ANTIC ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS

Over 1,000 ANTIC ONLINE users voted for their favorite modems and telecommunications software during March and April of this year. The results are summarized below:

MODEMS

Although 47 different modem models were named, none below the top-ranked eight earned more than a handfull of votes. Some 61% of the votes went to just the top four modems all of which are the familiar direct connect 300 baud modems from Atari and MPP (now Supra) which do not require any special Interlace unit.

The most popular modem, the Atari 1030, earned 35% of the total - as much as the next five runner-ups combined. The simple, inexpensive 1030 got ratings of 5 (highest level) for reliability and value.

The "son of' the 1030, the Atari XM301, came in second with 13% of the votes. It received three ratings of 5, for reliability, value and ease of use.

The two MPP direct-connect modems received a total of 14% - with the MPP 1000-E accounting for 9% and the earlier MPP 1000-C getting 5%.

The Hayes 1200 baud Smartmodem was in fifth place. This industry-standard modem won a top rating in five of the seven survey categories, falling below the 5 level only in price value and automatic features. Incidentally, the Hayes 300-baud model was in seventh place and the Hayes 2400-baud model was in the top 20.

The no-frills 300-baud Anchor Volksmodem held sixth place with 3% of the vote and top-level ratings in four categories.

MODEM SOFTWARE

Choice of telecommunications software depends on what modem you are using, of course. So with the Atari 1030 Modem such a dominant hardware choice, it's not surprising that software for the 1030 and other direct-connect modems led the pack of 38 products.

Far in the lead was 1030 Express, with 21% of the votes. The public domain favorite by SIG * Atari sysop Keith Ledbetter earned 32 out of a possible 35 points in quality ratings. Ledbeter's companion public domain program, 850 Express (for non-direct connect modems such as the Hayes) held sixth place with 5% of the votes and a perfect 35 rating!

HomeTerm, from Batteries Included's HomePak, was in second place with 12% of the votes and an overall rating of 30. Smart Terminal software, various versions of which are included with MPP (now Supra) direct connect modems, came in third with 10%.

XE-Term, the software included with the Atari XM301 Modem, was in fourth place with 6% and a 30-point rating. Quantum Microsystems' ST Talk, for the Atari ST (28 points), and the familiar public domain TSCOPE (25 points) tied for fifth with 5% each.

In seventh place with a 29-point quality rating and 4.7% of the votes was Pro * Term, a type-in listing from the August, 1985 issue of Antic Back-talk from the Antic Catalog came in eighth with 28 points and 4% of the votes. PC/Intercomm, an ST program from Mark of the Unicorn, was in ninth place with 32 points and 3% of the votes. Few of the remaining software packages earned more than one or two ballots.