from the editor
This issue of Play Meter is something of a mixed bag. It ontains
parts of two running series-the second installm"nt of Roger harpe's
set of articles on the pinball player's attitudes I owards the different
games he plays, and conclusion of Robin Minnear's two-part Technical
Topics on building a logic comparator.
.
It also contains Dick Welu's humorous fc Itasy on the creation
of a new pinball-one Roger would definite!}, not want to see-
and Managing Editor Rick Dietrich's survey 0 1 the industry
and the national media.
The industry has been getting a surprising ''' ' 'ount of good
publicity lately. We're pleased, of course, and .' hile we don't
exactly wonder "why?" - obviously we deserve it; in fact, it's
long overdue-we do wonder "why. now?" ,We don't kno:w !or
certain, but one factor might be the IOdustry re l'cnt explOitation
of the home market.
More than one of our friend s gave or rt!ceived home video
games for Christmas this year. A group of mu ~, ician friends talked
to us recently about getting a unit for their van-camper, so they can
play while they are on the road, literally. Th · new home pinballs
have brought that game into the home as well . And more and more
distributors that we have talked with are finding the home a good
market for used coin-op games.
This doesn't hurt business for the operator at all, they say.
People become increasingly interested in games that they. have ea~y
access to. A home pinball, for example, can create mterest m
pinball in general. Home video makes play'rs more likely to look
twice at the more complicated new machines on location. What
this means of course, is more coins in the ca h box for operators.
The innux into the home, too, has somehow proved to
people that the machines we operate are "respectable." The
situation is similar to that of a few years ago when people started
buying pool tables for their homes. They found that the game was
not sinful-it didn't corrupt them or their children.
People have more leisure time every year. The WaU treet
Journal recently carried a series of articles on the four-day work
week how people living under it are affected by it, and how
much, generally, they like the idea o~ a four-day w~~k. The n~tion:s
businesses, the federal government Itself, are defiDlt~ly mO,"lng m
that direction. This will, of course, create even more leisure time.
The good publicity we have gotten in the national media can only
help the industry, especially coming as it does at thi~ time. We
only hope that it continues, because - as we have Said before-
we deserve it.
We at Play Meter have been saddened to hear of the recent
deaths of David R. Franco of Franco Distributing, Birmingham,
AJabama Burt Goldstein of Dale Security Systems, Brooklyn,
Irving Kaye of Irving Kaye, Stamford, Connecticut, and Bob
Portale of Portale Automatic Sales, Los Angeles. These four men
have in their different ways, contributed much to this industry and
they' will be sorely missed. Our deepest sympathies are extended
to familie s and friends.
~~~'
Ralph C. Lally II .
Publi 'her & Editor
6
Calendar
March 11-12
Amusement Music Operators
Association, regional seminar.
Denver Hilton, Denver, Colo.
March 11-13
Music Operators of Michigan,
annual convention. Kalamazoo
Center, Kalamazoo, Mich.
March 18-20
Wi consin Music Merchants
A sociation , spring conven-
tion. Olympia Hotel and Spa,
Oconamawoc, Wisc.
April 14-25
Milan Fair [automatics section)
Milan, Italy .
April 15-16
Ohio Music and Amusement
As ociation, annual conven-
tion. Carou el Inn , Columbus,
Ohio.
May 12-15
Mu ic & Amusement Associ-
ation (NYC ), convention and
trade show . Stevensville Coun-
try Club. wan Lake, N.Y.
May 20-22
Mu ic Operators of Minnesota,
convention and trade show.
Holiday Inn-Downtown , Min-
neapolis, Minn.
June 10-12
olorado Coin Industrie , an-
nual meeting. Holiday Inn,
Glenwood prings, Colo.
June 16-18
Illinois Coin Machine Oper-
ators Association, annual con-
vention. Hospitality Motor Inn,
Earth City ( t. Louis), Mo.
July 17-19
Music Operators of Texas,
annual convention. St. An-
thony's Hotel , San Antonio,
Texas.