Smed's View
                        by Dan Mazurowski


     I was talking the other day with a friend of mine (an  Apple 
IIgs owner) who made the the statement that everything that isn't 
Apple or IBM is "just a toy". Like any self respecting Atarian, I 
got defensive.  Seems as long as there have been computers, there 
has  been  fierce loyalty and prejudice  among  computer  owners, 
insisting that their machine is the only "real" computer and  all 
other makes are "toys" or "garbage."

     As an Atari owner,  I've heard my share of unfounded insults 
cast  toward my machine,  and cast plenty of similar  insults  in 
Aardy's defense. (Aardy is short for Aardvark, my ST's nickname.) 
But  I  am turning over a new leaf.  As a  professional,  I  must 
recognize that Atari is not the only good computer.

     Blaspheme,  you say? No, just the plain truth. Even though I 
will probably never own an IBM clone or an Apple,  they are  well 
designed and,  for the most part, well built machines. (There are 
some clones which are actually assembled in peoples apartments -- 
I  shudder  at the thought of reading a label  stating  "Made  at 
Dave's house".) I am the first to admit the Amiga is an excellent 
computer, it just doesn't fit my needs.
 
     Still,  there  are plenty of others out there  without  such 
open minds. All I ask of you is to show some common courtesy when 
I say I own an Atari.  Just remember that IBM and Apple have both 
abandoned  some of their machines along the  years,  they  aren't 
perfect  either.  And  is buying a computer from a  company  that 
makes video games REALLY any worse than buying one from a company 
that makes typewriters?