Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!purdue!ames!apple!oliveb!sun!swap!page
From: page%swap@Sun.COM (Bob Page)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Connectivity -- Amiga's Missing Link
Message-ID: <105883@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: 19 May 89 17:50:44 GMT
References: <8905191505.AA06770@decwrl.dec.com>
Sender: news@sun.Eng.Sun.COM
Reply-To: page@sun.UUCP (Bob Page)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 47

The problem Wes and Harv have with the Amiga is that they want it to
be something Commodore is not interested in.  CBM has repeatedly said
(at user group meetings, AmiExpo, press interviews, etc) it is not
after the broad "business" market, but want to target specific markets
(albeit the markets the machine niched itself in years ago while CBM
was trying to keep the Amiga a secret) like video, music, "desktop
presentation" and the like (and I keep hearing rumors about
'education' but that's been 4 years of lip service).  The fact is they
aren't interested in getting the Amiga into engineering shops,
government installations and all that.  If it happens, great!  But CBM
has other priorities for its advertising/marketing dollars.

Keep in mind I'm talking about the USA operation here.

plouff@levers.dec.com (Wes Plouff) wrote:
>I suggest that for Amiga to keep growing, in two years' time some 
>networking support must be standard on all Amigas.

I bet 95% of the places where Commodore sells Amiga don't give a damn
about networking.  Sure, _we_ all want it for ourselves, but that's
not enough.  Telling Commodore they must have networking to grow just
doesn't hold any water.  They'd rather increase the ad budget for
the PC line than hire network programmers and support staff for the
Amiga.

It comes down to expectations.  Loyal Amiga Fans (I include myself)
want the Amiga to get into Fortune 500 companies, into government
offices, etc, in large quantities .. similar to IBM, so more hardware
and software can become available, so they can feel justified in their
purchase, and all that.  But we want the Amiga to be something that
Commodore doesn't.  It's a multitasking machine with great graphics
and sound, and it plays great games.  It's a fun computer that has a
few serious software applications.  And it appears that's all CBM/USA
wants it to be.  Is that such a bad thing?

This is just MY opinion/observation of course.  As I said, I consider
myself a Loyalist, and in fact I'm working on some networking software
for the Amiga now.  I'll admit I don't understand why CBM is making a
UNIX for the Amiga (non-networked at that!).  I think they're just
confused, but I keep telling myself they're shrewd and have a
Strategy.

The Moral of this story: don't get so worked up about where the Amiga
is not.  Get worked up about where the Amiga is.  Use it, enjoy it.
Let Commodore worry (or not) about selling the machine.

..bob