Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer
From: curtis@caercn@hermes.dra.hmg.gb (Paul Curtis)
Reply-To: curtis%caercn%hermes.dra.hmg.gb@relay.mod.uk
Subject: Re: How much are ATW's worth?
Organization: ATC Systems Division, DRA Malvern
Date: 28 Jul 1994 13:58:18 GMT
Message-ID: <318dhq$pb0@signal.dra.hmg.gb>

In article <CtK4pH.v7@stuyts.nl>, benst@stuyts.nl (Ben Stuyts) writes:
|> Hi,
|> 
|> I have been offered 3 Atari ATW's in reasonable condition. Two of them have a
|> broken power supply though, but for the rest they are fully functional. They
|> include a selection of software (Helios and various compilers).

|> Does anybody have an idea how much these things are worth? I'm interested in
|> them because I'd like to play with transputers.

The ATW was rather expensive in its day; they should be considered scrap
now.  I guess they come with something like the Atari SH204 (well, my old
ATW did before they reboxed it).  As to price, I've little idea but wouldn't
pay more than about 400 UKP, and I'd look for a much lower price.

I think that the ATW only runs Helios, so you'll need the Helios manuals.
I don't think a 3L afserver server has been developed for the ATW to run
our compilers, Ben, but I may be mistaken.

I don't know the latest version of Helios that runs on the ATW; perhaps
you should ask Perihelion Distributed Software Ltd.

|> They have some cards in them,
|> unknown at the moment, but it looks like some additional farm cards and video.

This may affect the price; depends upon how many processors are left and
how much ram they each have.  The video card is used for the X display,
and was pretty advanced in its day.  Nice, high resolution.  You need a good
monitor.

|> 
|> Are there known problems with these systems? Things that I need to look out
|> for?

Yes, they are not supported any more.  Look out for?  No idea, I had my ATW
for about 6 months before deciding it was useless and getting well rid of
it.  I replaced it with a B004-compatible board.

|> 
|> Thanks,
|> Ben Stuyts (ben@stuyts.nl)

