31st January, 1998

And You're Writing For An Amiga Magazine Because...?

  Ever get the feeling people are simply missing the point? I'm talking, in particular, about the December 1997 issue of CU Amiga Magazine's "Points of View" section. John Kennedy and his little piece "Console yourselves?!" probably more than slightly annoyed a fair few Amiga users - me included.

  What was it exactly that annoyed me so much? Well, I guess I better explain what he wrote about. He suggested that the next generation of Amigas would be internet boxes - this I can cope with, but I still disagree that it's the only way Amiga will survive. What really ticked me off was his suggestion that it should be comprised of off the shelf hardware, and run (now get this) Windows CE!.

  What right would such a machine have to be called an Amiga? It wouldn't use the same hardware, or operating system. Unless there's a third factor which I'm forgetting, this Internet-box would be chalk to the Amiga's cheese.

  Hardware I can understand, but how can someone who holds a position as Technical Consultant for CU Amiga even contemplate advocating the use of Windows? The ability to use something other than Windows is a major factor why people are still sticking with the Amiga.

  Calling a cobbled together Internet box that runs a Microsoft operating system an Amiga is, in my opinion, an insult to all Amiga users. What's more, what is the point of using the Amiga name? I don't think it's exactly a well known name, and the majority of those who do know it associate it with a company which went bust in the early nineties.

  That's my two cents worth (rounded down), anyway. If you have anything you think I haven't considered - please get in contact with me.

Copyright � 31st January 1998.
Opinions expressed here are purely those of Adam Smolarczyk.