Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!s609
From: s609@cs.utexas.edu (Classroom Account)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: NeXT Press Release
Message-ID: <1422@saltillo.cs.utexas.edu>
Date: 6 May 91 06:41:16 GMT
References: <48297@ut-emx.uucp> <8b6Gw!m+1@cs.psu <k.bGns#*1@cs.psu.edu>
Reply-To: greg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu.UUCP (Greg Harp)
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
Lines: 53

[Reply to my other account if needed...  (greg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu)]

In article <k.bGns#*1@cs.psu.edu> melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) writes:
    In article <48467@ut-emx.uucp> greg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Greg Harp) writes:

    Hmmm. There are thousands of Unix programs that run on the NeXT.  But
    that isn't going to mean anything to most people.  There are probably
    dozens of programs that do more or less the same thing on the Fish
    disks.  I'm talking about the kind of software that compaines and
    schools buy to get some work done.  How much of that software is of
    commmercial quality?  Now quit going off on a tangent.  If I count
    Unix programs, the NeXT has a whole shitload of programs.

There are _hundreds_ of programs that are more or less the same thing
available PD for Unix.  That was not my point.  My point was that not all
Amiga software is games.  You seem to think that all we have is Shadow of
the Beast (which I don't own and have never played).  I don't call
responding to your wild ideas about the Amiga software base going off on a
tangent.  Also, most of the software is quite sufficient for the job at
hand, and some of it surpasses commercial software of similar purpose.
Also, you may be surprised at the number of programs ported to the Amiga
from Unix.

BTW, you might check the FTP site ab20.larc.nasa.gov and see how many
megabytes of PD software is there.  Very little of it is redundant.  Ask
Tad Guy how much storage is being taken up by the Amiga directories...

    It really is hard to find a dealer, but I will look around.  With all
    this productivity software, why can't Commodore sell computers to
    businesses?

Do you have cable?  If Penn State isn't in a civilized enough area for an
Amiga dealer maybe there isn't cable TV, either.  Otherwise you'd see an
example of a business that is eating up Toaster-equipped Amiga systems in
some cases much faster than dealers can provide them.  The San Antonio
Amazing Computers (an Amiga-only dealership) just closed their
highest-volume month of sales -- mostly Toaster-equipped systems.

    I read Commodore's pamphlet and over half of it was devoted to games.
    They really should advertise the productivity side a little more.
    Hell, companies could save a fortune.  How much does a Fish disk cost?
    $12.95?

That pamphlet will hopefully be going away.  Seeing most of the recent
developments in C='s marketing strategies, I would expect it.  

Fish disks are normally distributed through user groups for something like
$5 per disk.  They can also be purchased directly from Fred for a slightly
lower price (I believe) or they can be FTPed from a few sites around the
world.  I doubt the providers of the software would appreciate Fred or
anyone else making a profit from the business.  

Greg