Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!usc!apple!hercules!gilham From: gilham@csl.sri.com (Fred Gilham) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re:Blowing their cover (rambling) Message-ID: Date: 15 Nov 89 19:10:20 GMT References: <4114@nigel.udel.EDU> Sender: usenet@csl.sri.com Organization: Computer Science Lab, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA. Lines: 72 In-reply-to: okay@tafs.mitre.org's message of 15 Nov 89 03:00:39 GMT okay@tafs.mitre.org (Okay S J) writes: True....and heres something else to chew on: Remember when the Mac first came out and everybody was calling it "insanely great" and yuppies started saying "cool" and "neato" again? When was the last time you heard that??--When was the last time you heard anything about the Mac that contained the word "creative" or "fun" ? --Want to know why those words have been dropped in the Trashcan and double-clicked on? For the simple reason that the Mac became popular and "accepted"...suddenly all the brain-dead yuppies had to have one for their company's DTP work. Then they started using spreadsheets on it, then databases..then accounting software, etc. Suddenly, everything that made the Mac a "neato" machine was squashed out of existence and the words "financially sound", "compatible", "conforms to XXXXX standards" oozed up from the MS-DROSS pit and the Mac was now The Computer For The Rest of Us Well-Heeled Execudroids. Magazines that once catered to the programmer/hobbyist now have "Spreadsheet Shootout --We pick the top 3" plastered across them and you can't slog through a page without the phrase "Office Workgroup Solutions" splattering you in the face at least 3 times. This is what is ahead for our beloved Ami. Not a pretty thought ehh?? ================ I have to agree with these sentiments. I have felt for a long time that there are really two personal computer markets out there -- the people who want their own computer, and the business market. These two markets are largely different in their needs. For example, "standardization" is a high priority in the business market. It is a lower priority for the individual market. Low price/high performance is a high priority for the individual market. It is not for the business market. Unfortunately there is more money in the business market. Once the Amiga becomes a big seller in that market, it is almost inevitable that that market will call the shots. The result of this process can be seen in such anomalies as people still worrying about the 640k limit, brought about by the introduction of the IBM personal computer, a machine that was obsolete when it was introduced, but which became a "standard". (I overheard a conversation a few months ago at a big computer store: "I have 2 megs in my computer but I don't know what to do with it"). Someone has described the effect of IBM's introduction of this thing as calling a ten-year halt to innovation in the personal computer world. The point of all this, is, really, that we need to "know our friends from our foes". In a sense, if Amiga makes it big in the business world, it will mean that it will become a different machine. It won't be the innovative machine with the great price/performance ratio that we all bought, but instead, will be a platform for running the big three applications that businesses want -- word processors, spreadsheets, and database managers. The Amiga would probably be very good at this; they might sell a lot of them. Then who has the say in where development effort goes? Me, who will buy an Amiga, keep it for 4 or 5 years, then upgrade when I get the money? Or some mis-manager (pun intended) who can order them by the hundreds? Thus, I am somewhat skeptical about whether all the "good" things that are happening are really good for me (I mean the me that represents many of the readers of this group!). What I really want is for Commodore to stay hungry enough so I matter to them, but not so hungry that they starve. But on the other hand, I suppose all those Amiga folks that suffered through the lean times should be able to get some reward. Thus goes capitalism. Disclaimer -- these ramblings bear no relation the official opinions of my employer. -Fred Gilham gilham@csl.sri.com