Aminet 1 (Walnut Creek)/Aminet - June 1993 [Walnut Creek].iso/aminet/text/docs/save_cbm2.lha/Lance_Tagliapietra

Text File | 1992-07-29 | 5KB | 121 lines

         An Amiga User Responds to Robinson by Lance Tagliapietra

I read that article when it was posted on comp.sys.amiga.misc (I get get bitnet
echo of that newsgroup) and found it full of half-truths then and even more
so two weeks later.  I am definetly looking forward to Commodores reply when
it gets posted.  Here are a few comments of my own.

>The Amiga appeared just as the Macintosh was failing, losing
>sales after the initial enthusiasm.  The PC was conquering
>corporate, word-processing and spreadsheeting America.  But
>the PC was laughably slow and clumsy with graphics, sounds
>and other such creative elements.  There was clearly room
>for a machine that could live at first as an entertainer
>while building its chops to tackle the more prosaic types of
>computing.  A group of refugees from companies such as Atari
>designed the Amiga, and then, needing money for marketing,
>sold it to Commodore.  Commodore needed the Amiga because
>its phenomenally popular Commodore 64 home computer was
>faltering, unable to jump to a new generation of computing
>power.

First,  he present an interesting history of the Amiga, one that is not
totally correct.  Unfortunately I can't locate my file on the conception of
the Amiga.



>In those early days, the Amiga had a graphic interface like
>the Macintosh'sbut backed up by a true multitasking
>operating system.

And 8 years later, it is still the only computer that can make the boast of
a true multitasking operating system.


>This computer was built to run more than one program at a
>time, something the Mac and PC are only now growing into.

And still have not got it right. PC Computing did a readers survey on what
commercial software have you purchased and shelved. Windows ranked first.
OS/2 was first in the operating systems group.


>The Amiga also had the high-resolution graphic display of
>the Mac but withcolor.  It offered more colors and more
>graphics programming than the PC. It had stereo sound in its
>heart, where the Mac could only produce simplesounds and the
>PC could only beep or buzz.

And without additional (non standard) hardware, the pc can still only beep
or buzz.  I have not seen a clone yet with any d/a audio channels on the
motherboard.


>The final insult to the Amiga has been Commodore's
>consistent lack of concern, attention and contact with Amiga
>dealers, developers and owners.  It's still true today.  I
>read in a local computing magazine how the loyal Amiga
>columnist is giving up, unable to bear another year of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I believe he is referencing a recent issue of COMPUTER MONTHLY, a magazine
that is somewhat like the early days of computer shopper.  The columnist did
not want to do the column anymore, and his last column was not very pro-amiga.
I wonder if the magazine cut the column to give more space for pc support.
When I read that column I thought of writing the editor and asking if another
person could continue it.  I haven't followed up on that idea yet, but I
challenge you to do so.


>There's only one kind of life left for the Amiga: toasting.
>
>NewTek's Video Toaster is the best way to build an
>inexpensive video effects studio, and the Toaster requires
>an Amiga.  In fact, the new Toaster models for Mac and PC
>are really just a Toaster and Amiga that you connect to your
>Mac or PC.  You can see the popularity of the Toaster from
>the general computer magazines -- where it is the only Amiga
>product mentioned -- to the Amiga specialty stores -- where
>digital video and Toasters take up half the space.
>
>If you have an Amiga, don't fret about this news.  You've
>adapted to living in the dark, being fed biodegradable
>stories about new models and upgrades.  There will be some
>new games, a few new accelerator boards and fellow
>enthusiasts to club with for another five years at least.

Funny, I don't have a toaster.  I see people fighting with Windows all day
at work, where I have to suffer with a 12MHz 286 machine that is only 1/8 as
useful as my 7.14 Mhz Amiga 2000 because of its multitasking OS in rom. Every
day about 30 seconds after booting my pc at work, I miss my Amiga.


>But if you're not already hooked on the Amiga or fascinated
>by video toasting, don't even think of buying one.  You'll
>be getting into a relationship full of heartache and
>promises not kept.  Maybe at least other computer companies
>will learn a lesson of caring and respect from this sad
>affair.

Funny, the more people I show my amiga too, the more awe it brings out in
them.  I don't consider the amiga to be a pc, it is my Personal Workstation.
This writer doesn't seem to understand that there are many parts to a computer
system, the pc's have a very fast cpu if you want to pay for a 486/33 machine.
But it still only does one task at a time.  A multitasking os in ROM is one
specification that the pc's will NEVER be able to beat.

> --------------------
> Phillip Robinson analyzes and writes about computers from
>Sausalito.  You can reach him at [phone] or at
>P.O.Box 1357, Sausalito CA 94966 or on the MCI e-mail
>service as "probinson" at mailbox 327-8909.
>
>{end}

Someone feel free to forward this to him MCI address if MCI is on the
internet.