The Atari ST is a home computer released by Atari Corporation in June 1985.

The Atari ST was part of the 16 / 32 bit generation of home computers, based on the Motorola 68000 CPU noted for 128 kB of RAM or more, a graphical user interface, and 3½ " microfloppy disks as storage.

Much of the technology in the Atari 8-bit family of home computer systems were originally developed as a second-generation games console intended to replace the 2600.

Although the Atari 5200's internal design was extensively based on that of the 400 / 800 home computers, the differences were sufficient that games designed for one would not run directly on the other.

Powering the system was an Atari SALLY 6502 ( Atari's slightly custom 6502, sometimes described as a " 6502C ") processor running at 1. 79 MHz, similar to the processor found in home computers ( Atari 8-bit, Apple II, Commodore 64 ) and other consoles ( Atari 5200 and Nintendo Entertainment System ).

When emulators of 1980s video game consoles began to appear on home computers in the late 1990s, the Atari 7800 was one of the last to be emulated.

Soon after, BBS software was being written for all of the major home computer systems of the late 1970s era-the Apple II, Atari, Commodore and TRS-80 being some of the most popular.

After several on-again / off-again talks with Atari in May and June 1984, Tramiel had secured his funding and bought Atari's Consumer Division ( which included the console and home computer departments ) in July.

Mature versions of the Commodore, SWTPC, Atari and Apple home computer systems all featured a disk operating system ( actually called ' DOS ' in the case of the Commodore 64 ( CBM DOS ), Atari 800 ( Atari DOS ), and Apple II machines ( Apple DOS )), as did ( at the other end of the hardware spectrum, and much earlier ) IBM's System / 360, 370 and ( later ) 390 series of mainframes ( e. g., DOS / 360: Disk Operating System / 360 and DOS / VSE: Disk Operating System / Virtual Storage Extended ).

With the Z-machine, Infocom was able to release most of their games for most popular home computers of the day simultaneously — the Apple II family, Atari 800, IBM PC compatibles, Amstrad CPC / PCW ( one disc worked on both machines ), Commodore 64, Commodore Plus / 4, Commodore 128, Kaypro CP / M, Texas Instruments TI-99 / 4A, the Mac, Atari ST, the Commodore Amiga and the Radio Shack TRS-80.

By the mid-1980s, falling production cost made the 68000 viable for use in personal and home computers, starting with the Apple Lisa and Macintosh, and followed by the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and Sharp X68000.

The 65xx family most notably included the 6502, used in several home computers such as the Commodore PET and VIC-20, the Apple II, and the Atari 800.

Measured from the introduction of the arcade hardware in 1990 to the release of the last official home cartridge in 2004, the Neo Geo enjoyed a market lifespan of fourteen years, making it the second longest-lived arcade or home console system ever produced ( after Atari 2600 ).

There are many similarities-both in overall functionality and in the division of functionality into the three component chips-between the OCS chipset and the much earlier and simpler chipset of the Atari 8-bit family of home computers, consisting of the ANTIC, GTIA and POKEY chips ; both chipsets were conceptually designed by Jay Miner, which explains the similarity.

During the 1975 Christmas season, Atari released a home version of Pong exclusively through Sears retail stores.

In 1974, Atari engineer Harold Lee proposed a home version of Pong that would connect to a television: Home Pong.

Shortly after The Texas Chain Saw Massacre established itself as a success on home video in 1982, Wizard Video released a mass-market video game adaptation for the Atari 2600.

A keyboard was developed, and the keyboard had an expansion port ( which was the SIO port from Atari's 8-bit computer line, though the 7800 could not run Atari computer programs ) allowed for the addition of peripherals such as disk drives and printers.

On January 1, 1992, Atari Corp. formally announced that production of the Atari 7800, the Atari 2600, the Atari 8-bit computer line, and the Atari XE Game System would cease.

The source code for 13 games, as well as the OS and development tools ( for the Atari ST computer system ) were discovered in a dumpster behind the Atari building in Sunnyvale, California.

After one year Atari would have the right to add a keyboard and market the complete Amiga computer.

Interested in Atari's overseas manufacturing and worldwide distribution network for his new computer, he approached Atari and entered negotiations.

While this rivalry was in many ways a holdover from the days when the Commodore 64 had first challenged the Atari 800 ( among others ) in a series of scathing television commercials, the events leading to the launch of the ST and Amiga only served to further alienate fans of each computer, who fought vitriolic holy wars on the question of which platform was superior.

* Gauntlet ( Donald R. Lebeau video game ), a 1984 shoot ' em up video game for the Atari 8-bit computer

* Hex ( video game ), a 1985 computer game for the Amiga and Atari ST

The 1990s, though, were a turbulent time for graphics development, as the computer industry was collapsing, with long-time computer makers such as Tandy / Radio Shack, Atari, and Commodore / Amiga disappearing, and the PC and Macintosh markets were fighting for dominance.

Although used in the early days of the personal computer ( on the Sinclair ZX80, ZX81 and Atari 400 ), they have been supplanted by the more tactile dome and mechanical switch keyboards.

Asteroids is a video arcade game released in November 1979 by Atari Inc.

* The Dot Eaters: classic video game history-Comprehensive history of videogames, extensive info on Atari offerings and history

The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly known as the Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari Inc. as a higher end complementary console for the popular Atari 2600.

The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console re-released by Atari Corporation in January 1986.

The 7800 had originally been designed to replace Atari Inc .' s Atari 5200 in 1984, but was temporarily shelved due to the sale of the company after the video game crash.

In return Atari was to get one-year exclusive use of the design as a video game console.

* Gauntlet ( arcade game ), a video game originally produced in 1985 by Atari Games

** Gauntlet ( NES video game ), the 1987 Nintendo Entertainment System game based on the original 1985 Atari game

Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal is a 1987 video game for the Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and the Amiga based on the comic strip.

He showed early computing skills, such as being able to open up and reprogram ROM video game cartridges such as those for the Atari 2600, but was more interested in graphics and artistic pursuits.

In 1983, a video game called Keystone Kapers was released for the Atari 2600, 5200, and later Colecovision.

Lucas wanted his company to branch out into other areas of entertainment, so he cooperated with Atari to produce video games.

* New York City ( video game ), a 1984 Atari 400 / 800 / XL and Commodore 64 video game

* 1972 – Atari announces the release of Pong, the first commercially successful video game.