** 1 page feature / 910 words **

** MIKE.GIF here **

My involvement with a radio magazine in the mid-80's led to me to work for Radio Caroline on the cold and blustery North Sea. One of the other guys working for Radio Caroline was Chris England, a self confessed computer and comms freak, One shore leave I visited Chris's home to see his "computer shack". The room was filled with all sorts of computer stuff, but on a desk was an Atari 520ST coupled up to a TV. It had been recently replaced with a PC, and was surplus due to non-availability on the Atari platform of certain software required by my friend (yep, even in 1989 you could hear that moan!). However within minutes I was using 1stWordPlus and being told of a DTP program called Timeworks which could lay out the new radio magazine I was planning to publish!

That was it, I just had to have this machine! A few minutes discussion and a surplus audio mixer of mine was being exchanged for the Atari. I was also introduced by Chris to a guy called Steve Hebditch who also owned an ST. Later Steve would become briefly famous in the Atari world for his STree file finding program which appeared on one of Atari's productivity packs.

A subscription to ST Applications followed and some may remember my usually lengthy (!) letters to the magazine about one thing or another. Registration of software brought me into contact with the likes of Danny Bhabuta, Joe Connor and John Charles.

Before long the internet became available to me. It was at this time that Atari World came and went, and discussions both in public and in private focused on the idea of setting a new Atari magazine up. The early days of AC are very hazy, but I do have some very old Emails and usenet postings which seem to suggest that I was the first person to float publicly the idea of a magazine being produced by enthusiasts for enthusiasts after the closure of Atari World. Shortly afterwards came news of the closure of ST Format and then the fun started!

Before long we had 12 Atari enthusiasts willing to pay for the printing of the first issue. A club was formed and for some unknown reason I was appointed chairman! We enrolled Darryl Godsmark to do the layout, whilst Joe Connor handled the editorial side, and I busied myself in hassling potential advertisers and taking subscription enquiries and orders from eager Atari fans. The start of a good relationship with Mike Goodman led to launching of the magazine at the Atari Shows in Birmingham and London in 1996.

Producing the magazine and being generally involved with the Atari scene over the last three years has become a full-time job (without the pay!). I'm really not sure if I would do it all over again knowing now what it has entailed. However, I don't regret what I've done one bit.

However, as with anything, there are pros and cons. I am disappointed that major Atari dealers like HiSoft and First Computer Centre didn't advertise with us once, despite our best efforts. I am also disappointed one dealer would not display our magazine or publicity material for fear of losing business to our other advertisers!

The negative atmosphere created by a few moaning minnies in the comp.sys.atari.st usenet group have been both time-consuming and effective antidotes for insomnia.

I have also been frustrated at the non-release of many fine Atari programs originating in Germany because the company that holds the distribution rights for English language versions has for unknown reasons sat on them. Sadly, the impression I have got from some users is that their switch to another platform was influenced to a large degree by the lack of English language versions of Atari software they knew was well up to the job, if only they could buy it!

The pros far outweigh the cons though, and I'd like to thank the many readers that have bought or helped the magazine in some way over the years, the original members of the ACG, who stumped up the money and gave invaluable help in the early days. Thanks are due to the advertisers that have supported us, many from day one. My thanks also to our printers, Catford Print Centre in London originally, and more recently Starprint in Sheffield who have handled us with good humour and patience! Our distributors and agents abroad also deserve a huge thank you. I'd also like to thank readers whose feedback kept us in touch with what readers thought and wanted. These conversations were our "wages" and I'll miss them!

I'd like to thank our team of contributors who have earned us a reputation for quality and honesty. I would also like to pay tribute to Al Goold, Joe Connor and the late Brian Stanton for giving their time so freely to the magazine despite often horrendous pressures on them. Their families and my own also deserve a big vote of thanks for letting us devote so much time to a "hobby" which took over our lives and, ultimately, our houses!

Finally it's not the end of me and Atari's, far from it really. My Falcon is the only computer currently in use in my house and it will be in almost daily use for a good time yet.

Many thanks to you all and please do stay in contact!