You know, I have been rethinking this whole
issue. If you improve the system with everything we stated before, it just would no longer be a compatable Atari.
If someone DID make a new Atari clone the
only things that should be improved are all
the things that SHOULD have been put in the XL line starting with the 1200XL to improve the maching but keep it compatable NAMLEY;
Dump the self-test garbage and use that 4K block of empty OS space for;
a) Native 80-colum support in the OS.
b) A few new Graphics modes.
c) An improved ANTIC and GTIA that added
a native 640x200 mode for 80col.
d) Transparent OS Support of 130XE style
memory management for the Built in BASIC.
e) Built in backward compatable TURBOBASIC.
f) 256K RAM standard
g) Correct all flaws in the video output
circuits so the display is razor
sharp in ALL modes.
h) A really GOOD keyboard.
I) A built in FULLY compatable FULLY DD/DD
360K FDD and a built in bay for a second
like in the 1450XLD.
j) Built in MODEM module socket. That would
allow the user to simply buy the speed
of modem he could afford and just plug
it in (click). Tired of 300 baud? pull
it out and plug in the AMM2400 (Atari
modem module 2400baud) (click)-done
Atari 8-bit (Most Wanted Featues) v2.0 new
