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From: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: What the heck IS "Interactive TV"? (long)
Message-ID: <1991Apr12.125623.8709@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 91 12:56:23 GMT
References: <1991Apr11.090415.5276@ncsu.edu> <1991Apr11.143222.13728@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <1991Apr12.022130.3180@ncsu.edu>
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Reply-To: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita)
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In article <1991Apr12.022130.3180@ncsu.edu> kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) writes:
>In <1991Apr11.143222.13728@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>
> rjc@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:
>
>> Sure CD-I has better specs, and is backed up by major Japanese companies.
>> So what? The C64 stood up to the same kind of opposition, and won!
>
>[enter rare sarcastic mode]  Oh great. An argument for pushing mediocrity.
>"Sure, the Amiga has better specs than the IBMs, but so what?  The PC won!"
>
>I can accept most other arguments to back any system, but to actually
>promote less capable hardware for the masses because of lame brandname
>loyalty, is not what I expected, especially _here_ of all places.
>
>It's a little disappointing. And scary. sadly - kev <kdarling@catt.ncsu.edu>

	If CD-I has better specs and the software is also much
better, and the price is on the same level as CDTV, then so be
it, it will win and the world will be happier. But I'm not
confident of that.
	There is NO way that their price-point can be close to
Commodore's. The Amiga 500, which is what CDTV is, is 4 year old
technology. Those chips in the A500 have been made for over 6
years. And Commodore makes them themselves. I don't know what
Commodore's "COST" is on the A500, but I know that 3 1/2 years
ago I bought the A500 with A1080 for the price that the A500 and
A1084S sell at today, no change whatsoever, $750. Over these 3
1/2 years you can be sure Commodore's cost has dropped. I would
be surprised if they couldn't make money selling it at $350 for
both. 
	Also, if the CD software for CD-I is being done so
intricately, those CDs are going to cost a heck of a lot of
money. Now, we have our own priorities of quality and price, but
if you are selling to the American mass-market, by now I think
we've all discovered that THINKING has very little to do with the
decision to buy. 8) It is glitz and price.

	-- Ethan

Q: How many Comp Sci majors does it take to change a lightbulb
A: None. It's a hardware problem.