NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/sys/amiga/misc-part1/967

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Path: cup.portal.com!Gemini2
From: [e-mail] (Gary Alan Peake)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: The March Amiga?
Date: 10 Jan 1996 23:00:05 -0800
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>And I know that you don't have any ill feelings toward me (and the
>feeling is mutual, by the way).  What I was referring to in that last
>fragment above was your feelings about whether I wanted the Amiga to
>survive.  I want it to thrive, live, germinate, and grow in the hearts
>and workrooms of the world.  I wanted to make that perfectly clear not
>only to you (because I think you know that), but to the people out
>there who might think that because I'm not "loyal" to AT, I'm against
>the Amiga.  I'm no Marc Barrett or Sinclap, folks.

I'd never believe that you were for a second! We just sometimes see
different leaves sprouting from the same tree.

>GP> >I don't want to see that
>GP> >happen, because that'll mean a second death for the Amiga.
>GP> So, how does Amiga Technologies gather cash for R&D? Produce product.
>
>It's a rather vicious Catch-22, not to mention a no-win situation in a
>sense.  "We can't have R&D without money, so we'll sell these old
>systems.  But the old systems are selling, so why should we put money
>into R&D?"  I know, simplistic and probably not true, but it's the
>exact line of thinking that went into the 600.

Maybe the difference between me and some here is that I believe them when
they say they see a bright future for the Amiga and are going to make it a
household name. So far, from a business standpoint (again, my opinion) they
are making the right decisions for cashflow and R&D purposes.

We keep forgetting that Amiga Technologies/Escom has over tripled their
initial investment. That's a LOT of cash just to make a run or two of
computers and bail out. Nope, I don't see that happening unless the market
dries up BEFORE they can get the R&D done. Why contract out the coding as
they are? Why keep fervently looking for a NA 'partner'? Why the 'Surfer
Package' (that took extra money and time)? The first three months I would
not have argued so strongly FOR Amiga Technologies. But, if you add up all
these 'Why' type things you will begin to see that they DO have a plan.

>
>There are questions that have to be asked when it comes to this
>subject.  We as Amiga users have incredible power over the decisions
>made at AT due to the fact that we're the ones buying this system.

True with 1 caveat! Amiga Technologies understands that we (Usenet/Fidonet)
represents a SMALL minority of current/former Amiga users and an even
smaller minority of current Amiga purchasers. Long term, our voice is
important. For this year, Amiga Technologies should be chasing the new
'entry level' people with the 1200 Surfer Package. These entry level users
now will be what adds to the current user base when the PPC's come out. THAT
will make this a viable solution again.

  I
>think that these questions are valid, but corporations, like any other
>physical entity, tend to follow the path of least resistance:
>
>1) By buying the 1200s and 4000Ts out there, we are contributing to the
>coffers of AT's R&D efforts.  But do we want outdated machines?
>Especially with the PPC announcement.  Amiga owners are patient by
>nature when it comes to the system.  How many people won't wait a year?

See, made my point. We WILL wait a year. They are/should be chasing new,
entry level buyers who will expand into that new PPC later on.
>
>2) By buying the 1200s and 4000Ts, are we showing approval as a group
>toward this technology, which most everyone here says is outdated?  If
>we are, will AT also think we approve and delay, or even worse, not
>really bother with the PPC for a while?

No long term money can be made from current models. Those of us buying the
new stock are just upgrading from 500-600 or ECS or we are the ones who
wanted a 4000 and couldn't get one back when.
>
>3) If we wait and not buy the systems available now, will AT go
>belly-up, in which case we'll never see a new Amiga system?  It looks
>like Escom is looking to see whether or not AT will sink or float, and
>if it starts to sink, will Escom pull the trigger?

Nope, too much invested now.
>
>I hope that none of these are true, and that AT does have the best in
>mind for the Amiga, but illustrated like that, it is a no-win
>situation.  The question has to be put out, and I hope that
>Kittel/Bourdin can refute this line of argument.
>
>GP> Maybe so, maybe not? The 1200 is still an excellent entry level (and when
>GP> expanded) beyond entry level computer. Remember that the biggest market is
>GP> NOT in NA at this time. The North American market will NOT be captured
>GP> with the likes of the 1200 or the 4000T. It will take PPC or a Power Amiga
>GP> to compete head on.
>
>Well, we can argue about the 1200 until the cows come home.  I don't
>think it's "excellent", but it's good on a marketing standpoint for
>attracting people to eventually buy the bigger systems.

Again, my point exactly. And what better can it get (at it's level) than a
web surfing ability. Again, an excellent entry level computer. Give em a
taste of the Internet, then tell them next year how much faster, better, etc
the PPC is. Migration right to the PPC this way.
>
>The biggest market for the Amiga isn't NA, but NA is still the biggest
>market in the world for computers (until the EU becomes a little more
>technologically sophisticated and capable in all its member countries;
>no insult, Eurofriends, because you have been catching up quickly, but
>we in NA are still the biggest).  The PPC Amiga can make a killing
>here, but there's a limited time frame.  It has to be done and
>introduced prior to the abolition of the P6.  In order to make inroads
>into the computer market, AT has to gain the worldwide acceptance of a
>DOS or Mac box, and that means NA.  They can't focus simply on Europe,
>unless they want to accept second-class citizenship in Cyberworld.

Lot's of changes are going on with our brethren overseas and the way telco
works, etc. I look for the European market to get much bigger on the
Internet. The Surfer package will fit right in with that movement.
>
>GP> >But I wasn't talking about any of this.  I was wondering how you were
>GP> >going to justify the 1300 if it's anything like the rumors of what
>GP> >we've heard it will be.
>
>GP> I don't HAVE to justify it. That's Amiga Technologies problem IF they
>GP> decide they need to 'justify' anything they do to anyone. But, it is easy
>GP> to see what they are doing and to know why. It's spelled C-A-S-H ...
>GP> something that every company needs to finance R&D and marketing.
>
>It just seems to me that "We're doing this to get money" is a rather,
>uh, how to put this, grubby way of justifying the 1300.  Acceptable,
>but grubby.

Ah ... but that's business, isn't it?   :)
>
>No, what I really want to see, Gary, was your justification on the
>technological end of it all.  I wanted to see you fly through hoops
>saying that this was the greatest thing in the universe and that
>everyone at AT were geniuses for putting the 1300 out.  However, I
>don't think you'd really do that, even if you are the most gormless AT
>camp follower on occasion.  But the disguises are off.  If AT does the
>1300 for money, that's perfectly fine and a good thing in the minds of
>everyone here.  But trying to disguise that with other reasons would be
>disingenuous.  Glad you and I both see it that way.

Still think the Surfer stuff is going to do great! That in itself is
something we've never had.
>
>Eric Szulczewski
>[e-mail]
>Member, Team AMIGA
>The Devil's Advocate
>
>
>* Offline Orbit 0.75a *
>

Gary
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