From: | Gary Peake |
Date: | 18 Jun 2001 at 15:39:33 |
Subject: | Attitudes toward Innovation among the Amigani |
Forwarded with Terry's permission to reprint as you wish.
On Sat, 16 Jun 2001 22:52:45 -0700, teamamiga-owner@owlnet.net Terry Hover
<thover@nwlink.com> wrote:
This obscure tribe known as the Amigani, which is dispersed almost
randomly throughout the most remote corners of Digitalia, includes within
its lore and legend several cultural traditions and mythologies. These
various belief systems reflect the rather harsh material conditions which
have shaped the evolution of the tribe's numerous clans.
Being scattered and forced into small Special Interest Groups known as
lists or forums (usually further divided into feuding cults or gangs),
conditions are ideal for cognitive inbreeding and the associated societal
maladies of sectarianisms, chauvinisms, unquestioned beliefs and
loyalties, and the hubris of dogmatisms unconstrained by realism.
Nonetheless, they are united by a profound and unshakable belief that
technology should empower the individual and serve the common good.
Surrounded by wealthy and powerful forces hostile to this core value, they
hold desperately on to antique motherboards for the sake of being served
by an OS that is honest and open, replacing bits and pieces, adding
charms and gee-gaws and hacks and patches and tweaks as needed.
The wealthier individuals pay homage to fire, air and water. These folks
are generally attentive to the potentials in tech and the processes of
change at work, but over the years there has been a lot of energy
diverted into worshipping and/or divining the true nature of the
three-in-one diety, the omnipotent and omniabsent Vaper. Although this
deity manifests itself frequently in varied incarnations (most recently in
the form of the awesome Bog-Ser), observers have noted an increase of
depression, skepticism and defections among Vaperian elders
The lower castes, understandably. follow the the earth spirit Showme,
whose principle characteristic is resistance to change. At best this
yields a generally "down-to-earth" pragmatism, but the most severely
dedicated adherents can often be seen walking backwards to assure that
they see only the holy"That-Which-Has-Already-Become." A Zen-like variant
focuses solely on their feet and claims the changeless pace of IS-ness is
a heeling experience.
Of course, given the impoverished conditions in Amiganilandia, the largest
group consists of those who have moved in part or whole into other
territories. They are known collectively as the Xamigaophilianers (called
"The Tainted Ones" by preachers and other demagogues). They suffer
from bouts of nostalgia, but they also have perhaps the broadest view of
the potential for Amigistic heuristics in creating an alternative future.
The high priests, known as Developers, are actually scientists and
inventors, and although they are sometimes rather arcane in their language
or constricted in their ambit, they serve as reality-checkers in a
sociological context otherwise prone to severely maladaptive mutations.
In addition, the plundered habitat and impoverished conditions of their
native territory assures that most Amigani gain an uncommon breadth of
experience, comparable to that of the rather similar Linuxilianisterites.
Thus, despite a certain incidence of hyperactive blathering idiocy, the
Amigani are actually a rather pleasant and well-informed bunch of
individuals who make reasonable decisions and willing to work
cooperatively on behalf of the common good.
DE?
Since their independent spirit mitigates the impact of the usual
marketroid techniques and their dispersal renders mass media useless, the
question of how to introduce new tech is a tough one. Especially when its
digits can't be interlinked with either the soft- or hard-wired digits of
existing Amigas.
So:
Speak through the existing channels (csam to Suite101) in the manner
they have become accustomed to. First a few yanks on the grapevines to
get attention. Bits and pieces first. Then the inevitable arguments
among the Vaperians and their Showme critics. Frequent appropriate and
useful FAQ answers broadcast to re-introduce a few facts, with the same
text distributed to all interested Amimedia (no troll-poking jaunts
through the wildlands). Then comes the rare but decisive piece - actual
releases, offers, upgrades, etc.
The ultimate potential of the DE (ISTM) is fairly widely communicated (if
not apprehended), but whether or not one "gets it," nobody outside of
AInc and the NDAerites has more than the vaguest idea of what this
release of the DE offers other than the chance to open it up and find out
what is inside the box. For myself, that's more than enough since I am
certain to get an AmigaOne or equivalent and 4.2, and this offer amounts
to a free (or refundable in a half year or so) preview.
But as to practical value??? It won't even serve as a pretty bauble for
an Amiga, AFIACT. (not yet). I imagine that with 4.2 the DE will link
the resources of Windows or Linux DE machines to the Amiga, and provide a
very nice enhancement to AmigaOnes. (Just guessing, but it seems that DE
machines should be able to use one another's resources fairly routinely,
so the real value of this DE offer for the Amiganians will come only when
a machine running AmigaOS has DE also.) Gary and all know what can now
be done wih the DE on a single machine, but for now I suspect that the DE
is just a hint of what it might be. That's fine with me - I love this
stuff - but for those who ask what service it will provide them there is
very little information. I expect to find out on Monday, but no one will
be able to argue that the package promised more than it delivered.
Best Wishes.
Terry
Gary Peake
Director - Developer Relations and Support
Amiga Inc.
http://www.amigadev.net
http://www.amiga.com
Never doubt that a group of highly motivated and
dedicated individuals can change the world. In fact,
this is the only thing that ever has.
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