Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!eos!labrea!decwrl!pyramid!prls!philabs!sbcs!root
From: root@sbcs.sunysb.edu (SBCS Systems Staff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: AppleTalk, Networking, Amigas and Offices
Message-ID: <1196@sbcs.sunysb.edu>
Date: 20 Apr 88 13:53:34 GMT
References: <648@cernvax.UUCP> <1151@sbcs.sunysb.edu> <651@cernvax.UUCP>
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook
Lines: 73
Keywords: AppleTalk, Network
Summary: Bucks for boards & software, a new idea?

In article <651@cernvax.UUCP>, zofka@cernvax.UUCP (zofka) writes:
> Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
> Subject: Re: AppleTalk, Networking, Amigas and Offices
> Organization: CERN European Laboratory for Particle Physics, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
> Keywords: AppleTalk, Network
> 
>    I'm not so sure... A processor costs 2-3 $ 32k memory 2$ one pal
>    for 1.5 $ and logic for 10 $. The printed circuit is the most expensive
>    and the connectors (50 $)... all for 100$. Why every time people talk
>    about profit. Few $$$ for few hours of work is enough for people how
>    love their work...

	Milan, I love my work.  Couldn't really think of anything better
	to do.  Need to make bucks (== profit) to pay rent, buy food for 
	my wife and child, pay car insurance, etc.  I'm sure the people 
	who provide the services that I've mentioned probably love their 
	work too, but they're in the same boat as I am about paying for
	their necessities.  Right down to the guys who grows the food, 
	dig iron ore, etc.  The basic theme here is $$$ = goods/services.

	As I've pointed out to you in private mail, parts cost are
	a factor in determining price, but are NOT the only force.  Big
	companies charge at least 3X-5X over manufacture cost in order to
	remain profitable.  But I'll promise you this:  if everyone else works
	for free, and doesn't charge for services, then I will too.  I suspect
	that to arrive at this "ideal" I'll have to move east to a colder
	climate and learn to like vodka and copies of 8080's :-).

> 
>    We are talking about a development group how don't look for real
>    profit and $$ but that can help commodore and Amiga to be at the top.
>    Imagine, we have a multi-standards-compatibility system... The ameristar
>    Ethernet card is a great example but I have a friend with a little
>    store and 2 amigas for bills and stock control... Ethernet and
>    2000$ investment ??? Impossible 500$ yes...
> 

	Gee, Commodore US is operating in the "black", financially speaking.
	Is this not true of Commodore/France?  CA seems really very capable
	indeed of helping themselves.  Naturally anyone selling Amiga based
	products would want CA to succeed.  The way we support their
	success is by trying to bring to market the sorts of products users
	would want to buy.  Not by contributing free labour.

	A development group is an OK idea for research sorts of things or
	where ideas need proving (eg there are quite a few superb groups
	in the Amateur Radio area: ka9q ip/tcp folks, TAPR, AMRAD, etc).
	To answer the telephone and provide support for your customers
	pretty well requires that you charge enough $$$ to pay someone to
	spend 40 hrs a week waiting for calls.  

>    zofka@cernvax.UUCB
>    zofka@cernvm  (Bitnet)
>    milan@BIX     (Bix)
> 
>    Milan Zofka 26, rte d'Annecy  CH-1256 TROINEX  GENEVA SWITZERLAND
>    =========================================================================
> 

[stuff about Ameristar & Dillon DNET deleted]

>    The others ??? waporware ? I have a CLtd Disk and I wrote last year
>    two times to CLtd to have informations about SCSI network and
>    opticaldisk.device (SCSI too)... Nothing... No reply, no answer...
>    nothing...

	I believe a few folks at Westchester have the CLtd disk sharing
	stuff running on Amigas.  I know that a few of our customers have it 
	also.  Perhaps the literature that CLtd shipped to you fell down
	the same blackhole that our literature did?

						Rick Spanbauer
						(Ameristar)
						(516) 698-0834