TPUG - Toronto PET Users Group/TPUG Users Group CD/TPUG Users Group CD.iso/C128/Monthly Disks/(y)abi.d64/a-dream

Text File | 2007-02-04 | 11KB | 212 lines

 "╔ ╚┴╓┼ ┴ ─╥┼┴═"

 ╘HREE YEARS AGO, IN ╩ANUARY OF  1986, ╔ STARTED ╘WIN ├ITIES 128.
═Y DREAM WAS TO PROVIDE THE BEST ├-128 SUPPORT ╔ COULD. ╫ITH THE
HELP OF A NUMBER OF GRACIOUS PEOPLE ╔ HAVE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL.
╫HILE THERE IS STILL VAST ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, ╘WIN ├ITIES 128
HAS EARNED THE REPUTATION  AS THE BEST OUTLET FOR ├-128 SPECIFIC
INFORMATION IN ╬ORTH ┴MERICA. ┬UT NOW ╔ WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A
NEW DREAM, ONE THAT INVOLVES YOU AND THE ├-128.

 ═Y DREAM, ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ONE HELD BY
 ─R. ═ARTIN ╠UTHER ╦ING, INVOLVES AN EMANCIPATION OF SORTS. ╩UST
AS RACIAL MINORITIES HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN PREVENTED FROM REACHING
THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL BY INSTITUTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS,
WE THE OWNERS OF ├OMMODORE 128 PERSONAL COMPUTERS HAVE TO A
CERTAIN EXTENT BEEN PREVENTED FROM REACHING OUR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL
BY BARRIERS INHERENT WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE.

 ┘ES, THE EMANCIPATION OF WHICH ╔ SPEAK INVOLVES THE "FREEING" OF
 THE ├OMMODORE 128 FROM ├OMMODORE. ╙OUND SILLY? ╠ET ME EXPLAIN. ┴S
WE ALL KNOW, SINCE THE ├-128'S INCEPTION ├OMMODORE HAS HESITATED
TO GET BEHIND THE MACHINE IN A BIG WAY. ╘HIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT THE ├-128 HAS ALWAYS BEEN THOUGHT OF IN
├OMMODORE MARKETING CIRCLES AS A "TRANSITIONAL MACHINE"; A PRODUCT
THAT WOULD TIDE THE COMPANY OVER PROFIT-WISE AS ├OMMODORE FOLLOWED
THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY INTO THE REALM OF 16 AND 32 BIT PRODUCTS.

 ╘HE ├-128 WAS DESIGNED AND PERFECTED IN A MERE SEVEN MONTHS FOR
A FRACTION OF WHAT IT COST TO ACQUIRE, COST-REDUCE, AND POPULARIZE
WHAT WAS THEN CALLED THE "═AZERATI OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS. ╞ROM THE
BEGINNING THE ├-128 HAS BEEN A MACHINE THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE
GENERATE A HEALTHY PROFIT WITH A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT. ┴ND
GIVEN THOSE PARAMETERS THE ├-128 HAS BEEN A SMASHING SUCCESS.

 ╘HE MACHINE HAS SOLD AN ESTIMATED TWO MILLION UNITS WORLDWIDE
WITH VIRTUALLY NO ADVERTISING SUPPORT FUELED ONLY BY THE APPETITES
OF FIRST TIME HOME COMPUTERISTS AND ├-64 UPGRADERS. ╔N ADDITION
THE HEALTHY SALES OF THE ├-128 HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE VERY
PROFITABLE BUSINESS OF MARKETING ADD-ON PERIPHERALS SUCH AS THE
1571 AND 1581 DISK DRIVES, THE 1700 AND 1750 ╥┴═ EXPANDERS, THE
1350 AND 1351 MICE, THE 1902 AND 1902A ╥╟┬╔ MONITORS AND THE 1670
MODEM, NONE OF WHICH REQUIRED HUGE OUTLAYS TO DESIGN, MANUFACTURE,
OR PROMOTE.

 ╚OWEVER AS THE ├-128 APPROACHES ITS FOURTH BIRTHDAY, ├OMMODORE
HAS NEARLY COMPLETED ITS TRANSFORMATION FROM A COMPANY IN DIRE
FINANCIAL SHAPE THAT DEPENDED ON VOLUME SALES OF 64S AND 128S TO
WARD OFF THE CREDITORS INTO A THRIVING OPERATION WITH A ROSY
OUTLOOK BASED ON THE HIGHER MARGINS BEING REAPED FROM THE ┴MIGA
AND ╨├ CLONE LINES.

 ╫ITHIN THIS NEW FRAMEWORK THE 128 AND ITS SUPPORTING CAST OF
PERIPHERALS ARE INCREASINGLY BEING VIEWED AS EXCESS BAGGAGE.
╔NDEED SHORTAGES OF ITEMS AND A PARING DOWN OF EIGHT BIT
DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY HAVE OVER THE PAST YEAR
BEEN TELLTALE SIGNS THAT OUR MACHINE WAS/IS LOSING FAVOR IN ╫EST

├HESTER. ┴S MUCH AS WE MAY NOT LIKE THIS, THERE ARE SOME STRONG


REASONS WHY SUCH ACTIONS ARE IN ├OMMODORE'S BEST INTEREST. ┴ND
LIKE ANY CORPORATION, ├OMMODORE MUST DO WHAT IS BEST FOR ITS
BOTTOM LINE.

 ┬UT BEFORE THE TEARS BEGIN FORMING IN YOUR EYES, RECALL THAT THIS
ESSAY IS ABOUT MY NEW DREAM. ┴ DREAM WHICH ╔ BELIEVE IS BOTH
POSITIVE AND PRAGMATIC. ╔ WANT TO ENGINEER A METHOD BY WHICH
├OMMODORE CAN "BOW OUT" OF THE ├-128 GRACEFULLY. ╬OTICE, ╔ DID NOT
SAY: A METHOD BY WHICH ├OMMODORE CAN KILL THE 128 NOR DID ╔ IMPLY
A METHOD BY WHICH ├OMMODORE CAN ABANDON ├-128 OWNERS, INSTEAD ╔
 CAREFULLY USED THE WORDS "BOW OUT" AND "GRACEFULLY" TO SUGGEST
 OTHERWISE. ╚ERE IS WHAT ╔ HAVE IN MIND:

 ├╧══╧─╧╥┼ ╙╚╧╒╠─ ╚┼╠╨ ═┼ ╞╧╥═ ┴ ├╧═╨┴╬┘ ╘╧ ╨╥╧╓╔─┼ ┴╞╘┼╥
 ═┴╥╦┼╘ ╙╒╨╨╧╥╘ ╞╧╥ ╘╚┼ 128.

 ╔T HAS BEEN NO SECRET THAT ├OMMODORE HAS ALWAYS RELIED ON THIRD
PARTIES SUCH AS MAGAZINES, USER GROUPS, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS TO PROVIDE USAGE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR ITS PRODUCTS.
╔N THE CASE OF THE ├-128 THIS HAS BEEN DOUBLY TRUE. ╙O IT IS QUITE
NATURAL THAT ├OMMODORE "FARM OUT" THE LONG-TERM AFTERMARKET
SUPPORT FOR THE 128.

 ═Y INVOLVEMENT IN THIS COMPANY IS ALSO NATURAL SINCE OVER THE
PAST THREE YEARS, WITH YOUR HELP AND THE HELP OF THE MANY FINE
CONTRIBUTORS TO THESE PAGES, ╔ HAVE STEADILY BUILT WHAT IS NOW THE
DEFACTO VEHICLE FOR UNADULTERATED 128 DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT.
╧VER THE PAST THREE YEARS AS ╬ORTH ┴MERICA'S ONLY ├-128 EXCLUSIVE
 PUBLICATION WE DEMONSTRATED UNEQUALLED SUCCESS WHEN IT COMES TO
 RE-DEFINING HOW THE ├-128 IS USED AND PERCEIVED.

 ╧UR TRIUMPHS HAVE INCLUDED LITERALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS AND
EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE ├OMMODORE 8 BIT INDUSTRY SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF 1986. ╘HESE TRIUMPHS INCLUDE: THE POPULARIZATION
OF DESKTOP PUBLISHING WITH ╟┼╧╙, THE INITIAL AND CONTINUED
DISEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ├-128 AND 1571 UPGRADE
╥╧═S, THE POPULARIZATION OF EXPANDED ├-128 VIDEO ╥┴═, PRE-RELEASE
INFORMATION ON THE 1581 DRIVE AND CONTINUED COVERAGE INCLUDING
POST-RELEASE USAGE AND BUG FIXES, INITIAL AND CONSISTENT
 COVERAGE OF ┬ASIC 8, AND MOST RECENTLY THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND
 PRESENTATION OF DETAILED INFORMATION CONCERNING THE DISPLAY AND
 MANIPULATION OF "MEGA-HIRES" INTERLACED GRAPHICS (INCLUDING ON
 SCREEN RESOLUTIONS OF 640 X 400 AND 640 X 600) ON THE ├-128.

 ┴ND THAT IS NOT ALL: ╘WIN ├ITIES 128 HAS PROVIDED ONLINE ├-128
SUPPORT ON THE ╟┼NIE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, AND IN ╧CTOBER OF
1987 WE WERE CONTRACTED TO MANAGE THE ├-128 HARDWARE GROUP ON
╤UANTUM ╠INK. ┴ND MOST IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS ON A
RIDICULOUSLY LOW BUDGET.

 ├╧══╧─╧╥┼ ╘╚┼╬ ═╒╙╘ ╒╙┼ ╘╚╔╙ ├╧═╨┴╬┘ ╘╧ ╠╔╤╒╔─┴╘┼ ╔╘╙ ╔╬╓┼╬╘╧╥┘
╧╞ ├-128╙ ┴╬─ ╘╧ ═┴╥╦┼╘ ├-128 ╨┼╥╔╨╚┼╥┴╠╙.

 ├ONSIDER THIS NIGHTMARE: ╔T IS THE SUMMER OF 1990, AND ├OMMODORE
 IS LIQUIDATING THE ├-128 AND ├-128─ VIA TRADITIONAL LIQUIDATION
OUTLETS. ╘HESE INCLUDE SLICK CABLE TELEVISION OPERATIONS,
SECOND-HAND DISCOUNT AND OVERSTOCK CHAINS, AND MAIL ORDER



WAREHOUSES. ╘HE SALES PEOPLE HAWKING THE MACHINES CONTINUOUSLY
REREAD THE MEANINGLESS INFORMATION PRINTED ON THEIR 4 X 6 INCH
BLURB CARDS.

 ╘HEIR BANTER INCLUDES CHOICE ENTICEMENTS SUCH AS: "IT CAN USE A
 DISK DRIVE", "IT HAS A 128╦ MEMORY EXPANDABLE TO 640╦", "IT CAN
RUN THE ├...╨...SLASH...═ OPERATING SYSTEM AND IS COMPATIBLE WITH
THE MODEL ├EE...SIX...FOUR". ╫HILE ├OMMODORE BENEFITS FROM THE
QUICK CASH THESE OUTFITS PROVIDE TO CLEAR OUT THEIR INVENTORY, THE
PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFECT OF THIS MOVE IS DISASTEROUS.

 ╠ONG-TIME ├-128 OWNERS BECOME MILITANT. ╘HEY VOW NEVER TO BUY
ANOTHER ├OMMODORE PRODUCT. ╘HEY SEE THEIR PURCHASE FALLING PREY TO
THE PATTERN ESTABLISHED BY THE ╨LUS/4, ├-16, ╙╪-64, REFURBED BROWN
64S, NOW THE 128. ╘HEY WONDER HOW LONG IT WILL BE BEFORE THE ┴MIGA
500 AND THE ┴MIGA 2000 END UP BEING THE OBJECT OF "TOOT-TOOTS" ON
LATE NIGHT CABLE.

 ╬EW OWNERS OF THE BARGAIN BASEMENT 128S ARE BEWILDERED. ═OST OF
THEM ARE FIRST TIME COMPUTERISTS WHO DECIDED TO BUY THIS MACHINE
TO LEARN ABOUT COMPUTERS BECAUSE OF THE LOW PRICE. ╘HEY READ ON
THEIR BOXES AND IN THEIR  MANUALS ABOUT NON-EXISTENT PERIPHERALS
AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS LONG SINCE DISCONTINUED. ╘HEIR IMPRESSION OF
├OMMODORE IS OF A COMPANY THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE LONG TERM PRODUCT
SUPPORT AND THAT CANNOT BE TRUSTED. ╘HE NEXT COMPUTER THEY BUY
WILL BE AN ╔┬═ OR AN ┴PPLE.

 ├ONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE: ╔T IS THE SUMMER OF 1990, EIGHT MONTHS
EARLIER ├OMMODORE ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING
ITS ├-128 CUSTOMERS INTO THE 1990S AND TO HELP THEM DO JUST THAT
THEY HAVE SERVED AS A CATALYST IN FORMING A COMPANY FOR THAT
PURPOSE. ╬OW ├OMMODORE HAS DECIDED TO BEGIN CLEARING OUT ITS
 INVENTORY OF ├OMMODORE 128 AND 128─ COMPUTERS.

 ╘HE SUPPORT CORPORATION IS THE ONLY AUTHORIZED LIQUIDATOR OF
THESE MACHINES. ╘HE SUPPORT COMPANY SELLS THESE MACHINES ALONE OR
IN VARIOUS ATTRACTIVELY PRICED SYSTEM PACKAGES. ┬UNDLED WITH EACH
COMPUTER ARE FOUR FIRST CLASS APPLICATIONS PROGRAMS, A TWO MONTH
SUBSCRIPTION TO A ├-128 BI-WEEKLY (YES, BI-WEEKLY) NEWSLETTER, A
╤-LINK DISK, AND AN EXTENSIVE CATALOG OF ├OMMODORE, IN-HOUSE, AND
THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE PRODUCTS MARKETED BY THE SUPPORT
COMPANY.

 ╔N ADDITION THE COMPANY HAS SIGNED MANY LOCAL ├OMMODORE
DEALERSHIPS TO HANDLE ITS PRODUCTS. ╘HE COMPANY ALSO HAS A
CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINE STAFFED BY COMPETENT AND HELPFUL PEOPLE AS
 WELL AS PRODUCT SUPPORT SECTIONS ON ╤-LINK, ╟┼NIE, AND
├OMPUSERVE. ├OMMODORE SHOWCASE'S THE 128 SUPPORT COMPANY AS
EVIDENCE THAT IT IS COMMITTED TO LONG TERM SUPPORT OF ITS
PRODUCTS.

 ┴S TIME MARCHES, NEW AND LONG TIME 128 OWNERS HAVE FEW REGRETS
ABOUT THEIR 128 PURCHASE, AND AS THEIR NEEDS AND TECHNOLOGY EVOLVE
THEY NATURALLY CONSIDER A ├OMMODORE PRODUCT.

 ─OES THIS SOUND NAIVE AND TOO FAR-FETCHED TO BECOME REALITY?
 ╫ELL ┴PPLE DID NOT THINK SO! ┘OU SEE THE PARADIGM FOR THE 128
SUPPORT COMPANY IS A SUCCESSFUL COMPANY BY THE NAME OF ╙UN


╥EMARKETING IN ╒TAH.

 ┼STABLISHED WITH ┴PPLE'S ASSISTANCE, ╙UN ╥EMARKETING IS THE
AUTHORIZED LIQUIDATOR OF THE ╠ISA AND ┴PPLE ╔╔╔ MICROCOMPUTERS.
╙UN MARKETS A VARIETY OF SYSTEM BUNDLES AND PRODUC S SOFTWARE FOR
THESE "FORGOTTEN" ┴PPLE PRODUCTS. ╔NTERESTINGLY ENOUGH STATISTICS
SHOW THAT MANY OF ╙UN'S CUSTOMERS EITHER OWN OR WILL SOMEDAY OWN A
═ACINTOSH.

 ┬EYOND THE OBVIOUS PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING BENEFITS ╙UN
╥EMARKETING PROVIDES FOR ┴PPLE, ┴PPLE ACTUALLY GETS A BETTER PRICE
FOR THEIR ╠ISA'S AND ┴PPLE ╔╔╔S THAN THEY WOULD FROM MORE
CONVENTIONAL LIQUIDATION CHANNELS. ╠ISA AND ┴PPLE ╔╔╔ OWNERS
BENEFIT FROM THE CONTINUED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT WHILE
┴PPLE AND ╙UN MAKE MONEY. ┼VERYONE WINS!

 ╔ HOPE ╔ HAVE TANTALIZED YOU WITH THESE PROSPECTS. ╔ WANT TO MAKE
IT CLEAR THAT AT THIS POINT THIS WHOLE CONCEPT IS NOTHING MORE
THAN AN IDEA. ╔ AM HOWEVER EXPLORING IT SINCERELY. ╚OWEVER, PLEASE
─╧ ╬╧╘ SEND US CONTRIBUTIONS TO FINANCE SUCH AN ENDEAVOR. ╔ DON'T
WANT TO START A CHARITY OR A RELIGION. ╚OWEVER, YOU CAN HELP BY
POPULARIZING THIS NOTION.

 ╨ERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO REPRINT THIS PROPOSAL. ╨LACE IT
IN USER GROUP NEWSLETTERS, ON LOCAL BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEMS, AND
ON NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS. ╙HOW IT TO YOUR FRIENDS
AND TO LOCAL ├OMMODORE RETAILERS. ┴ND ABOVE ALL, PLEASE ASK
├OMMODORE TO ADOPT THIS IDEA, OR AT LEAST TO CONSIDER IT
SERIOUSLY. ┴S THE OLD SONG SAYS: "┘OU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU
WANT, BUT IF YOU TRY, SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED!"