"Oric no longer exists in England. The factory is closed, and Oric France has no further connection. It seems that plans to resume production of the Oric have been dropped, and existing stocks are being sold off. Oric France retains a small stock of parts to service its clients. Those who buy elsewhere will not be served. A.S.N. will now distribute Goldstar MSX products...."That same issue contained a major project to construct a 16 out of 4,096 colour card for the Atmos.
Finally, in July, 1985 the news broke - on the 1st June S.P.I.D. had bought Oric for 'several hundred thousand pounds'. Production of the Atmos was to be moved to its computer peripheral plant in Normandy by the end of the month, and by September Eureka will decide whether to go ahead with the Stratos.
P.C.W. added some detail. The Cambridge office was to be disposed of (it had been leased). According to Cameron McSween, a consultant who handled negotiations between Eureka and the receiver, a substantial part of the technology relating to the proposed IBM compatible machines was available to Eureka, but work on them was unlikely to continue. And discussions had been held with Barry Muncaster, of Oric Products Export with regard to making the French-built machines available in the U.K.
Interviewed in the July/August edition of Micro-Systemes, Jean-Claude Talar was coy about the price of the deal:
"We prefer not to reveal that... The Atmos will be available for 990 francs, and we have taken an interest in ATV Electronique of Vire in Normandy to enable us to manufacture the Oric in France... As for A.S.N., we will not be triumphalist. Our door is open to all of good will. But it must be said that A.S.N. are poor losers. I will give you a copy of a telex that you may publish and which clearly explains the position of A.S.N. vis-a-vis Oric."The telex does speak volumes about A.S.N.'s contribution to the downfall of Oric:
FOR THE ATTENTION OF: MR. TALAR - S.P.I.D.According to Théoric in July, their debt to Oric was several million pounds . As Sylvio Faurez put it in his editorial,
RE: ORIC INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTS LIMITED (IN RECEIVERSHIP)THIS IS TO CONFIRM YOUR PURCHASE OF THE SOLE RIGHTS TO ORIC AND ITS PRODUCTS.
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ASN AND ORIC HAS BEEN TERMINATED FOLLOWING THEIR REFUSAL TO SETTLE THEIR DEBT.
ASN HAVE NO FURTHER CONNECTION WITH ORIC AND I WILL BE TAKING ACTION AGAINST THEM TO RECOVER THE OUTSTANDING DEBT.
REGARDS
DENNIS CROSS
RECEIVER AND MANAGER
"A page has been turned; thankyou to A.S.N. for having introduced us to the Oric. Here, we will try only to remember the good things!"An event worthy of note that July was that Cumana, brave souls, launched their Oric disc drive for Ј235.