Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!burl!codas!ge-dab!ge-rtp!edison!toylnd!dca
From: dca@toylnd.UUCP (David C. Albrecht)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: EXTRA_HALFBRITE (was V1.3 OS?)
Message-ID: <204@toylnd.UUCP>
Date: 9 Mar 88 01:39:09 GMT
References: <7425@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <471@hub.ucsb.edu> <44456@sun.uucp>
Organization: Dave & Anne in Charlottesville, VA
Lines: 43

In article <44456@sun.uucp>, cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) writes:
> 
> Well you are way off in your estimate, it goes something like this. There
> were approximately 150,000 Amiga 1000s sold. Of these somwhere between 
> one third and one half did not have EHB. (The refurbed ones have it)
> There are now 500,000 plus Amigas in the world, 75000/500000 = 15% tops.
> So no, it is not feasible to design in support for non-ehb machines. You
> assume they have it. 
> 
Disagree.  While no doubt there are applications that exist out there where
EHB is a requirement, I doubt that there are very many where there couldn't
be a fall back non-EHB mode.  To me it seems STUPID to not make what little
effort is required to support non-EHB even if it is only 15% of the market.
This is not to say that EHB shouldn't be used, just that it shouldn't be
abused either.  Can you imagine a package marked 'requires EHB' and the
confusion that could cause.  Do you think that any company in their right
mind will want to deal with the hassle of returns at a rate of 15% on
their software just because it doesn't work without EHB.  Especially when
it could easily and should have been compatible with ANY 1000.  Riiiight.

In addition, the so called 'early' Amigas where sold when the systems cost
from 1.5K to 2K.  People who purchased these machines were high rolling
tech weenies with for the most part a fair amount of free income to throw
around.  More than a few of them seem to be software developers.
A great many of the 500,000 you so proudly quote is the 500 which some
are probably going to people who find it a stretch to afford just the box. 
I dare say the 500 probably has increased the proportion of those who
would rather pirate than buy.

Just like some relatively low rated programs stay on television because
the particularly affluent set of the populace they reach ignoring a
large portion of the 1000 market in favor of the 500 market might
be cutting your own throat.  This speculation, of course, is ignoring
the 1000->2000 upgrade deal which undoubtably considerably muddies the
waters.  I know that I upgraded my 1000 (w/o EHB) to a 2000 many of
the owners of 'early' 1000s probably did the same.

All I can assume is that when you say: "it is not feasible to design in support
for non-ehb machines.  You assume they have it." is that you are referring to
support with equivalent functionality.  If not, then I would say you are
misguided.  Making 15% of your oldest fans feel alienated is never a good idea.

David Albrecht