I'll make this short and sweet.
In the years since I purchased my Amiga, I have watched its evolution, seen it die and then resurrect in various forms, and I have suffered the slings and arrows along with all the rest of the die-hards.
Through all of it, one thing has remained constant. Ornery users. Gripers. Moaners. Whiners. They criticized Commodore, and trashed every new executive who came on board to try and get sales happening and keep the platform above the waves. And after it sank, they scrutinized and ridiculed every company that had the guts to try and refloat it. Every effort, no matter how noble, has been viciously criticized as "inadequate", "lacking in vision", "heading in the wrong direction", "unloyal to Amiga tradition", etc.
I have a great deal more respect for those who are working to save the Amiga in some form than I do for those who stand on the sidelines with verbal harpoons, ready to sink any Amiga platform that doesn't emerge exactly as they'd like it to be.
Make no mistake. When potential Amiga purchasers take the time to read Amiga articles, visit Amiga web sites, and investigate Amiga users groups, they will draw a single conclusion. Amiga users are a very loyal bunch who will stop at nothing in their efforts to keep their platform just as it is. Dead.
Dane S. Udenberg
I couldn't agree more. It's the age-old problem of "divisions in unity"; a common goal may unite people, but rifts within the group are inevitable.
I personally think one thing that has always remained true is that the only good reason for using an Amiga is if it is the best machine for one's purposes. The petty bickering and finger-pointing become highly unimportant in the "grand scheme."
Unfortunately, this may all be a moot point. I won't pretend to know how this will unfold, but it looks like the Amiga as we know it (not only the hardware, arguably less important, but the OS as well) has come to the end of its road. Perhaps not naturally, but nonetheless... We'll have to see just how everything turns out.
Michael Webb
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Editor's note: The previous issue of The Amiga Monitor certainly did generate feedback. (I felt like ducking every time I opened my mailbox.)
The following is a sampling of response to The Sam Report, which appeared in AM 2_11, at the following URL:
http://www.cucug.org/amiga/amiinfo/monitor/am2_11htm/sam.htm
Forwarded Message:
Subj: AM
Date: 98-07-06 13:09:16 EDT
From: gscott@nationalamiga.com (Greg Scott)
Reply-to: gscott@nationalamiga.com
To: sormes@aol.com
> "However," he continued, "we are able at the present time to offer our loyal
> Amiga customers a splendid line of Amiga-related items that will brighten up
> your computing life! We've got POSTERS, we've got COFFEE MUGS, we've got
> VIDEOTAPES of all the recent Amiga non-events, we've got BOING SHOES and BOING
> CARS. We even have the AMIGA THEME SONG on a CD for your listening and dancing
> pleasure! How many would you like to order, sir?"
> At that point I awoke. I was still hungry but there was no food so I decided to
> head over to the forum to catch the latest circus being offered by the
> benevolent Emperors.
Welcome to the hellish nightmare us dealers are facing all over the world. You
forgot to mention the shirts though :)
--
To place an order: http://www.nationalamiga.com/ordering.html
--
Greg Scott --------------------------------------------------------
National Amiga - Amiga Products and Services International
111 Waterloo St. #101 Phone: 519-858-8760
London, Ontario Fax: 519-858-8762 * Please use email,
N6B2M4 CANADA http://www.nationalamiga.com * I answer it faster.
Yes, I have a PGP key. Finger gscott@nationalamiga.com
*******************************************************************************
Subj: Fwd: Loved it!
Date: 98-07-07 11:28:07 EDT
From: Sormes
To: KyleWebb
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Loved it!
Date: 98-07-07 09:13:17 EDT
From: Brian_King@Mitel.COM (Brian King)
To: sormes@aol.com (AMSeniorEditor)
I loved your "I'm not dancing!" piece in the latest Amiga Monitor magazine.
Oh how true!
As a developer (shareware and freeware) for the Amiga, and a contributor to
the Ultimate Amiga Emulator project, I have been consistently and repeatedly
frustrated by Amiga, Inc. At the recent International Amiga 98 show in
Toronto, I asked Joe Torre key questions regarding the future development
machines, to get no response.
Why would I purchase a development system in November/December that is Intel
based, to run some mystery OS based on some mystery kernel with some form of
"Classic Amiga" emulation? I can already do such a thing with:
a) The BeOS on either Intel or PowerPC
b) Win98 on Intel
c) WinNT on Intel or Alpha
d) Linux on a multitude of platforms
e) MacOS on PowerPC
All of these Operating Systems are supported, enhanced on a regular basis,
have decent market-share, and have UAE implementations available.
I personally will be running the BeOS on a dual PentiumII machine. If the
BeOS happened to be the kernel of choice for the upcoming AmigaOS work, then
perhaps I'd stick around for more shenanigans.
Thanks for your time and ear.
--
Brian King
ISDN Connectivity
Mitel Corporation
*******************************************************************
Assistant Editor's Note: The following is a self-explanatory email response to a gentleman who (for some reason) did not correspond further. I feel compelled to point out that "news" can be found in Press Releases. My opinion (for which I am regularly targeted, perhaps for good reason) is highly evident in my articles. Perhaps I should put a header before any of my writs: "WARNING: EDITORIAL".
I believe I have been very careful in the use of the language contained within any of my articles. I admit to innuendo, but not to stating false facts. In any case:
Subj: Re: About the What did Carl see? "leakage"...
Date: 98-07-07 12:04:39 EDT
From: KyleWebb
To: d9090@indy.net
In a message dated 98-07-07 02:25:01 EDT, you write:
<< Subj: About the What did Carl see? "leakage"...
Date: 98-07-07 02:25:01 EDT
From: d9090@indy.net (Don Romero)
To: kylewebb@AOL.COM (AM Assistant Editor)
Hi,
Since I'm the one responsible for Carl's message to Russ Yost being on
c.s.a.m, I thought I'd just drop a line to clue you in on the message
origins.
Always glad to accept clarifications. Do go on....
Both Russ and I are on the TeamOne maillist, were there had been some
discussion on the mystery chipset as well as to just what it was Carl "saw".
Russ Yost, a self-described 80-year-old Amigan had the audacity to email
Carl directly and ask whether he could clarify whether he'd seen a software
simulation or some actual early version or workup in silicon.
I see no harm nor audacity in emailing Carl directly. Perhaps you could
explain why it is inappropriate to initiate contact with any individual
who has an accessible email address; after all, any such individual is not
obligated to reply.
What you've posted in AM is the message Russ got back, including permission
to re-post the message on the newsgroups. Since Russ doesn't do the
newsgroups I posted it for him with explanation as to what it was about.
Permission to repost in newsgroups seems to me lends itself to reposting
in a news outlet of any description, once it has become public knowledge per se.
It's that simple. No conspiracy. Certainly no "leak". There's nothing in
the message that violates the NDA or offers any clue as to what "MMC" is or
who is making it.
Granted, you are absolutely correct. There is no clue as to What Carl Saw,
nor is he obligated to report any such information. However, he surely is aware
that his words carry weight, and such a reply, especially given the permission
to repost, also carries a tantalizing flavor to it. It seems that if Carl did
not want to intrigue, or had not intended to initiate a reaction, then the best
way to avoid using veiled information as "bait" would be to either ignore or
refuse the request for same. Again, no one is obligated to reply to any email,
whether it be audacious *or* inflammatory. Do you agree?
All it does is clear up the original question of whether Carl saw a software
simulation or actual hardware. And it reinterates that he's very pleased
and excited about the project. Nothing less. Nothing more. Neither Russ
nor I work for Gateway or Amiga. We just want to see Amiga thrive and
survive and we have open minds about how that can be done. And we're both
realistic about where Amiga is (and isn't) today.
Perhaps you would care to share your realisms with an established
publication, rather than keep it in the newsgroups; The Amiga Monitor accepts
essays and feedback from any individual, irrespective of whether the individual
agreees with our editorial content or not. I should make two points that I have
made before; that is, if any reader is unsatisfied with the journalistic
content of our magazine, they are free to contribute for the purpose of "raising
the standards to their expectations", or simply to responsibly express their
knowledge and/or opinions. Unfortunately, we cannot offer fiscal reimbursement.
Additionally, it is ultimately up to the publisher to present any submission;
historically, The Amiga Monitor has not refused or censored any submission.
Given these statements, may I expect to hear from you again, perhaps in a more
amicable and contributory manner?
I feel we have the same attitude any Amigan, especially any Amigan
journalist, might be expected to exhibit. Cases to the contrary are
naturally disappointing to me.
I am not aware of a standard of "attitude" that any Amigan is expected to
adhere to. I expressed as much in another article, "Club Mig", and would request
a comprehensive listing of Rules for the purpose of publishing, so as to avoid
stepping outside the boundaries of Amigan behaviour, not only for myself on
behalf of our magazine, but also for all The Uninitiated. I would consider this
contribution from you as a Public Service Message.
All the more disappointing when the pretense is journalism.
I regret disappointing you, but I do not regret being the catalyst for your
thoughts. Journalism, by definition, is "...the work of gathering, writing,
editing, and publishing or disseminating news, as through newspapers and
magazines..." There is no pretense inferred by any essays I have written;
it was merely an opinion, quite free of making absolute statements implying
vaporous facts. I do not recall making any statements that could be construed
as insider facts. Please reread the article, and judge again for yourself.
As a sometime
writer for local newspapers, the founder and editor of a local free press
biweekly and a Commodore/Amiga newsletter editor for ten years as well as a
former writer/reviewer for the now defunct Amiga ".info" magazine I presume
I know something of what I speak.
As a self-admitted sometime writer, you are invited to express your
responsible comment and submit it for publication. Whether you know something of
what you speak is not an issue, particularly, although I accept your
self-assessment as such, and like any individual in this country, you are
entitled to your rightful opinion, and here at our magazine, you are also
entitled to express it in a forum conducive to comment, agreement or possible
correction by someone else's rightful opinions...or heaven forbid, verifiable
facts.
Everything relevant to the origin of the
post was included in the full post. Any questions could and should have
been directed to Russ, myself or -- heaven forbid -- Carl himself.
Unlike you and your AM associates, Carl as *some* basis upon which to judge
the wisdom of moving Amiga to MMC.
No one on the staff of The Amiga Monitor is responsible for my opinions or
essays, and it would be wise to refrain, in the future, from targeting any other
individual in a derogatory manner other than the person who expressed the
opinion with which you have vehemently disagreed. It is the civilised, and
mature, thing to do.
Possibly his judgement will be shown to
be in error. But he knows who's doing the chipset and probably who some of
the other partners are. You guys don't know any of that and so have no
basis on which to judge either MMC or the full plan per se.
I don't recall seeing anything published in our magazine that directly
addressed the issue or merits regarding the MMC or The Plan. To the best of my
recollection, our articles have not strayed outside the venues of dismay at the
*apparent* demise of the established architecture, a subject long, hotly, and
tiresomely debated in the newsgroups; it would seem likely that our publication
is by far not the only individuals convinced of this apparent development.
You can also add the fact that he was *there* at VisCORP when that whole
nosense was going on. So he knows something about vapor projects: he was
one of first to see through VisCorp and to leave. You guys just heard
something about it.
I beg to differ; one of our staff had, and has, inside knowledge of that
concern. This staff member has his finger on the pulse of Amiga business,
and would no doubt (less than cheerfully) disagree with your possibly uninformed
assessment of said staff member's expertise. I will forward your comments to
this staff member, and let him/her decide if your comments are worthy of reply.
But regardless of what Carl's past association with
Amiga, however "legendary" or not, you have some obligation to take him at
is word until you can show his word to be unreliable, either habitually or
in this specific instance. At least check your sources before casting
aspersions.
d.
>>
There was no doubt cast upon anyone's word; I merely made comment that, like
the vast majority of Amiga owners, there is no tangible, visible future in which
to place our faith. Words can be assembled in a pleasing and consoling manner,
but in *my* world, it is action that speaks loudly. And until such time that I
see absolute evidence of actual product, or a successful venue I, for one, will
not misplace my faith. I will be one of the first to cheer if the phoenix rises.
Until such time, I sadly watch as one after another Amiga-related business goes
down in flames, due in part to the dismal lack of action on the part of anyone
who has owned the rights to the Amiga technology. It would be irresponsibly
premature to assume anything BUT the status quo, after such a long time; if
there is an Amiga Saviour coming, I don't see the dust rising from the incoming
Crusades, nor the fabled bright light at the end of the tunnel.
I must assume that the next two years will be telling, and we can attempt to
apologize to one another at that time, if applicable. I cannot forecast the
future, even if other individuals feel free to do so.
Regards-
Kyle Webb
Assistant Editor / Cartoonist
The Amiga Monitor
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/MikeWebb/amhome.html
http://www.cucug.org/amiga/amiinfo/monitor/index.html
Kyle Webb's Home Page: http://members.aol.com/kylewebb/
******************************************************************************
Assistant Editor's Note: Three staff members, and one highly respected
developer, were targetted in the following. Of interest is the response by the
latter, which follows at the conclusion of this perceived diatribe.
*** Forwarded message, originally written by Tony Belding on 06-Jul-98 ***
What in the world is going on at The Amiga Monitor? It seems like the whole
staff have turned into a pack of Amiga haters! I've never seen so much
doom-and-gloom coming from an Amiga publication -- and it's especially
puzzling at a time when Amiga's fortunes seem to have finally taken an
upswing.
The opening "Amiga R.I.P." thing was especially shocking. That is not
journalism, that is pure flamebait. As for the rest of the magazine, well, I
hardly know where to begin...
There's the Sam Report. He's griping about some kind of "bait and switch"
tactics, but I don't really undestand what his problem is. What "bait" does
he think he was promised? I don't recall anybody ever announcing an Amiga
5000 -- unless you count the BoXeR and InsideOut, which are supposed to be
available Real Soon Now. Meanwhile Amiga Inc are working on something more
like an Amiga 8000, which I think is great. It should be obvious to even the
most thick-headed drones by now that *only* a dramatic leap forward in
technology can make Amiga competitive again and save the platform from
extinction.
Kyle Webb also has to get in a shot, this time at Carl Sassenrath. The
implication is that Carl is merely a mouthpiece spouting propaganda for Amiga
Inc. Not that Mr. Webb has any evidence of such collusion, of course. Isn't
there just a slight possibility that Mr. S and AI might both be telling it
like it is? Then Mr. Webb noted that Amiga companies are going out of
business, with the implication that this must somehow be Amiga Inc's fault.
No, it's not AI's fault that Amiga companies are going out of business, it's
Commodore's and Escom's fault. This shakeout has been growing for years,
there's no point in acting surprised about it, and there's no way Amiga Inc
could have avoided it. The only thing Amiga Inc can do about it try to
re-shape the Amiga platform into something competitive and rebuild its market
position. By all accounts that is exactly what they are working toward.
Assistant Editor's Note: I have been called things much worse, than "Mr." :)
Then there's Paul Somerfeldt, who is leaving the Amiga platform. He writes,
"Reading between the lines, however, I see that I will have to buy all new
software." Excuse me? That is what Amiga Inc have expressly said we will NOT
have to do. Amiga Classic software will continue to be supported with both
hardware and software (i.e. emulator) solutions.
As for the rest... if Mr. Somerfeldt can't wait for the Amiga II hardware, and
if the BoXeR and InsideOut are truly not adequate for his needs, then I
sympathize and can understand why he feels forced to get another platform.
However, I don't see why he feels this is newsworthy to the Amiga community.
Frankly, people have been migrating away from the Amiga platform for years
now: it's not news, it's not helpful, and it's not the sort of thing I enjoy
reading about in my online Amiga magazine. (As far as 3D animation is
concerned, I wonder how he feels about the Alpha Project?)
Then there's the Q&A session with Andreas Kleinert. Who exactly is Andreas
Kleinert, and why should I be interested in his opinions?
Mr. Kleinert feels there should be OS 3.5, so we can use it for the next 18
months until the Amiga II system with OS 5 is ready. I have three serious
problems with that. First up, how long would it take to create OS 3.5? It
would seem silly to spend 12 months developing an OS that will be obsolete six
months later. Secondly, it would detract resources from the OS 4/5 project,
which is what Amiga's future truly hangs upon. Third, OS 3.5 wouldn't offer
anything important that isn't already available. Mr. Kleinert mentioned RTG
and AHI, but these things are already freely available for OS 3.1. As for
source-level compatibility with OS 4/5, that is hardly reasonable when OS 4 is
itself a work in progress.
Now my view on the situation: Amiga Inc are doing *exactly* what I was
calling for two years ago. Their announced plans have exceeded my hopes. My
only gripe with them is how long it took them to get organized and get started
doing it. Apparently when Rick Snyder left Gateway it threw Amiga Inc into
limbo for eight months, which was a deeply unfortunate delay. That's eight
additional months of decline and deterioration for the Amiga platform before
the new technology we so badly need arrives. But, there's nothing for Amiga
Inc to do about it now, except try to make up lost time as best they can.
--
Tony Belding
http://www.hamilton.htcomp.net/tbelding/
Assistant Editor's Notes: Somehow, I felt it appropriate to direct the (most
civil) query of the lot contained in the previous Feedback to Mr. Kleinert;
following is the email I sent, and Mr. Kleinert's afforded reply thereafter:
Subj: FYI / From The Amiga Monitor
Date: 07/09/98
To: Andreas_Kleinert@t-online.de
Good Day, and Greetings from The Amiga Monitor;
I forward this email feedback to you, should you want to enlighten the
"gentleman" who expressed wonder as to your identity. :)
Then again, perhaps it would be a waste of your valuable time.
We will be publishing this letter in our "Feedback" column, and we invite you to
submit an appropriate response. Our current deadline for the next issue is July
20.
Thank you for your time, and for your consideration in this matter.
Kyle Webb
Assistant Editor / Cartoonist
The Amiga Monitor
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/MikeWebb/amhome.html
http://www.cucug.org/amiga/amiinfo/monitor/index.html
Kyle Webb's Home Page: http://members.aol.com/kylewebb/
Subj: Re: FYI / From The Amiga Monitor
Date: 98-07-09 03:50:39 EDT
From: Andreas_Kleinert@t-online.de (Andreas R. Kleinert)
To: KyleWebb@aol.com
Hi,
>I forward this email feedback to you, should you want to enlighten the
>"gentleman" who expressed wonder as to your identity. :)
>Then again, perhaps it would be a waste of your valuable time.
;-) Reply follows below.
>We will be publishing this letter in our "Feedback" column, and we invite you
>to submit an appropriate response. Our current deadline for the next issue is
>July 20.
I BTW did like your critical Monitor issue - especially the headline.
******************************************************************************
>Then there's the Q&A session with Andreas Kleinert. Who exactly is Andreas
>Kleinert, and why should I be interested in his opinions?
Since most people perhaps don't know Tony Belding either, I'd say, that it
actually does not matter - take my opinion as one among others. Of course
I do hope that my arguments just are better :-)
>Mr. Kleinert feels there should be OS 3.5, so we can use it for the next 18
>months until the Amiga II system with OS 5 is ready. I have three serious
>problems with that. First up, how long would it take to create OS 3.5? It
>would seem silly to spend 12 months developing an OS that will be obsolete six
>months later. Secondly, it would detract resources from the OS 4/5 project,
>which is what Amiga's future truly hangs upon. Third, OS 3.5 wouldn't offer
>anything important that isn't already available. Mr. Kleinert mentioned RTG
>and AHI, but these things are already freely available for OS 3.1. As for
>source-level compatibility with OS 4/5, that is hardly reasonable when OS 4 is
>itself a work in progress.
A few points regarding this issue:
1. OS 3.5 for 68k should (have) be (been) developed in parallel, not
hindering OS 4.0 in any way - in my opinion
2. although the estimated time frame was less than 12 months it
NOW of course is quite late to start such a project - this would
not have been the case if it had been started earlier and not
merely canceled some time ago
3. RTG and RTA (AHI was the wrong word) aren't yet available for OS 3.x
- what we currently have, are (technically spoken) hacks and patches
that actually neither are part nor really supported by the OS;
if we had a cleaner OS 3.5 for 68k systems, with a cleaner interface
for drivers of all kind, "Amiga Classic" would not only be easier (and
faster !) to be emulated on upcoming Amigas: it would also be a benefit
for all the people that will even continue to use their 68k/PPC Amigas
for the time after that remaining 18 months (*)
4. if there's no source-level compatibility whatsoever - the point
here BTW is AROS, which doesn't mean, that the OS itself would
have to be source-compatible - one has to ask the question,
whether the other similarities, let it be in design or philosphy
- if any - will suffice to attract the remaining Amiga developers
to write anything for the new machine. From scratch - as needed
for ANY other platform (of which many are available right NOW).
Shortly spoken:
Given
- a completely new, modern OS
- all-new software
- binary compatibility by emulation (UAE)
- binary compatibility via plugin card (Siamese)
- source compatibility by AROS or other solutions
you'll find, that this currently is matched by many operating systems
on several platforms. Why should someone, user or developer, should
specifically chose Amiga-II, then ?
If anyone who's asking for something of the old Amiga to be saved over
to the new one, always is told to "ask for too much", I can't see, how
Amiga users and ICOA/developers should have any influence on (or any
meaning for the construction of) the new system AT ALL ?!
Finally:
Take the Amiga platform and remove the OS, the hardware, the majority
of commercial and shareware developers, a large number of users
- what's left technically, then ? The trademark and the spirit ?
As you can see, there's currently a gap. It's to be filled by
OS 5.0 and new hardware in the longer term, but ignoring the classic
Amiga and it's developers and users in the meantime, just will
mean to turn that gap into a hole (a black hole for a lot of people).
And from the point of a developer:
Nobody can develop for the new machine unless its developer version
is available (scheduled for: November 98) - however, invested
developments won't pay back until a large number of users will
buy new machines plus software (not before: end of 99). If no one
buys "Classic" hard- and software anymore in the meantime, most
developers won't be able to develop for the "NG Amiga" anyway (they
simply will disappear silently or switch the platform, at least partly).
However, if people continue to buy for the old machines, those won't
simply disappear with the appearance of the new machine, either (running
OS 3.1 for the next 5 years ?).
(*) do you really think, that anyone NOW will buy e.g. a BoXer or
A5000 plus PPC board just to throw it away shortly after ?
Even if it is been sold to someone else, it's not gone...
>Now my view on the situation: Amiga Inc are doing *exactly* what I was
>calling for two years ago. Their announced plans have exceeded my hopes. My
>only gripe with them is how long it took them to get organized and get started
>doing it. Apparently when Rick Snyder left Gateway it threw Amiga Inc into
>limbo for eight months, which was a deeply unfortunate delay. That's eight
>additional months of decline and deterioration for the Amiga platform before
>the new technology we so badly need arrives. But, there's nothing for Amiga
>Inc to do about it now, except try to make up lost time as best they can.
Tony,
Kyle Webb is "Ms." Not "Mr."
Michael Webb
Editor-in-Chief
******************************************************************************
*** Forwarded message, originally written by Alf Inge Wang on 07-Jul-98 ***
Why do Amiga Monitor write so many negative speculative things about
Amiga Inc's new plans ?
I have read Amiga Monitors a long time and I have been satisfied with
the things you've written. BuT !!! The last couple of months, all you
have used energy on is to remove all hope of the Amiga community and
make more speculations about Amiga Inc's plans. I am tired of reading so
much negative reading-material, and I think this is the last time I
every read The Amiga Monitor. I hope many people will follow me !
Alf Inge Wang
Assistant Editor's Note: DARN! There goes another one of those
revenue-generating subscriptions. Wait...I forgot, we are a non-profit
organization. :)
There's no hidden meaning to the name "Feedback." This is simply the department in which we publish reader feedback to The Amiga Monitor. It can be about The Amiga Monitor as a whole, an article published in AM, the Amiga community in general, or anything you consider appropriate. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Please note that any messages sent in any way to AM are subject to being published in Feedback, unless you request otherwise. However, to "officially" submit something to Feedback, send a message to mikewebb@csi.com (please check the AM Link Redirection Page for an up-to-date e-mail address first if possible, but otherwise use this address).
We will not guarantee publication of anything sent to Feedback. We reserve the right to revise any messages before publishing them.