Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!rutgers!gatech!udel!mmdf
From: detert@lognet2.af.mil (CMS David K. Detert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: No More Cinemaware stuff for Amiga!!!????
Message-ID: <21233@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 8 Aug 89 01:46:43 GMT
Lines: 61

Subject: Re: No more Cinemaware stuff for Amiga !!!????

In a recent article karl@ddsw1.mcs.com makes some excellent points regarding the
potential and very real results of piracy, particularly on a machine with an
installed base as low as the Amiga's.  While I agree with everything he said,
I believe that one of the basic assumptions made by most folks is seriously
flawed.  That is, that the buyer gets a satisfactory program WORTH the money
expended.

As an example, I offer Platinum OnLine! (or OnLine! in general).

A friend was kind enough to give me his 1.0 version when he sold his A1000 to buy
an MSDOS clone.  For that I thank him because I WAS about to purchase the
program anyway.  Anyway, MMS made 69.95 retail.

Was the program free of bugs?  Of course not (not sure I know of ANY Amiga
programs FREE of bugs ever).  Was an upgrade offer made when bugs were fixed?  I
wouldn't know because MSS expects customers to contact them and not vice-versa.

Version 2.0 is anounced and I, not knowing any better at the time, purchase that
version (since I wasn't the one who sent in the registration card for 1.0).  At
any rate, another 75.00 for MSS (discounted from the original retail price of
99.95, since lowered to 69.95--and of course they passed out a rebate :-) :-).

Bug free, you ask?  Not by a long shot.  Same non-existent upgrade notice/policy.
BTW.  Got some upgrades somewhere, but not from MSS, not sure where or when,
maybe my local retailer.

Anyway, now along comes the ultimate version, PLATINUM.  Did I get a notice on
this one?
You bet!  Why?  Because they found one of the biggest upgrade loopholes in the
Amiga business--make it a semi-new program (ala DP III) and charge what they
consider a trade-in fee (what a favor they do for us poor consumers) of 40.00
or so.

Did I bite?  Sure, I'm in it for this long, what else can I do?  But I didn't
expect to get a program WORSE off (bug wise) than 1.0 for cryin' out loud.
Bugs?  You bet, but why should they get their act together now, they have me
for the long haul......

Of course, my friends(?) here on the Net suggest I cut my losses and CONVERT to
one of the others out there, but WHERE is the guarantee I (the poor little, dumb
consumer) don't get the same thing from the next guy waiting for a sucker?

Not to make this too long, but I remember the first comm program I bought for
my C64.  Although they never developed follow on packages for an integrated
system, the program WORKED.  My first AND ONLY word processor was the same,
still have and use them both.

No, I don't intend to go out and start pirating software, but I sure as heck
believed the dreams of RJ, et al, and thought the Amiga was going to be the
ultimate.  It's unfortunate that greed too often takes over and makes criminals
out of otherwise honest people, ON BOTH SIDES of the issue.

Cheers, Dave

CMSgt David K Detert, USAF     MILNet:  detert@lognet2.af.mil

PS.  I still like OnLine! and will switch to Platinum when the bugs are out,
but I sure feel cheated somehow!!!!!!!!!!
 PPS.  Flame away!!!!!!!!