Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Classic_-_Concepts
From: Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: AmigaWorld irritant
Message-ID: <25140@cup.portal.com>
Date: 17 Dec 89 19:03:04 GMT
References: <89335.143415DDRAKE@AUVM.BITNET>
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 81


   Re:  Doug Barney's slights of other computers and computer users in
        AmigaWorld Magazine
 
  I feel, as does the originator of this thread, that Doug Barney's remarks
against other computers and other computer users are detrimental to the
publication, to Amiga users in particular and to the industry in general.
In fact, I was so upset, over the course of 2 issues, that I DIDN'T write
to Amiga World, the letter would have been so emotional and angry, I felt I
wanted to sit on it and think about it for a while.  When a new issue came
out, the slights were still there.  I am fairly diligent and consistent in
writing to editors, but this time, my anger was to the point where I felt I
wanted to tell him personally.  I phoned Amiga World several times, but
Doug wasn't available (on the other line, out of his office, etc.) and I
it wasn't a topic for which I wanted to leave a message (then I might     
as well write).
   I have no quarrel with Doug's enthusiasm.  Enthusiasm for the Amiga is
common among those who have taken the time to learn something about the
machine.  But I feel VERY STRONGLY that IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO DENIGRATE
OTHER COMPUTERS or USERS of other computers in order to elevate the status
of, or awareness of, the Amiga.  To do so lacks class.  It's juvenile.
It's uncalled for.  It's unnecessary.  It's also incorrect.  The Amiga owes
much to previous and current systems.  No machine is designed in a vacuum.
The Amiga is not the perfect solution for everyone.  No computer is.  The
Amiga is used by many people who use other computers.  People who use other
computers are potential Amiga owners--but they won't be if we alienate
them.
   The Amiga is strong enough to stand on its own.  We shouldn't attempt to
raise its status by tearing down that of others.
   Having said that, I wanted to address just a few of Doug's specific
remarks:

      "...a group whose aim is to spread the gospel of Amiga to a world
      of uninitiated, uninspired computer users, journalists, and other
      good-for-nothings."

Our job is to educate, not to proselytize.

Inspiration is not a function of which computer you use.  And those
computer users and journalists he has labelled as good-for-nothings are the
exact same people we need to provide balanced, reasoned arguments for AND
against the Amiga, so people purchase them as a result of an INFORMED
decision, and not because of advertising hype or peer pressure.

      "In the Macintosh world, when the going gets dull, the dull create a
      new buzzword ... multimedia ..."

I personally know a lot of Mac users.  They are definitely not a dull
bunch.  Apple has employed successful marketing strategies.  We can learn
from that.  Buzzwords are a useful tool for encapsulating a group of
related concepts.  They are one of the successful publicity tools that
the Amiga community could utilize.  In fact, multimedia describes rather
well, in a word, what the Amiga is all about.  Why not pick up the ball
someone else started rolling?

     "....  Like every good buzzword, the pundits have jumped on multimedia.
     Just in time, really, because they had been running out of column ideas
     and were recycling badly."

Doug.  Anyone who sets out the bad-mouth the press is really asking for
trouble.  If you have a message, the press is your greatest ally.  Provide
them encouragement, information about the Amiga, ideas for columns, etc.
instead of running them down.  You'll go further towards achieving the
goal of letting people know about the capabilities and applications of
the Amiga.  And you won't damage your credibility.

This message is long enough, so I'll sum up.  Doug Barney, I appreciate the
enthusiasm, time and effort you're putting into promoting the Amiga.  But
you can't get to the top of a mountain if you waste your time at the bottom
throwing stones at others.  So why not just shift your focus a little, and
I think we'll all benefit.
                                                                         
                                                        \_                
                                                         )\_            _/
                                                         `/)\_     __  // 
        __ _____________________________________________  `\\)\_  / '~//  
       ///  Julie Petersen  (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com      `\\//\\/|'//'  
      ///           Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com)      (\/Yyyy/'     
__   ///                                                   /Yyyy/'        
\\\ ///    Education, not indoctrination.  --J. Dewey     //\\  LadyHawke 
 \\///   ______________________________________________  ///\\\