Kudos and Criticism
by Ambrosia Software Users

                       

                         This section features reader responses to Ambrosia's software & service. We will
                         include the good with the bad, and address any problems brought to our attention.
                         These are real people, writing real letters about real issues. Feel free to drop us a
                         line.

Tot Trouble

               My 16 month old sits on my lap and intently watches as I play [Apeiron].
               When I die off, he jigs to the music and even makes the raspberry sound.
               He scales my computer chair and tries to break the password protection on
               my screensaver to play...and I thought I was getting hooked! Keep up the
               excellent work!

               P.S. Coincidentally, his name is Andrew!

               -- Ryan Robinson 

Oh boy, that's a little too freaky. Watch out, next he's gonna be asking for a parrot. 

Gracious Goof-up

               Dear people who run all the really cool things that go on at Ambrosia, I'd
               like to compliment you on  your games. I can play them for hours on end
               (especially Swoop and Asterax), and I think that you guys are the God of
               software companies. I'm visiting your homepage, and other stuff. Anyway,
               I've been looking for Escape Velocity for about two weeks. Your "What's New"
               folder, in computing, says that it came out in fourth quarter 1995. It's first
               quarter 1996 and I can't find it anywhere! Could you please tell me where I
               can download the shareware version, or how much it costs so that I can order it.

               -- GYospin via AOL 

Asterax?!?!?!? Did I miss something? ;) In all actuality, it's a common mistake. As for Escape Velocity, the preview we released last year did mention it would be available then, but the collective minds involved in testing the game have produced such great ideas that we have to implement them. It just goes to show you what happens when you hint at a release date. 

Chivalry isn't dead

               Hi Gayle, I must say I sympathize with you. Since the rest of Ambrosia is
               so computer literate, they seem to think they can make a mockery of you on
               their web servers and that you won't notice... well, now is the time to fight
               back! Learn to write html, update your OWN page, and start up a "Shave
               Andrew's Head" contest or something. Get up, stand up, stand up for your
               rights! Fight the power!

               -- Stephen Wood 

C'mon, we aren't making a mockery of Gayle, are we? Ahhh... don't answer that. Instead, check out the Gayle Strikes Back article later in this issue (Geekette). 

DOS Dilema

               In Response To:

                [Q] - Will Maelstrom ever be ported to DOS?

                [A] - Despite a number of requests, we have no plans to port Maelstrom over
               to DOS/Windows. We lack the know-how, time, and inclination to undertake
               such a project, so it doesn't look like it is going to happen. Sure is nice for the
               shoe to be on the other foot for once, no? :)

               Look dude, I do not need your stupid mac insults like the other shoe on the
               wrong foot or whatever it was. Insted of insulting me or my PC you have
               insulted yourself and your product. It just goes to prove the reason why
               Macintosh is failing as a company and why it has to depend on the #1 IBM
               operating system software manufacturer (Microsoft) to make ALL of its
               dependable software. I wrote you to ask a question on a game that I thought
               was a good game, although it is not on the caliber of many PC games such as
               Wing Commander 4 and the best sim game around, Mechwarrior 2 which will
               NEVER make it onto a Mac. Instead of getting a nice reply back, you and your
               company replied the way many say Bill Gates does. It only in mine and many
               others eyes worsens Macintosh's predicament. You need to take some lessons
               from him in customer management. I work at a computer store that sells Mac
               stuff and some of you own stuff and I now scoff apon it, you do bad business
               and that is why macs are inferior.

               -- DOS User 

Darn... I thought we were doing something right. 

UNIX for Birds

               I saw the HectorCam screen say that you guys lock him up at night so he
               can't cause trouble. What kind of trouble can he or has he cause(d?) 

               -- Matt Lee 

Well, after he learned how to operate the computer, we had to keep an eye on him. You see, he doesn't have any formal training in UNIX, and since he's so close to the machine that runs our Internet site, he very well could get into mischief. We gave him a book on UNIX and Web page design, but he refuses to read it. He just kinda chews on it. 

Lost in the Library

               In general it's great, but it's annoying to look through all those folders for
               new stuff. So, I suggest having a "New Files" board. Whenever you get
               something new (including being uploaded by Members), put it on the New
               Files board AND the board of it's category.

               -- A. Lincoln

We have two sections that are intended to make it easier to navigate the forum. There is a What's New section that keeps links to new files. There is also the Product Information section that spotlights all of our major products and their related files. For more information, see the article later in this issue (AOL Forum). 

The Battle of the Switchers

               I've been using ColorSwitch for several years, intending to register but never
               getting around to it. While testing System 7.5.3, I saw that the Control Strip
               now makes your product obsolete. Before I delete ColorSwitch, I'm going to
               finally pay up.

               -- Jeff Ray 

Thanks, this is a great complement. But we don't feel that ColorSwitch will become obsolete. You still have choices with the new systems. 

You ought to be in pictures...

               Hi, I'm just dropping a quick email to mention the fact that Swoop is simply
               far too amusing, I've spent a large portion of the past few days playing the
               accursed thing. Thanks. I have one question. The music for the game (as in
               during actual gameplay) rocks. But what on earth is it FROM? Did you guys
               write this yourselves, or "borrow" it from a film, perhaps? Just curious...

               -- Brian Grivna 

The music, inspired by our grand and majestic parrot, was taken from Killer Tracks, a collection of licensable music and sounds. Don't be surprised if you hear it somewhere else, just remember where you heard it first. 

P-P-P-Pronunciation

               Where is this mythical sound button on your web page that will allow me to
               hear how to pronounce Apeiron? I still stumble over its name.

               -- Jeanette Foshee 

I don't think this button you speak of exists. Were you clicking all over our web site? ;) For the record, Apeiron is pronounced: Appear - ahn. Used in a sentence: "What page does it Apeiron?"