Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

October 10, 2008

Okay, so that's two words. But still...

Day of the Dreamweavers yesterday mentioned the term "Atari Democrat" and it is one that I'll confess to not having heard before. According to DotD, here's the definition:

...a phrase first popularized during the early 1980s, references both the video game company Atari and Democratic legislators who suggested that the support and development of high tech and related businesses would stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Wikipedia has more, including this definition from the Philadelphia Inquirer, circa 1984:

...a young liberal trying to push the party toward more involvement with high-tech solutions.
 

It seems to be primarily a 1980's term. Major examples include Al Gore (after all, he did invent the Internet).

GP: Under either definition, would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat? Of course, Atari is far from the powerhouse that it was in the eighties. Apple Democrat, perhaps?

Comments

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat?

If he mentions ET it may be time to vote Republican

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat
Nintendemocrat, obvs.

/b
Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I think simply 'Nintendocrat' is better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

You are posting stories too fast, I cant keep up, haha j/k.  I love it.

Atari isnt even the real Atari...  It is some Finland company or something.  Nolan Bushnell just sold the branding name to them for a pretty sum...

Apple might sue if you say Apple Democrats too, you might have to say Pair Democrats as a knock off, haha.  I don't think we can keep it on the same level though, we have to keep it on the same level in relation to the times.  So I would vote for the Tweeter Democrats maybe...  Or maybe the Second Life Democrats...

Yeah...  That is the only ideas I can come up with that would work...

I might have to second Nintendemocrats.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I can't figure out why that urban legend gets spread around so much even when he isn't running for office. He did not claim to create the internet. He exact words were "I took the initiative in creating the internet." He was not claiming to invent it he was claiming to be a driving force behind the legislation that made it possible for the internet to become what it is today.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I think the media had something to do with this urban legend because back then, all campaign funding was going towards the republican party. And it just stuck afterwards.

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"Because this town is under the stranglehold of a few tight eyed Tree Huggers who would rather play Hacky Sack than lock up the homeless" -- Birch Barlow

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Yeah, I don't know why this even circulates anymore, as it's been so totally discredited.  I guess it shows that even GP is willing to post discredited disinformation when it suits his political viewpoint.  Although it's disappointing, I guess it's nice to know GP's political bias - always good to know the politics of the news services one subscribes to.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Just as long as he's not a Tengen Democrat.  (Still haven't forgiven them for the unlicenced NES port of Shinobi.)

---
The Mammon Industry

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Nintendocrat sounds better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I third "Nintendocrat."

I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Obama is barely even an "Atari Democrat" since the last game he played was apparently Pong. Not to mention it seems like he looks down upon those who play videogames since they're "time wasters". >_>

Let's not even get started on Al Gore...

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Absolutely; they don't give two shits.  They'd probably even love to see violent videogames get banned, like Clinton ...

"That which does not kill me strengthens me." -Friedrich Nietzsche

"Poor fool, he makes me laugh ..." Il Muto, Phantom of the Opera

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

just remember who al gore's married to... tipper gore, true evil

Jesus Jack Jones Thompson.... is dead... (funeral udruge, followed by Celebrate :D )

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Al Gore never claimed to have invented the internet. Get past it already.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 11/20/08 at 10:03pm
PHX Corp: ok, I get it now, no need to repeat it
Posted 11/20/08 at 09:45pm
Brokenscope: The DTV transition doesn't effect the videogame industry.
Posted 11/20/08 at 09:31pm
PHX Corp: If JT attempts to flood his punditry with Gay porn It will cause him to become a Public Nusciense and put him in trouble with the people who run his site
Posted 11/20/08 at 09:22pm
PHX Corp: sigh, nevermind
Posted 11/20/08 at 09:16pm
sqlrob: @PHX: What does DTV have to do with video games? A console doesn't care, and most people are on cable
Posted 11/20/08 at 09:16pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: What protocol? Depends a lot on what you're doing. I think it's 10X+ on CIFS
Posted 11/20/08 at 08:45pm
PHX Corp: Just asking anyway since we have 88 days til analog has finally bitten the dust
Posted 11/20/08 at 08:42pm
PHX Corp: Do you think the Video game industry is already aware of the DTV transistion
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:18pm
Shadow D. Darkman: @PHX: Yo.
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:14pm
PHX Corp: hey shadow
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:13pm
Shadow D. Darkman: Hmm...
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:06pm
d.vel.oper: @sql: Ah. How's the performance? Looking for a quantifiable sum, btw.
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:03pm
sqlrob: when it hits the server. The server doesn't know anything happened
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:03pm
sqlrob: @d: The endpoint doesn't see the change. It's compressed (and other optimizations) between client and hardware, then normal
Posted 11/20/08 at 07:01pm
d.vel.oper: @sql: I'm assuming we're talking about more here than just endpoint compression?
Posted 11/20/08 at 06:59pm
sqlrob: ..., needs the proper network backend hardware for most features, but not all
Posted 11/20/08 at 06:59pm
PHX Corp: WTF, Obama Citezinsip questioned again http://foolocracy.com/2008/11/supreme-court-to-review-obamas-citizenship/
Posted 11/20/08 at 06:58pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: I also don't want to spam. It's a WAN accelerator, runs under Windows and accelerates network traffic
Posted 11/20/08 at 06:56pm
d.vel.oper: @sqlrob: What product(s) do you actually work on, if you're not all NDAized, that is.
Posted 11/20/08 at 06:56pm
PHX Corp: If things go well the Republicans may have to go libertaian if all else fails
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