atari platform seems well behind that of Amiga; at least to me. I much prefer Atari since that is what I grew up with but kind of sad the platform did not continue on to the degree the Amiga line has. They have PPC based systems where Atari does not. Maybe the FireBee will kick that into shape if software makers decide to do something great again on Atari. So, just thought I would see why you all play with Atari. tj Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AstFan #2 Posted February 17, 2011 So, what is it about the Atari platform that excites you? Is it a particular hardware, software, user experience, games, pro apps, etc... Just curious what it is about the Atari platform that keeps folks coming back for more and keeping this rather old platform alive. Anyone here actually feel TOS, even at its old age, is still a great OS?.... Despite my nick here, I don't think that TOS was ever great. Why people comes back ? Mostly from same reasons why comes back with other oldies too :-) What was good, maybe 'great' with Atari ST is that it was pretty powerful machine good for diverse users (general usage): gamers, serious SW, programmers etc. And all it for low price. By me, it was the reason for success until 1990. We have some really great SW for it. TOS self has some stoopid flaws, not much known, discussed. For instance there is some 20 KB of RAM space wasted when running programs from AUTO. Only SW what used it is Dungeon Master. Then, really stoopid case of using extension PRG in AUTO folder DOS compatibility is choosen, but then why they did not make it fully ? Instead, floppy format not same, later patched little. Hard disk: using FAT16, but with different partition table without real reason, + different partition parameters with BGM made it incompatible with DOS. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pixelmischief #3 Posted February 18, 2011 (edited) What makes Atari great for me - 8 Bits, ST's, and the Falcon - is that enjoying them is a cooperative. It requires some faith and a little patience to get to the goodies. Let's face it. The welcome mat is mighty small on these systems and I bet most of us have endured more than a few insults over the graceless face of the "READY." prompt and the GEM desktop in ST low. These systems don't hold your hand. They don't offer a myriad of brightly colored signs to light the way. Indeed, they are not very "intuitive". Well I say, "to hell with intuitive!" I say that "intuitive" is just a generous euphemism for "coddling". And I don't want to be coddled. Coddling costs cycles. And we are short on cycles. So don't waste a single one on the assumption that I suffer from diminished intellect or attention. Instead, give me a bare-bones interface through which I can perform the very few tasks required to configure and maintain the system, and then get it the f$%k out of my way when I am done with it. Give...me...the...metal. 'Cause when that white-haired son-of-a-bitch drags his Gi up over the top edge of one "craggy cliff"... 'Cause when the LucasFilm logo pops onto the screen and the precursor to THX sounds off... 'Cause when the "Obsession Pinball" "Aquatic Adventure" table scrolls smoothly onto the screen and that whimsical music fades in... 'Cause when the "Aggressive Party Invitation" demo ends and settles into that hornet backdrop and ominous tones pour from the speakers... ...I know that I am experiencing something special. I am experiencing the product of genius. It's the genius of the engineers who created the greatest computer platforms to have yet ever existed. It is the genius of the coders who live right down on the metal and are STILL mining video and audio gold out of it. And it is my genius; genius enough to know that the road less- and harder-travelled yields greater reward, if only sometimes for how much I had to put into it to get what I got out of it. That's what makes Atari exciting for me. Edited February 18, 2011 by pixelmischief 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DarkLord #4 Posted February 18, 2011 I've been an Atari user since mid 1982...there's just something about these machines, somehing somewhat indefinable...but its there, none-the-less. They have a heart and soul, and its the whole package that does it for me. I love the hardware, and how many ways it can be hacked, slashed, upgraded, and maintained...I love the personality of TOS, especially the later versions. There's never been a time that I've not turned an ST on, and see the familiar face of GEM/TOS, that I didn't think, "I'm home...". (so to answer one of your questions, yes - I still think TOS is great, for many reasons, small footprint, resource friendly, fast, simple, intuitive, etc, etc) So many little things...the 6" drop to fix chip creep...the history of the Fuji symobol...the first time I booted up Dungeon Master, and it was only on an Atari ST that you could do that (at the time), and was utterly blown away. So many things from the demo scene... so many Atari friends...my half a lifetime investment in a BBS that uses nothing but Atari hardware and software, to this very day... Dear God, if and when I get to Heaven, the computers at the check-in desk will be running TOS v20.xx... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pixelmischief #5 Posted February 18, 2011 Dear God, if and when I get to Heaven, the computers at the check-in desk will be running TOS v20.xx... I bought the first computer I ever owned at my church's garage sale. It was an Atari 800XL with a 1050 disk drive, 1027 printer, AtariWriter Cartridge, and brown vinyl covers for everything. It's funny, now that I think of it. While my church was trying so hard to show me the path to joy in the *next* life, they inadvertently gave me everything I love most about *this* one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynxpro #6 Posted February 21, 2011 How is TOS/GEM not intuitive? It doesn't do anything as asinine as dragging a disk icon to the trash can in order to eject it like Mac OS/Mac OS X. If anything, I've always found TOS/GEM far more intuitive than Windows or Macs. And I'm not even going to dignify the GUIs of Linux in the discussion... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord