1.10) What is the Atari XE Game System?

Subject: 1.10) What is the Atari XE Game System?

In a change of marketing strategy, Atari introduced the new XE Game System in
1987. Despite its label, the XEGS is a true 8-bit Atari computer system. It
offers the convenience of a detachable keyboard and built-in Missile Command
game, while offering 64K RAM and full compatibility with the 65XE. It was
packaged with the Light Gun, and the Flight Simulator II and Bug Hunt
cartridges.

Keyboard connected/no cartridge:
boots to Atari BASIC
Keyboard connected/no cartridge/[Select] held down at startup:
boots to Missile Command
No keyboard connected/no cartridge:
boots to Missile Command
No keyboard connected/no cartridge/[Select] held down at startup:
boots from disk drive
No keyboard connected/no cartridge/[Select]+[Start] held down at startup:
boots from tape drive

[Option] held down at startup = BASIC on
[Option] not pressed at startup = BASIC off
(opposite from all other XL/XE machines)

Andreas Magenheimer writes:
Tip: The confused XEGS Atarian should use the XEGS manager by Mat*Rat
(Mathew Ratcliff). This assumes one knows at least how to boot a disk
with the XEGS...

James Bradford offers:
There is only 1 32K ROM in the XEGS, it has the OS, BASIC (Rev C) and
Missile Command on it.