Our Charter...Continued

In our first issue, you got to meet all of us except for Paul. Now he provides his story as an addendum to the original message.

By Michael Webb, Editor-in-Chief, 103165.3700@compuserve.com

Last month, I outlined some of our key goals in undertaking this project, and most of our staff members included a little information about their backgrounds so as to illustrate how they would fit into this magazine.

Unfortunately, Paul Somerfeldt, our Chief Contributing Writer, joined the magazine late, and was therefore unable to provide his "autobiography" in time for the publication date; but his background is as important and interesting as any of ours. So without further ado, I present you with Paul Somerfeldt's story:



Paul Somerfeldt, Chief Contributing Writer: psomerfeldt@delphi.com

I jumped on board this little outing a little later than most of the rest of the folks here. As a result, I have been a bit slower up to speed than the rest of the folks here. In fact, as I write this, I have just read the charter page.

Another problem I have had with writing this is that I have been pondering long and hard about what to say. The answer is, I have nothing special or unique to offer in the way of the Amiga. I do have a unique perspective, though. After reviewing the other editors' life stories, I find that I may have entered the Amiga world both first, and last.

When I was in high school a couple of years ago or so, my home room teacher had on one desk a box with a television set on it. This box didn't have a tuner attached to it, though. It had a Commodore PET attached to it. One of the original ones, with the white display, and a "chicklet" keyboard. I spend my first couple of years of computer programming on that machine. Microsoft Basic and the CBM PET. Then I discovered the Atari 800, and Star Raiders (IMHO the best computer game ever.) I remember spending $80 to upgrade the RAM in that machine from 24k to 30k. My, how much memory has come down in price. In 1983 I worked for Atari Computer Camps as a teaching assistant. In 1984 the fools actually hired me back, but before the summer started Atari was sold to the enemy. Jack Trameil, late of CBM, bought several portions of Atari from Warner Communications. He announced the making of a new computer, a 16 bit computer that would take the world by storm. The Atari press fell all over themselves, while speaking not so well of another revolutionary 16 bit computer.

Warner Communications, in its infinite wisdom, decided that no one would ever need a 16 bit computer, and would not let research be done on one. Plus Warner had a tendency to annoy their engineers for no apparent reason. That other computer was the Amiga, designed by the one of the fathers of my beloved Atari.

I say that I am probably the newest user here, as I didn't actually get an Amiga until 1991, when I bought a used 2000 from that same high school teacher. (Thanks for everything, Jim.) From a bare system, I have built it up slowly to a decent system, capable of most anything I want to do with it. Along the way, I have learned a lot about the machine. I have learned by error, and by participating in the Genie RTC's. Of particular note is a man whom I only knew as Pete, or PETER-CPM. He, among all others, has helped me the most. He is no longer with us, and although I can never pass on as much knowledge or patience in helping as he gave me, I try to give as much help as I can.

Unlike others here, I have no special fields, but bounce around to a lot of different areas. Word Processing, telecommunications, programming, and whatever else I can think of that day.