The Atari 1200XL, intended as a high-end successor to the Atari 800, was a commercial failure due to a combination of poor design choices and unfortunate timing. Released in 1983, it boasted a sleek, compact design and some minor hardware improvements. However, its redesigned, non-standard keyboard layout, lack of function keys, limited memory expansion options, and higher price point compared to the existing 800 alienated consumers. Its launch coincided with the video game crash of 1983, further hindering its chances of success. The 1200XL was quickly discontinued, paving the way for the more successful XL series, which addressed many of the 1200XL's shortcomings.
Tract, a startup aiming to teach kids coding through a collaborative, Minecraft-based platform, ultimately shut down due to several intertwined factors. While achieving initial traction and securing funding, they struggled to convert free users to paid subscribers, hindered by pricing experiments, discoverability issues, and a complex product that proved difficult for the target demographic to grasp independently. Further challenges included platform dependencies on Minecraft (requiring users to own and run it separately) and internal disagreements on product direction, ultimately leading to unsustainable burn rate and the difficult decision to cease operations.
HN commenters discuss the author's postmortem of their startup, Tract. Several express sympathy for the founder's experience and praise his transparency. Some question the viability of the core idea – a no-code platform for building internal tools – doubting whether the problem was significant enough or the solution sufficiently differentiated. Others point to potential issues with the go-to-market strategy, focusing on a niche (recruiting tools) that may have been too small. The technical implementation choices, particularly using Retool under the hood, are also scrutinized, with commenters suggesting this limited flexibility and control, ultimately hindering Tract's ability to stand out. A few offer alternative approaches the founder might have considered. Overall, the comments paint a picture of a well-intentioned effort hampered by strategic missteps and a challenging market.
Summary of Comments ( 37 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43714476
Hacker News users discuss the Atari 1200XL's failure, citing its high price, lack of backwards compatibility with popular peripherals, limited improvements over the existing 800XL, and poor marketing as key factors. Some commenters argue that its redesigned keyboard, though unpopular at the time, was actually superior. Others note the internal politics and mismanagement within Atari during this period as contributing to the console's demise. Several users share personal anecdotes of their experiences with the 1200XL, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. The overall sentiment is that the 1200XL was a missed opportunity for Atari, representing a pivotal moment in the company's decline.
The Hacker News post titled "The Atari 1200XL Fiasco" linking to an article on goto10retro.com has generated a moderate number of comments, mostly focusing on the technical shortcomings and market missteps of the Atari 1200XL. Several commenters offer firsthand experience or insights gleaned from the era.
A recurring theme is the 1200XL's incompatibility with existing Atari peripherals and software. One commenter highlights the frustration of the limited expansion ports, making popular additions like extra RAM or floppy drives difficult or impossible to connect. This incompatibility is cited as a major factor in the console's failure, as it alienated existing Atari owners who would have to repurchase their accessories.
Another point of contention brought up by multiple users is the keyboard. While lauded for its improved feel over the Atari 400/800's membrane keyboard, the 1200XL's keyboard layout, particularly the placement of the HELP key, is criticized. One commenter recalls personal experience with the awkward layout, and another mentions the lack of function keys which limited its potential as a home computer.
The 1200XL's higher price compared to the existing Atari models is also mentioned as a contributing factor to its poor sales. Commenters point out that the machine offered little in the way of improved performance to justify the increased cost, especially given the incompatibility issues.
Beyond these major points, several comments offer smaller anecdotes and observations. One user shares a story about an acquaintance who worked at Atari and expressed bewilderment at the 1200XL's design choices. Another commenter mentions the subsequent 600XL and 800XL models as evidence that Atari eventually recognized and corrected the mistakes of the 1200XL. Finally, a few comments touch upon the broader context of the video game crash of 1983, suggesting that even a more competently designed 1200XL might have struggled in the face of the market downturn.
While there isn't a single, overwhelmingly compelling comment, the collective discussion paints a picture of the 1200XL as a product hampered by a combination of technical limitations, design flaws, and poor market timing. The comments offer valuable insights into the factors that contributed to the console's failure.