Official statement of Godefroy de Maupeou

«Since Wednesday October 7, 1998, * the TERRE DU MILIEU * is not any more. The economic situation of walk became very difficult since the beginning of June, but we always thought that this situation was momentary and was going to be arranged in particular with the exit of MILAN.

However, force is to note that, even if we were overflowed of " promises of ordering of MILAN " per telephone, that was not concretized that by three machines sold without increase of the remainder of the sales at September.

As an example, in last August, we had deposited nearly 400 000 F in bank with a store. This year it is less quarter than we put.

From there it became impossible to continue to lose money every month and we were constrained to liquidate the company.

During seven years, including four with the TERRE DU MILIEU, I endeavoured to give me to the maximum for world ATARI. I do not count the last hours. They would make jump Martine AUBRY to the ceiling, the whole for a hourly wage not arriving even at the SMIC.

Four years ago, with the closing * of ATARI FRANCE *, market ATARI was given like lost and nobody believed in it. I went up it all alone with the force of the wrist for I knew that all could continue even without the firm of supervision. I am happy to have been able to maintain a market with all the actors who wanted it during the four years of the TERRE DU MILIEU. We trained a true world family, them, us and you.

Today TDM cannot continue any more to live by increasing its debts. It is necessary to go has the obviousness : there is a beginning and an end with any thing and we had arrived has the end.

I could have started again smaller elsewhere, but I acknowledge more to have the force of it. I lost much money, my family, gave much of my time and of my energy and I arrive at one moment of my life where I must also think of me.

To tell the truth, I hoped to do it at the time of next FORUM ATARI and to present the changing, but the economic events decided some differently.

From other thus will take over and will do very well it. I by of delighted, for my combat will thus not have been useless. With regard to the store of PARIS and the distribution, an official statement of the principal " adult " actors should explain you how the things will occur in the future (if it is not already done).

For ST MAG, it absolutely became impossible that it continues as an entity paper. As I had announced one year ago, there was no place for two magazines ATARI and we with final lost both. It is the life!

Despite everything, I am concluding an agreement with DREAM which should lead so that ST MAG in HTML is present in DREAM like four pages of editorial paper in the newspaper. I would deal of these pages and the drafting of ST MAG HTML, but that could not obviously be under the same conditions as before... I thus take your articles with pleasure, although I would make the sorting as in the past (see lower address). I specify, so that there is no ambiguity, that I would carry out this ST MAG HTML free. It is my last blow of inch to our universe, history not to release like that. Blow the subscribers with ST MAG should receive DREAM in the place. I would keep in fact only one commercial activity in world ATARI in France : distribution of CALAMUS SL by the means of a new company CYBELE GRAPHIC MAYA of which you will have the co-ordinates soon.

The ATARI was my passion, but CALAMUS SL more still. It is not a commercial activity which will completely enable me to live, but when one is a " CALAMUS Junkie " (as would say Ulf DUNKEL of INVERS), one cannot do some. And then which of other knows it as well and will be capable to distribute it in France? In a liquidation there is always breakage (if not there would not be liquidation). Certain customers (there is very little of it, but there is all the same), could not be delivered products which they paid. The account of the GROUND OF the MEDIUM should sufficient receive money from here the end November (returned MLP of the magazine) to refund them. It is thus necessary that these people send a mail recommended to main liquidator BLANCHARD 175, data base of Allobroges in Bonneville (74130) with the reason for their request. They should provide to be made refund.

I would not extend on the messages from CENTEK. They are fabulations and extrapolations more than hazardous. Know simply that I would not remain about it there and that there will be one following these defamatory attacks (you in the newsgroup do not reassure nor forum ATARI, I never mixed my personal problems with the public life). With regard to Uwe SEIMET and HD DRIVER, we have a contract of distribution signed by him (and by us). The object of the litigation relates in fact to the last invoice which we could not pay to him. It completely has the right to stop working with the GROUND OF the MEDIUM, which I include/understand easily. For that it was necessary that it denounces the contract for non-payment of the invoice by mail recommended. We did not receive any mail of its share on this subject. On the other hand it does not have absolutely the right to declare the HD DRIVER sold like illegal... It is against the laws of the trade. This invoice was 4500 F. To think one moment that with more than three million A.C. per annum, we would have been bored to make pirate versions to save 4500 F is a nonsense. We were always honest and if products TDM are taken again by part of the former team, it is that there is a reason. I for my part received many messages of sympathy and support on behalf of companies ATARI of the whole world with which TDM worked. That is enough has to prove the state in which we worked with world ATARI of the whole world. Here, I say to you goodbye with all. I thank those which supported me as customers, suppliers and journalists (and unfortunately on a purely free basis since one moment) during all these years and gave me the force to continue a work which literally exhausted me. For all those people, I do not regret it for that is worth always the sorrow to fight for those which realize there. If you want to write or be sent articles, products to me, news, ridges it by mail at the post office of Houches : Godefroy de MAUPEOU - BP11 74310 HOUCHES. I will read you with pleasure, but inevitably do not await to ego answers for it is necessary really that I empty myself the head of all this maelstrom.

Avoid the e-mails. That made soon three months that I am not able any more to recover them and then I avoid passing on the newsgroups. I do not test pleasure particular to read the aggressions repeated of those which believe finally to have gained a war that they carried out all alone. I well readily let them emerge their bottle with the expenses. With each one its illusions!

Friendships with all, and which knows with one from these four in living rooms ATARI or I would be always there, but like visitor this time (I hope well to continue to work on my machines).

note from St SurvivOr : it seems to to me that this declaration charged of exaggerated sentimentalism does not manage to answer the many questions that are still posed many Atari users. Let us note moreover the appearance at the beginning of December 98 of company ACS, supposed to take again the torch of TDM. In the Geoffroy passing found a job of responsible there...