Issue 1

Dec 82/Jan 83

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Atari slashes prices..... again! The 800 has had a massive £100 price cut bringing the R.R.P to £399.99 including Basic. Time to trade in?

Latest availability rumours..... are that early December will see the last shipment of 400's to retailers this year and supplies are short. Seem that somebody thought that we wouldn't be spending any money this Christmas!

A couple of books to look out for early next year are Compute's Book of Atari Graphics and Computer Animation Primer published by BYTE/McGraw - Hill Books. The Compute! book promises to be very interesting whilst Computer Animation Primer contains some excellent Atarl material, particularly featuring GTIA. No news yet as to availability but we hope to review both books as soon as they are available in the U.K.

Atari will be bringing out a ROM Cartridge of Defender early next year which looks excellent. There are rumours however that an even better version has been written, but Atari has the rights!

Spinnaker is a new range of educational software that has been specially developed to help youngsters learn while having fun. It will be distributed here very shortly by Calisto Software Ltd.

PAGE 6 hopes to extend the idea of 'Public Domain' programs to this country. Certain authors in the States are happy to allow their programs to be published and used or amended by all. The only proviso is that you cannot sell them and should give due credit when they are used. Let us hope this splendid idea catches on - we look forward to hearing from all budding authors and programmers out there - share your ideas with other Atari Enthusiasts.

Scott Adams comes to U.K.

Adventure International (UK) Ltd., is to be set up in mid January by Mike Woodroffe of Calisto Computers Ltd. The company will be based in Birmingham and will have full facilities for manufacturing the entire range of Adventure International Software. The packaging will still be brought in from America but the tapes and disks will be manufactured here meaning that for the first time U.K. users will be able to buy software at a price compatible with the U.S price. Only VAT will need to be added to what should be a straight sterling - dollar equivalent.

In addition to manufacturing there will be an in-house software development team to develop and market 'home-grown' software. As well as developing their own software they will be offering facilities for users to submit programs for possible inclusion in their range with good royalties and the chance of full distribution both here and in the States. This will be the first major opportunity for UK written software to be distributed on a major scale in the U.S.A.

There will of course be full technical back-up for all Adventure International products and the latest programs should be available at the same time they are released in the States. The U. K. has up to now been slow to develop the software side of the business for the major home computers but this new venture should bring an enormous surge of interest.

Scott Adams himself will be coming to the U.K. shortly for a promotional tour and we look forward to welcoming one of the most well known 'names' in the computing world. PAGE 6 will be bringing you an interview if we can tie him down long enough! 

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