XPost: comp.sys.atari.8bit, comp.sys.cbm   
      
   You are totally right and fair.   
      
   The Atari 800XL suffers from the same problems that modern PC's suffer from:   
   backwards compatibility. Like every PC has to be backwards compatible with   
   the original IBM AT (and even the XT), the Atari 800XL had to be backwards   
   compatible with the Atari 800 and Atari 400. This is a brake on any new   
   technology. Never trust anything that has the word 'backwards' in it.   
      
   And it was badly done too, because they hardly added any new stuff when   
   going from the Atari 400/800 to the 600XL/800XL. It was mostly integration   
   of the chips to get the costs down.   
      
   But anyway, you could have kept you post a lot shorter. The argument of the   
   8 sprites is enough to make the C64 come out on top.   
      
   And the argument of the C64's BASIC is only partly true. Stick in a Simon's   
   Basic cartridge, and the machine destroys any Basic ever run on any Atari.   
   You can also load Simon's Basic from tape or floppy.   
      
   PeterV   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)