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ASGARD4.ARK
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2006-10-19
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Send all inquiries to: Asgard
1423 Flagship Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Effective Nov. 1, 1993, ownership of Asgard Software is being
transferred to Harry Brashear.
Nothing worthwhile comes easy, and Lord knows running a TI software
business has never been easy. When I founded Asgard in 1983 (in
fact, almost 10 years ago exactly), my software company was one of
perhaps over 100 TI software providers. Over the years, I've seen
all of my original competitors, almost all of the ones that came
after them, and most of the ones in the "generation" after that,
disappear by the wayside.
I stuck with it despite many opportunities to move on, and despite
setbacks similar to those that wiped out many of my peers. I don't
regret it - I learned a lot. I learned a lot about computers,
business and loyalty. I learned how to tell who was honest and who
was a charlatan.
When I started this business I was a teenager in high school. Ten
years later, I run the Computer Department for a major non-profit
organization here in Washington, D.C. The TI-99/4A introduced me to
computers in general, and opened many opportunities to me. In many
ways, it made me what I am today.
However, my professional and family obligations over the last 2
years have forced me to change my priorities. I haven't been able
to spend much time on Asgard, and it hasn't been fair to the
community, so I decided to give the company to the one person in
the community I felt whose experiences and beliefs matched my own.
Over the years I have received and generated much criticism. While
the TI community has been hard on me at times, through it all I've
tried to be hard back. Why? I really cared about what happened to
my little black and silver box - and people who care about
something aren't silent when they think something is wrong. In my
drive to do what I felt was best for the community, I ran over more
than a few toes. I've also had my toes run over many times in
return.
In retrospect, I was too hard on some people and not hard enough on
others. I'd like to apologize to a few:
Craig Miller: I was one of your earliest and most persistent
critics. While I still think you were trying to sell yourself as a
programming genius, I slighted you by not recognizing the high
quality of your work.
Larry Hughes: At the time I felt it was wrong for you to sell the
kind of software you sold. It was wrong for me to say this
publicly. You did some original things, and your customers found
out about the rest without my help. I made much ado about nothing.
Chris Faherty: I wrote an article published in MICROpendium
comparing GRAPHX to TI-Artist that was wrong. At the time I wrote
it, I was angry that you took several original ideas I had and
improved on them. While I still think GRAPHX was a very elegant
program, and I stand by most of my opinions, it was petty of me to
let my feelings interfere in such a comparison.
The 70 or so people who paid for Press in Chicago, 1987: I wanted
it so much I sold myself, and then sold it to you. It was a
beautiful idea - I just wish it had been a beautiful reality. My
apologies for raising expectations, and holding onto your money for
18 months before realization struck, and I returned it.
As for those I wasn't hard enough on; well, most of them have long
since left the community. Some of them have already gotten what
they deserved. I'm fairly confident that the rest will in time. I'm
not going to name names - endings are times for reconciliation, not
vindication.
Unfortunately, the TI community was what really suffered at the
hands of these people.
The TI world has had more than its share of frauds - those that
would talk up something and then disappear with the money. The
worst scam artists, though, were those that would talk about
something for years, have endless conferences, mail out scads of
detailed announcements, and then lose interest and drift away. They
may not have taken too much money from people, but they did worse -
they took their hopes.
It isn't the people who try and fail that harm our community as
much as the people who like to talk more than try, and make claims
they know they can't meet. While most of these people have moved
their games to greener pastures, a few of them remain in the TI
community. To the few remaining unwary 99/4A owners - beware.
I learned this truth the hard way - my own experiences. I haven't
been perfect over the years and led a few wild goose chases myself,
as well as have been taken in by a fraud or three. I just hope that
when others judge me, that what I have done for the community
outweighs what I couldn't do, or did wrong.
In any case, I'd also like to thank a few people in particular for
help and wisdom over the years:
John Koloen and Laura Burns of MICROpendium: In too many ways to
enumerate. The TI community was very lucky when they got these two
devoted supporters.
Jack Sughrue and the guys at M.U.N.C.H.: For not looking too
askance at the teenager trying to sell them software, and for
supporting me through good and bad times.
Barry Traver: Tough but fair for all these years - and I don't have
any hard feelings over Peter Hoddie.
Jerry Coffey, Ed Hall, Jim Horn and many others at the recently
departed Mid-Atlantic 99'ers (MANNERS): For a "home" these last 8
years.
Jeff Guide: For help in making Asgard more business-like, and for
your wry sense of humor.
I'd also like to thank the many people at the TI shows around the
country - especially those in Seattle, Tucson and Ottawa - that
hosted, shuttled, fed and sheltered me at the 30-40 or so TI
conventions I've attended over the years.
Additionally, I'd like to thank the many authors that entrusted me
with their programs.
Finally, I'd like to thank the 12,000 or so people that have bought
software from me over the last 10 years - my customers. THESE are
the people that I worked for for 10 years, and in the bottom line,
whose opinion mattered most.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As of Nov. 1, 1993, the new address for Asgard Software will be:
Asgard Software
2753 Main Str.
Newfane, NY 14108
716-778-9104
All hardware products, including the Asgard Mouse, AMS memory
cards, the Extended BASIC 3 and other cartridges will be available
from:
Asgard Peripherals
1423 Flagship Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22192
My involvement in the TI community will be limited solely to the
hardware products sold by Asgard Peripherals. No phone calls will
be accepted - all orders or inquiries should be placed by mail.
Thank you.
Chris Bobbitt
October 11, 1993
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