They did. I had family that ran a computer store selling Atari 8-bit, ST, and PC clones. They came to the clones too late to have an impact.
Their 8-bit stuff were the best hardware designs. Anything that would have surpassed it went with Jay Miner and the Amiga.
Where Atari really failed was not creating the next gen from the stockpile of money from VCS/2600--waited for the market to crash only to have NES produce the next wave using 6502+Audio Ricoh chip. Their 5200/7800 consoles were too late and expensive.
Almost all my programming foundations were learned hacking on the 8-bit Atari computer. Great times.
> Overall, I’m pretty excited for this. It’s not like I need yet another Atari 8-bit computer since I already have an 800, 800XL, 130XE and (non-working) 1200XL. But those are all 40+ years old at this point and can be fragile.
I have the Atari 400 Mini but I wouldn't mind adding THE 800XL to my collection. I grew up on the original membrane keyboard 400, had an 800 and 1200XL, and collected a 130XE.
Their 8-bit stuff were the best hardware designs. Anything that would have surpassed it went with Jay Miner and the Amiga.
Where Atari really failed was not creating the next gen from the stockpile of money from VCS/2600--waited for the market to crash only to have NES produce the next wave using 6502+Audio Ricoh chip. Their 5200/7800 consoles were too late and expensive.
Almost all my programming foundations were learned hacking on the 8-bit Atari computer. Great times.
> Overall, I’m pretty excited for this. It’s not like I need yet another Atari 8-bit computer since I already have an 800, 800XL, 130XE and (non-working) 1200XL. But those are all 40+ years old at this point and can be fragile.
I have the Atari 400 Mini but I wouldn't mind adding THE 800XL to my collection. I grew up on the original membrane keyboard 400, had an 800 and 1200XL, and collected a 130XE.