The Flame Wars gives you a comprehensive insight into the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga, two home computers held in high regard by their respective fan bases in the ’80s and ’90s. Factual and opinion-based approaches are refreshingly combined, offering a range of newly composed background articles, pertinent hypotheses, factual evidence and analytical perspectives of the time’s media.

• Hardback Edition + PDF
• 400 full-colour pages
• High-quality offset print
• 170 × 230 mm portrait format 
• Special cover refinement
• 150 gr/m² Arctic Silk matt paper
• Finest print raster (120) 
• Made in Germany

From history and media, to markets and scene. This book gives an eye-opening look at the flame wars that have torn apart computer communities. Uncover the origin of these conflicts, follow the often heated debates between fans and foes, and discover the impact these battles made on the next era of computers. Witness the clash of ideas and passions on an unparalleled scale.

Visions and delusions: the story prompts arguments to clash. We illustrate the wide gap that these 16-bit systems created in a transforming technocratic community and look for points of overlap. Technology vs. Humanity. Industry vs. Ambition. Did publishers and developers throw fuel onto the blaze? We provide reflections, perceptions, and visions. Producers and users voice their opinions in addition to vendors and purchasers, business and subculture.

Extensive 16-bit games special: Our dedicated team put in the work to test and compare a variety of Amiga and ST games on 70 pages, giving you a comprehensive overview of the technological standards and diversity of the 16-bit market. While we may not have the ultimate top list, we have carefully selected games that truly set the bar for the respective system. Plus, discover the historical significance of productivity software in another section.

Company representatives, historical figures and people of conviction have their say in exclusively written articles and insightful interviews. Contributors as follows…

Chris Swinson … Atari engineering, Exxos Forum
Christophe Boucourt … Amiga demoscene
Darren Coles … Workbench vs. TOS
Darryl Still … Atari UK
David J. Pleasance … Commodore UK
David Hecq … Atari in France
Erik Simon … Thalion, Blue Byte
Galahad … Fairlight, Binary Emotions
Illegal … Underground community
Jean-Charles Meyrignac … Titus, Ocean France
Jurie Horneman … Thalion, Ubi Soft
Kiia Kallio … Remedy Entertainment, AMD, Intel
Leif Oppermann … Amiga demoscene, Haujobb
Lutz Wolff … Retro emulation
Marc Rosocha … Eclipse Software
Mia Jaap … ST-Computer, Atari in Germany
Mike Clarke … Psygnosis
Simon Butler … Ocean UK
Stoo Cambridge … Impressions, Sensible Software
Tobias J. Richter … reLine, Team 17
Torben B. Larsen & Martin Pedersen … Cope-Com

Informants … not listed are our numerous collaborators and contemporary witnesses who are experts in their field and provide our authors with meaningful background information. They are game developers, salespeople, resellers, marketing experts, journalists, graphic designers, musicians, experienced users, programmers and techies.

The Flame Wars is a comprehensive retrospective of contemporary computer culture in which we revive the important achievements of the 16/32-bit era and take a critical look at what this time has given us.

How far did “All-In-One Machine” dreams become reality after the 16-bit wars? Dive into the commercial developments & diverging priorities between different countries to uncover the ideologies of those involved. The book investigates the significance of computer systems such as Amiga and Atari ST today.