Published on 06/20/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

ATARI, COMMODORE BOTH CLAIM WIN IN LAWSUIT
FOUR ENGINEERS CLEARED OF STEALING COMPUTER TAPES

Both sides are claiming victory after a U.S. District Court judge in Philadelphia ruled that four Atari Corp. engineers wrongfully took confidential information when they left their jobs at Commodore Business Machines Inc. of West Chester, Pa.

In an opinion filed Wednesday, Judge John P. Fullam ordered that the material be returned to Commodore. But he also cleared the four of charges of stealing secret computer tapes from Commodore.

Published on 07/30/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

THEFT CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST EX-ATARI SECRETARY

Charges that a former executive secretary at Atari stole $15,970 from her boss were abruptly dropped Monday after prosecutors determined there were too many holes in the boss's story.

On Monday, Cathy Morris, 28, was scheduled to go to trial on grand theft charges in Santa Clara County Superior Court. Instead, Deputy District Attorney Jan Heim asked Judge R. Donald Chapman to dismiss the charges because of "insufficiency of evidence." Chapman agreed.

Published on 08/04/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

FOREIGN-BUILT ATARI ST GETS ALL-AMERICAN AD CAMPAIGN

THE Atari ST is manufactured overseas. And Atari Corp. says that the first production units of this computer were shipped to foreign markets. Nonetheless, this Sunnyvale company is preparing to launch an advertising campaign with the slogan, "America, we built it for you."

Atari has missed its opportunity for event marketing. If it had introduced this upcoming campaign on the Fourth of July, it would have had a perfect peg on which to hang its patriotic tagline.

Published on 09/06/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

ATARI, AT&T HAMMERING OUT SALES DEAL
AT&T REPORTEDLY WOULD PEDDLE ST COMPUTERS

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and Atari Corp. of Sunnyvale are negotiating an arrangement for Atari to sell some of its ST personal computers through AT&T, sources said Thursday.

The agreement, which neither party would officially confirm, would give privately held Atari a major customer for its new machine while giving AT&T a low-cost entry into the home and small-business personal computer market.

Published on 09/26/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

2 TOP EXECS LEAVE ATARI

Sunnyvale-based Atari Corp. said one of its top executives left the company five months after joining the closely held computer maker after a dispute with chairman Jack Tramiel. The executive, Sig Schreyer, vice president and general manager, wasn't immediately replaced, Atari said.

Atari also said James Copland, vice president for marketing, resigned this week to start a new company.

Published on 09/27/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

ATARI DEPARTURES HINTS TROUBLE FOR COMPUTER

On the eve of the Christmas selling season, two of Atari Corp.'s top sales executives have left the company, feeding speculation that the Sunnyvale computer maker is suffering disappointing sales of its new 520ST personal computer.

Sig Schreyer, who joined the company only five months ago as general manager of Atari (U.S.) Corp., Atari's U.S. sales subsidiary, was fired Tuesday by Atari Chairman Jack Tramiel, according to Greg Pratt, Atari's chief financial officer.

Published on 11/16/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

ATARI PLANS NEW ASSAULT ON ENTERTAINMENT MARKET

Atari Corp., once one of Silicon Valley's highest-flying companies, is planning a new division that executives say could recreate some of firm's past glories. The Sunnyvale company, which rode to fame on the video game craze but is now best known as a home computer maker, said Friday it is creating a division to offer electronic entertainment products.

Published on 12/03/85, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

ATARI SUES K MART

Atari Corp. of Sunnyvale sued K mart Corp. of Troy, Mich., in Santa Clara County Superior Court, claiming the giant retailing chain hasn't paid for $3.9 million worth of home computers, video games and software. Atari said the merchandise was shipped to K mart when Atari was owned by Warner Communications Inc., but that the debt was among the items transferred when the Tramiel family bought the company in mid-1984.