cl3a+@andrew.cmu.edu (Chee Lee) (10/19/90)
Sometimes, it's very frustrating for me to see some of my college-mates being totally unaware of the existence of the Amiga. Yes, the Amiga has wonderful graphics, fast blitter processing and some really smashing demos, but what are the use of them, when people just don't know about how great this machine is unless they have seen it in action, or better yet, use it before? The campus computer store has full of Macs and PS/2 displays that could never rival a properly set-up A3000 demo system. I could even swear that I would be able to place my humble 7.16Mhz A500 beside those 25Mhz beasts and proclaim my system a better machine. But I would lose out eventually, because the Amiga lacks the professional and polished image that the I*M and the Apple possess. And more importantly, Amiga does not have the dealership support that the PS/2s and Mac systems have on campus. Let me illustrate my point with an example: As a college freshman, I was bombarded with brochures and flyers that attempted to pursade me to purchase a PC. Being satisfied with an A500, I don't intend to get another system in the near future. But I took up a sense of adventure to explore the possibilities I have as a freshman at CMU. Here is what I have observed: Mac/PS/2/Others Amiga --------------- ----- 1. Campus Computer Store: "As you can see, we have the "I'm sorry, we don't carry the Model 55SX, and the Model 70 Amiga. Amiga Dealer? I'm sorry, over at the other end. And if I have no idea is there one around you would like to have a Mac, Campus..." we have the fx and the ci..." 2. There were big flashy brochures "Make Up Your Own Mind" brochure freely distributable in the from an Amiga dealer 10-20 miles Computer Store. One particular away. No, it wasn't in my mailbox. 16 pages A3-size brochure attracted my attention: The whole brochure stresses on the features of Mac computers and not on a particular model: The Road Test: Ease of Use The Screen Test: 8,24bit color options The Performance Test: Speed/Ram The MultipleChoice Test: Connectivity/Options Testing 1-2-3: MS-Dos emulation Testimonials: People who use Macs The Test of Time: History of Macs :All 16-pages in full color and large fonts. Among other colored brochures. 3. The whole campus was full of Macs and Obviously, there is no option for interconnected via AppleTalk and even to the Amiga. the servers. There are outlets in the Dorm rooms to connect to the network if you have a Workstation/Mac/PS2. 4. Many students/friends were excited about A500? the Low Cost Macs and intend to purchase as soon as the LC is available. 5. Speakers from Sun/NeXT/Apple often visit Commodore, where are you? campus to demonstrate products. 6. Shelves of software available at the I have to go to the nearest Amiga Campus Computer Store. MacWrite II dealer ~10-20 miles away to get costs ~ $100 off the shelf. software. A friend of mine dismissed the Amiga as his possible purchase because it "doesn't have enough software easily available" ------------------------------------------------------------ I just want to highlight that the Amiga isn't reaching to the community no matter how superior advantages the hardware have over the Mac or I*M PS/2s. The Amiga just doesn't seem "fit" into the academic environment that the college admin has set up over the years. Is the university purposefully ignoring the Amiga as a possible alternative to the Mac and PS/2s or is Commodore not trying hard enough to push the Amiga to the campuses, or is Amiga the "odd-one-out" among the typicals? I'm not sure and by the look of how things are going with the new NeXTs (Yes, the Campus Computer Store is selling the new NeXTStations!!) and Low Cost Macs, I have increasing doubts each passing day on how the Amiga is going to come into the real picture among all these hypes. -William ============================================================================= "Where then do you expect to find security, if apart from the will of God?" - Lisa Elliot ============================================================================= /// vvvvv /-----|| /// @ @ o--- 'o | \\\/// Make Up Your Own Mind . . . Amiga. 0 vvvv |-- \XX/ ^^^ ^^^^=== / HELP! | \\\LCL///