atari email archive

a collection of messages sent at Atari from 1983 to 1992.

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On read receipts

Feb 07, 1986 | 1 message

The ability to inform a sender when a message is actually read is a very contentious issue, since many individuals would consider this to be an unacceptable invasion of privacy.

But there's a way! Sort of.

filed under: how to use email

On not wanting to receive mail from the junk mailing list

Apr 05, 1984 | 1 message

Personally, I find most of the junk mail entertaining and quite good for morale. And right now, raising morale should be a top priority around here!

Some people want to censor the endless watercooler that is the junk mailing list.

This guy wanted to lifestream in 1984

May 01, 1984 | 1 message

A conceptual art project that I'd like to do someday is to broadcast my life by telephone ... Anyone can call at any time and listen to whatever you're doing.

An Atari employee brainstorms 'audio games' in this message.

filed under: audio, game ideas

On building a spellchecker in the 80's

Jan 26, 1984 | 8 messages

I am reviewing contraction and possessive recognition techniques and all of the suggestions I have received have some flaw in them.

Good spellcheckers are hard to build in the 80's.

filed under: sysadmin, notable programs

On using technology to discuss nuclear disarmament

Nov 22, 1983 | 1 message

1) You will need a personal computer or terminal and a 300 baud modem.

If you wanted to discuss matters online with others, this is how you did it back in 1983.

filed under: current events, bbs

On work hours

Aug 29, 1985 | 2 messages

Well guys this is kind of embarassing. It's 10:00 AM ... and I don't know when to expect to see anybody

Chris Downend is annoyed that his team isn't around in the morning and sets work hours.

filed under: hr

On leaving Atari (and money on the table)

Jul 12, 1984 | 1 message

I can no longer work for any organization that treats the creators of its products like pawns in the corporate game of chess.

A public departure by a disgruntled game designer in 1984: a bad year for Atari.

filed under: goodbyes

On a clever email hack

Jan 09, 1984 | 1 message

For all of you who use the MAIL program as a form of the "paperless office", I have discovered a bug (pronounced "fea-ture") in same.

CC (carbon copy) was not officially supported in the mail program. But this bug allowed you to signal your intent to CC someone.

This thread is useful in illuminating a few things about the way mail is delivered and how to read mail headers.

filed under: how to use email

On Moore's Law

Oct 01, 1985 | 1 message

... the cost per bit is about ONE-TENTH of what is was 3 years ago! 14 cents for a 1000 bits in 1982; 1.4 cents for a 1000 bits in 1985; .14 cents for a 1000 bits in 1988??? ...

Chris Downend observes Moore's Law in effect on the prices of these EPROMS, which engineers programmed for use in arcade games.

filed under: hardware

On the polarization of American society

Mar 27, 1984 | 1 message

To me this is a good example of the thinking that could ultimately lead to the downfall of the U.S. as we know it.

An email written in 1984 on the harm that political polarization causes in America.

filed under: current events