Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cbmvax!andy From: andy@cbmvax.commodore.com (Andy Finkel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: AMIGA Message-ID: <17683@cbmvax.commodore.com> Date: 16 Jan 91 19:24:26 GMT References: <1991Jan15.024807.25384@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <1991Jan15.201647.16637@rice.edu> <1991Jan16.053729.14144@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> Reply-To: andy@cbmvax.commodore.com (Andy Finkel) Distribution: usa Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA Lines: 47 In article <1991Jan16.053729.14144@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >jsd@elf.rice.edu (Shawn Joel Dube) writes: >Bundled software can be the kiss of death for your machine's market >respectability. You just can't get people to buy something they think >they've already gotten for "free", but you sure do get to listen to them >complain about the lack of adequate tools until the cows come home. > >Consider the effect of the several editors bundled with the Amiga on the >sales of the much superior Cygnus Ed (or the creation of any other >commercial superior programmers' editor), for example. It's taken a >_long_ time to build up an installed base such that there is a I agree with you, up to a point. Some basic tools need to be included. A text editor or two. (not a word processor). A language of some kind. (like Basic or Arexx). And so on. I guess I've been influenced by the software mix that comes with almost any Unix system. In terms of advanced editors, compilers, etc, I agree with you; but for basic tools that let you get the job done, I think there is a need. >sufficient number of users willing to ignore the "free" editor software >that comes with the Amiga and _pay_ for something really good, to make >the risk of developing this product seem acceptable. Now, with the ice >broken, a competitor is champing at the bit to enter from the wings. This doesn't explain the lack of a good solid spreadsheet on the Amiga, though ... there are probably other factors at work as well. >Kent, the man from xanth. > andy -- andy finkel {uunet|rutgers|amiga}!cbmvax!andy Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "God was able to create the world in only seven days because there was no installed base to consider." Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share. I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.