ruth_n_c

=Evaluation of Sources (250-400 words) Tips]=


 * Source 1: Ray Kassar's testimonies, as documented in "The Ultimate History of Video Games" by Stephen L. Kent.**

The value of the source in relation to its origin would be that since we are hearing the story from the boss of Atari at the time, he would have known the most about Atari's situation and would be able to give a relatively accurate account. However, this goes hand in hand with the limitation of bias: Kassar would have been preoccupied with Atari's business and may have underestimated the effects of external factors outside of his influence.

The value of this source in terms of its purpose would be that it clearly shows us how some of the Atari executives, who were arguably some of the most important people involved in the crash, would have perceived the situation. On the other hand, we must acknowledge the limitation of Kassar's purpose judging by his situation after the crash: he was forced to resign after allegations of insider trading and felt that Steve Ross (the CEO of Warner Communications) was partly responsible for the failures that then led to the crash (which is the point at which Kassar had to resign). His reports would therefore be tinged with anti-Warner bias.


 * Source 2: An interview with Howard Scott Warshaw, as featured on the A.V. Club website.**

The value of this source in relation to its origin would be that Warshaw worked with Atari for years and was responsible for E.T.'s development, so he would be in a good position to give his opinion about the state of the company and their influence on the market. In addition, the interview was held in 2005, so he has the benefit of hindsight. However, we must bear in mind the limitation of the source in this respect: his understanding of Atari's business practices would not have been as thorough as an executive's or Kassar's, since he was only a game programmer (albeit a highly regarded one).

The value of this source in terms of its purpose would relate to the fact that the interview was held 22 years after the crash; Warshaw would have nothing to gain anymore from either glorifying or demonising Atari. On the other hand, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of the source's purpose, primarily that he may still possess some animosity for the Atari executives (particularly Kassar) due to their infamously poor treatment of their programmers.