My FireBee...

[m0n0]

My Firebee is becoming better every day This screenshot shows some apps running without perfomance issues parallel... and also look at the system font - it's NOT set by XaAES

[christos]

You got NVDI running?

[majere]

Nice screenshot

[wongck]

Very nice! Double thumbs up !!

[Bengy]

Looking fwd to getting one, congrats.

[joska]

Bengy? As in Bengy Collins with the very nice MagiC website from about 10 years ago?

[Bengy]

Bengy? As in Bengy Collins with the very nice MagiC website from about 10 years ago?

Yes, it's me! I will be launching a new community just for FireBee users soon, located at FireBeeHive.com. Ideas for the website are welcome! Atari forever!

[vido]

Yes, it's me! I will be launching a new community just for FireBee users soon, located at FireBeeHive.com. Ideas for the website are welcome! Atari forever!

This is very nice to hear!
I really enjoyed your MagiC page in the past even if I swiched from MagiC to MiNT.

[Mathias]

Very well to see you active again Bengy!

I don´t know how far "mobilizeing our troops" could go that time? For example a real Bounty system for finishing the VHDL developments (DSP, ...) could be a serious point, as we don´t have enough manpower recently to do it by our own.

Or,if you have enough contacts form back then, freeing MagiC perhaps?

Another point could be to make surveys and trying to fill the existing gaps, the real missing links. Things that users need to "really work" with their Bees. Another issue could be to motivate former Atari developers. A kind of "coming home" campaign for example. Hah, there are thousands of possibilities, ...

[calimero]

Bengy? As in Bengy Collins with the very nice MagiC website from about 10 years ago?

Yes, it's me! I will be launching a new community just for FireBee users soon, located at FireBeeHive.com. Ideas for the website are welcome! Atari forever!

Hi Bengy, I also remember your superb Magic site ... welcome back!


@Mathias somebody mention in another thread that you have very interesting story about FireBee uses!? How people needed fresh hardware to run old atari software... can you tell us some of this "real life" story?

[Mathias]

@Mathias somebody mention in another thread that you have very interesting story about FireBee uses!? How people needed fresh hardware to run old atari software... can you tell us some of this "real life" story?

Hi Milan, which thread are you referring to? Of course I can tell about some fascinating contacts I got about new hardware needs.

[calimero]

^
I just search forum for thread but I did not find it
Maybe someone told me that via email or messanger...

Anyway, if you have some interesting stories about FireBee: who buy it, for what purpose... And how people react on new Atari!!..

Please, share with us!

[Mathias]

I am not telling you who ordered, when they don´t tell it theirselves

But well I can tell something about the groups of people ordering.

1st) All the developers ordered. The price of the machine is the same for all people, so many many developers ordered in the beginning. Its a little bit sad to be not able to reduce the price for those who are doing so much good work. But its not changeable as we are doing small series.

2nd) All the enthusiasts and well know names
I have to confirm that the FireBee is often bought by people who love the plattform, and like to see a future. People who have already Milan060s or Hades at home, or do use CT6xs. So, often in this state of the project it seems many users are no "real users", but Atari enthusiasts. Of course people who like to use Ataris one day for everything again, no RETRO people. I always point Retro interresteds to the Suska project.
So you can classify this (recently biggest group) as "GEM-Users, who would do everything with Ataris if possible". Fascinating is that the move from the closed MagiC which seems to be dead, to OS FreeMiNT is very well accepted, and no real discussions about it occured.

3rd) Requests from remaining professionals. Be it audio stuff (Notator, Cubase, Mixing desk automation software, Sampler-Stuff, other external hardware, ...), Layout (Calamus, AvantVector Pro, ...), people with cutting plotters, and some requests about special software and special external hardware.
All these people have something common. They mostly do not show up in forums, and they need all the old ports (ROM-Port, ACSI, SCSI, ...). The best would be if they could simply replace their existing (or broken) Ataris with the FireBee and not to have to care about anything. These people also do not care too much about the price. Sadly we are not completely done, so I can´t sell them FIreBees. But it is facinating for me what people from all over the world, popped up and sent us requests.

I always go the feeling there is still a basis "outside" we do recently not recognise. For example I thought I am alone in Vienna (I thought this for 10 years), the last Atari user, but recently I know 15 People still "using" them, ...

And the last group of people is something totally unknown to me. We had a few requests about RTOS, and embedded stuff. These people are not really interrested in "Atari", but in the machines and the "embedded" as electronical possibilities.

[wongck]

I am not telling you who ordered, when they don´t tell it theirselves

I wish I have one... so I am telling.

These people also do not care too much about the price.

And I wish I am like that as well.
On top of the lack of the above, I also have an approval loop to get over.

[DarkLord]

Fully understand where you're coming from Wong. Especially the loop part.

I wanted one from the start - just looked too good and the specs! were too interesting
to ignore.

But...that price represents a significant investment for me, considering our family
income, and the current state of the economy. I was fortunate that I had just gotten
my income tax refund when James put his up for sale. So I got a bit of a discount,
low shipping, and the confidence of buying direct from someone I know and trust.

I'm a respiratory therapist and my wife is an RN. But because we live in an economically
challenged rural area, we don't command the payscales that we would if we moved to
some larger city or metropolitan area. Still, we're happy; we have our own home and
approx. 11 acres of land. 2 of our 3 children are older and have left home (although I
think any parent will agree they never really leave! ).

Now here was my thinking a bit...I'm 51 years old now and not getting any younger.
I'm in that age group for men when things seem to start going downhill and not working
right any more. So waiting another 3-4-5 years or whatever to get a Firebee is very
unattractive to me. When I go, whenever that is, I want it to be on a 266mhz induced
wave of euphoria, having gotten my hands on what is currently the most powerful
Atari computer ever.

[Bengy]

Very well to see you active again Bengy!

I don´t know how far "mobilizeing our troops" could go that time? For example a real Bounty system for finishing the VHDL developments (DSP, ...) could be a serious point, as we don´t have enough manpower recently to do it by our own.

Or,if you have enough contacts form back then, freeing MagiC perhaps?

Another point could be to make surveys and trying to fill the existing gaps, the real missing links. Things that users need to "really work" with their Bees. Another issue could be to motivate former Atari developers. A kind of "coming home" campaign for example. Hah, there are thousands of possibilities, ...

I've sent you a PM

[AnakiMana]

When I go, whenever that is, I want it to be on a 266mhz induced
wave of euphoria, having gotten my hands on what is currently the most powerful
Atari computer ever.

YES! LOL, I like your style!

Mathias, can you tell us how many FireBees exist?

Have there been different revisions, or is every FireBee out there exactly the same?

[Mathias]

Mathias, can you tell us how many FireBees exist?

No. For a very good reason, and I don´t discuss this publicly.

Have there been different revisions, or is every FireBee out there exactly the same?

Few of the first boards like Didiers or mine, had that PCI bug, and got manually patched. Also a few boards got shipped without the 1000uF capacitor, which is stabilizing the 3V3 output. Thats it. But we are still at FireBee V1.01.

[calimero]

3rd) Requests from remaining professionals. Be it audio stuff (Notator, Cubase, Mixing desk automation software, Sampler-Stuff, other external hardware, ...), Layout (Calamus, AvantVector Pro, ...), people with cutting plotters, and some requests about special software and special external hardware.
All these people have something common. They mostly do not show up in forums, and they need all the old ports (ROM-Port, ACSI, SCSI, ...). The best would be if they could simply replace their existing (or broken) Ataris with the FireBee and not to have to care about anything. These people also do not care too much about the price. Sadly we are not completely done, so I can´t sell them FIreBees. But it is facinating for me what people from all over the world, popped up and sent us requests.

this is exactly what I am hoped to hear! thanks for everything!

I always go the feeling there is still a basis "outside" we do recently not recognise. For example I thought I am alone in Vienna (I thought this for 10 years), the last Atari user, but recently I know 15 People still "using" them, ...

yes... it is problem to find recent information about Atari scene over Google. Maybe you should put links to FireBee on Atari ST wikipedia page in external links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_ST ?

than who own http://www.atari.st (LGD) it is top site on Google for term "atari st"...?

And the last group of people is something totally unknown to me. We had a few requests about RTOS, and embedded stuff. These people are not really interrested in "Atari", but in the machines and the "embedded" as electronical possibilities.

but they did use Atari before? or they are totally new to Atari?

[wongck]

and the current state of the economy.

I see from the news that the stock market, DOW, is all time high.... but there are still so much economy issues.
Cyprus also did not help with the company I worked for .

But really I am saving for a trip to the US this December , like you said, time is not what I have plenty of.
So if I wait longer, I may not enjoy the trip. So every penny goes to saving for the trip now & contribute to the US economy.

I'm a respiratory therapist and my wife is an RN. But because we live in an economically
challenged rural area, we don't command the payscales that we would if we moved to
some larger city or metropolitan area.

Or come over to Asia here where there are health specialist and nurses shortage.
But you will not get that much land here.... but may be a balcony to plant some flowers.

When I go, whenever that is, I want it to be on a 266mhz induced
wave of euphoria, having gotten my hands on what is currently the most powerful
Atari computer ever.

|'m sure you will have tons of time to enjoy it before that happens.

[Eero Tamminen]

yes... it is problem to find recent information about Atari scene over Google. Maybe you should put links to FireBee on Atari ST wikipedia page in external links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_ST ?

That already has link to ACP Wikipedia page in the Clones section, but the specification part for the ACP page seems to be a bit out of date:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Cold ... ifications

It should state that Firebee devices are already shipping and that the HW parts for Firebee are pretty much fixed.

(I added slightly more info to Atari_ST page link, but the ACP page specifications part should be updated by somebody who knows when Firebee started shipping, what were the HW revisions, when they happened, what are the exact HW details etc.)

[oehansen]

I see from the news that the stock market, DOW, is all time high.... but there are still so much economy issues.
Cyprus also did not help with the company I worked for .

The "economy" is not the problem, it's the consequences of the problem.

The problem is, that "we" in Europe, and most part of the world have become a single "line" ... following the "Roman empire". During times of "conflict", it appears that the general sense is to improve things. But reality knocks on the door, when the competition is beaten out ... then it's time to cut down costs, layoff people and robotize. Move production to China, making the people in China live the same "benefit" time. And then "laboratory" deceases pop up, that aid the Chinese government in "removing" all live-stock-food in China, and "force" them to eat "soilent-green" produced food. And all the meanwhile, there is constant talk about the world being "overpopulated", and how the "greenhouse" effect, may kill life on earth.

Just 60 years ago, we came to the conclusion that life is a right ... now we have people in power, that consider people a burden ... and these people in power, aren't even being "challenged" or even so much as opposed.

When "all" opposition is dead, then you'll have your right-to-life removed, because you exhale too much carbon-dioxide and don't have enough money to pay carbon-dioxide taxes ... we are becoming a burden, and life no longer an inalienable right.

And "democracy" is just means to accomplish complete "dictatorship". As 99% of the population, don't understand each move in the great game. We just believe the empty promises, and suffer the consequences.

But really I am saving for a trip to the US this December , like you said, time is not what I have plenty of.
So if I wait longer, I may not enjoy the trip. So every penny goes to saving for the trip now & contribute to the US economy.

Currently, I'd be about as interrested in visiting the United States, as I'd be interrested in visiting Adolf Hitler's memorial.

I'd rather spend my money on a firebee

[DarkLord]

Currently, I'd be about as interrested in visiting the United States, as I'd be interrested in visiting Adolf Hitler's memorial.

Well, we're not as bad as all that...

I'd rather spend my money on a firebee

Now this I fully understand.

[wongck]

I see from the news that the stock market, DOW, is all time high.... but there are still so much economy issues.
Cyprus also did not help with the company I worked for .

The "economy" is not the problem, it's the consequences of the problem.

The problem is, that "we" in Europe, and most part of the world have become a single "line" ... following the "Roman empire". During times of "conflict", it appears that the general sense is to improve things. But reality knocks on the door, when the competition is beaten out ... then it's time to cut down costs, layoff people and robotize. Move production to China, making the people in China live the same "benefit" time. And then "laboratory" deceases pop up, that aid the Chinese government in "removing" all live-stock-food in China, and "force" them to eat "soilent-green" produced food. And all the meanwhile, there is constant talk about the world being "overpopulated", and how the "greenhouse" effect, may kill life on earth.

Just 60 years ago, we came to the conclusion that life is a right ... now we have people in power, that consider people a burden ... and these people in power, aren't even being "challenged" or even so much as opposed.

When "all" opposition is dead, then you'll have your right-to-life removed, because you exhale too much carbon-dioxide and don't have enough money to pay carbon-dioxide taxes ... we are becoming a burden, and life no longer an inalienable right.

And "democracy" is just means to accomplish complete "dictatorship". As 99% of the population, don't understand each move in the great game. We just believe the empty promises, and suffer the consequences.

One word... greed.

[wongck]

I'd rather spend my money on a firebee

You have a good taste.

If I had my way, then that would be it as well.
May be some I am not as lucky as you are.
I will start a saving for it but hopefully it will still be available,