pierre@pro-graphics.cts.com (Pierre Altamore) (08/23/90)
After reading a few article in the August 1990 issue of Personal Workstation I
became somewhat pissed at the exclusion of the Amiga from such articles as,
"Getting GUI" and "Creation Stations: Platforms for Multimedia Authoring".
They totally ignored it and are doing a great disservice to all of you.
Please write or email these people, they obviously are pretty clueless.
Write to: Editors, Personal Workstation, 501 Galveston Dr., Redwood City, CA
94063 or email them at uunet!pwmag!editors. Here's the letter I sent them:
Jeffrey S. Young August 23, 1990
Editor-in-Chief
Personal Workstation Magazine
uunet!pwmag!editors
Mr Young,
Your August 1990 issue contained two SERIOUS errors. The first
misadventure begins on page 32 with the article "Getting GUI". In this artice
you review various GUIs and stress versatility, customization and functionality.
Your staff has a lot to learn when they overlook a major contender, the
Commodore Amiga and it's Workbench GUI. While previous versions for this
interface lacked the spiffy look of many of it's competitors, the three critical
criterion I mentioned above were adequately covered. The event that your staff
was apparantly oblivious to is the recent release, by Commodore, of Workbench
2.0, a revolutionary new GUI introduced with the Amiga 3000 and compatible with
existing Amiga computers. How could any competent staff miss this gem? Upon
examination of this GUI you will find that it easily competes with the ones you
reviewed and notably makes the Macintosh Desktop look downright crude. Do your
homework next time!
The second error is even more heinous. "Creation Stations: Platforms
for Multimedia Authoring" by Bud E. Smith is a piece of literature that is so
deprived of any semblance of common sense that it's comical. Here is an
excerpt that strongly supports the last sentence, "In this article, we'll
survey the current state of multimedia authoring capability on today's most
important platforms: Apple's Macintosh; Intel-based PCs; and workstations from
NeXT, Silicon Graphics and Sun". Are you still with me? Ever hear of the
Amiga in your sheltered world of VME and CD-ROM? Why are you reviewing the
NeXT GUI when the machine is an utter failure with 5000 units sold? The Amiga
installed base is quickly approaching the 2 million mark and it garners nary a
word from your diligent writer. The recent introduction of Commodore's CDTV
seems to have escaped his blind eye as well. This CD-ROM based multimedia
engine will define the term "multimedia" for the 90s. Does the word
"AmigaVision" ring any bells? Maybe my two favorite words, VIDEO TOASTER, will
jog your memory. AmigaVision, CDTV and the Video Toaster are new products that
will have a profound effect on the multimedia market. Does Bud E. Smith really
belong on the writing staff of ANY magazine? If ignorance is a prerequisite
then he is eminently qualified. While he spouts ostentatious headlines like,
"Leading PC and workstation companies are stuggling to create usable multimedia
workstations" the Amiga (especially the Amiga 3000) easily delivers the
multimedia punch he never seemed to find.
Here is the Amiga entry which I find impossible to ignore:
Amiga 3000/25
-------------------------------------
Base System /////////////////////////
-------------------------------------
CPU, FPU 25-MHz 68030,
68882
Cache none
Bus Zorro III
Sound Chip Paula (4 voice 2 channel stereo sound
with built-in speech)
Available slots 6 (4 Zorro II, 1 Video, 1 CPU)
Hard Disk 100 Mbytes
OS AmigaDOS 2.0
True multitasking Yes
System Price $4499
Video card Built-in up to 1280x400
Video slot for 3rd party 24-bit
Example: Newtek Video Toaster 24-bit
$1600
Monitor 14" A1950 Multisync
Resolution 800x600
Price $799
Price w/video $6898
-------------------------------------
VIDEO OPTIONS ///////////////////////
-------------------------------------
NTSC/PAL output third-party
Video Acceleration built-in
Video in window not yet
Frame grabber third-party
-------------------------------------
MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE /////////////////
-------------------------------------
HyperCard-type included with all systems
product
Authoring many
Animation many
Rendering many
OS multimedia comprehensive
support
I urge you to print this letter, or make known to your readers the
merits and heretofore acknowledged dominance of the Commodore Amiga in the
multimedia market. A market that is based on capabilities that this machine
has possessed and excelled at for quite a few years.
Irritably yours,
Peter J. Altamore
Critical Mass Software
P.O. Box 23
Short Hills, NJ 07078
UUCP: ...crash!pro-graphics!pierre | Critical Mass Software
ARPA/DDN: pro-graphics!pierre@nosc.mil | P.O. Box 23
Internet: pierre@pro-graphics.cts.com | Short Hills, NJ 07078jcb@frisbee.Sun.COM (Jim Becker) (08/24/90)
pierre@pro-graphics.cts.com (Pierre Altamore) writes:
After reading a few article in the August 1990 issue of Personal
Workstation I became somewhat pissed at the exclusion of the Amiga
from such articles as, "Getting GUI" and "Creation Stations:
Platforms for Multimedia Authoring". They totally ignored it and
are doing a great disservice to all of you. Please write or email
these people, they obviously are pretty clueless.
In the defense of Personal Workstation, my impression is that they've
been doing a pretty good job covering their field within the computer
world. While I agree that the Amiga is the best thing out there for
multi-media (and realized it long before CBM did :-)), the reason for
not including Amy probably have to do more with the reasons other's
don't include the Amiga in comparisons. Basically that it's perception
in the market isn't as bright as the other machines listed. The market
for ToolBook and HyperCard is much brighter than anything based on the
Amiga, regardless of relative merit of platform capability.
If you read newspaper reviews of software, especially the San Jose
Mercury, there is very little mention of CBM or Atari products. The
basic focus is the Mac and PC. The Amiga is normally given passing
mention when multimedia is brought up, but normally not considered a
contender. We wouldn't attempt to lay blame on why this is the case,
you've all heard me enough.. That's life in the big city.
By the way, the Video Toaster was also `coming real soon' the last
time I was at an Amiga meeting, in 1987.
-Jim
--
Jim Becker / jcb%frisbee@sun.com / Sun MicrosystemsJKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT) (08/24/90)
In article <141225@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>, jcb@frisbee.Sun.COM (Jim Becker) says: > >If you read newspaper reviews of software, especially the San Jose >Mercury, there is very little mention of CBM or Atari products. The >basic focus is the Mac and PC. The Amiga is normally given passing >mention when multimedia is brought up, but normally not considered a >contender. We wouldn't attempt to lay blame on why this is the case, >you've all heard me enough.. That's life in the big city. Not true at all. Last month I read an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer entirely about the Amiga, and they had gotten it from a writer at the San Jose Mercury. I whipped a letter off to him the next day complimenting him on his article. >By the way, the Video Toaster was also `coming real soon' the last >time I was at an Amiga meeting, in 1987. Well, that was 1987. The Toaster is out now, and it is knocking the socks off of everyone, video professionals included. It's my understanding that manufacturers of professional (read: $50,000+ range) video machines are scared because this little $1500 wonder can measure up well to their products. Try going to another Amiga meeting and see one! :-) Kurt -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- || Kurt Tappe (215) 363-9485 || Amigas, Macs, IBM's, C-64's, NeXTs, || || 184 W. Valley Hill Rd. || Apple ]['s.... I use 'em all. || || Malvern, PA 19355-2214 || (and in that order too! ;-) || || jkt100@psuvm.psu.edu --------------------------------------|| || jkt100@psuvm.bitnet jkt100%psuvm.bitnet@psuvax1 QLink: KurtTappe || -----------------------------------------------------------------------
sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (08/27/90)
pierre@pro-graphics.cts.com (Pierre Altamore) writes: | Your August 1990 issue contained two SERIOUS errors. The first |misadventure begins on page 32 with the article "Getting GUI". In this artice |you review various GUIs and stress versatility, customization and functionalit [much deleted for space] |"AmigaVision" ring any bells? Maybe my two favorite words, VIDEO TOASTER, will |jog your memory. AmigaVision, CDTV and the Video Toaster are new products that |will have a profound effect on the multimedia market. Does Bud E. Smith really | Irritably yours, | Peter J. Altamore Peter, I realize how frustrating such incompetence of many magazines can be, but if I were the editor of Personal Workstation, and I got such an irate, ranting letter as the one you sent, I would simply toss it into the trash and ignore it. You need to calm down and cool off before writing such letters. Being indignant and flaming the editors doesn't get them to change their minds, you have to be civil and polite and point out their mistakes in a way they can swallow them without choking. -- John Sparks |D.I.S.K. Public Access Unix System| Multi-User Games, Email sparks@corpane.UUCP |PH: (502) 968-DISK 24Hrs/2400BPS | Usenet, Chatting, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-|7 line Multi-User system. | Downloads & more. A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of----Ogden Nash
andrew@teslab.lab.OZ (Andrew Phillips 289 8712) (08/28/90)
In article <141225@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> jcb@frisbee.Sun.COM (Jim Becker) writes: >... the reason for >not including Amiga probably have to do more with the reasons other's >don't include the Amiga in comparisons. Basically that it's perception >in the market isn't as bright as the other machines listed. Quite right. It is a deficiency in the perception of the author of the article. He isn't bright. >If you read newspaper reviews of software, especially the San Jose >Mercury, there is very little mention of CBM or Atari products. ... This is the whole point of sending letters to editors to make them aware that they are *not* catering to their market. That is there are a lot of Amiga users out there who want to see reviews etc. The other point is to make sure that these sort of articles are factual rather than fashionable. That is Macs and SUNs may be fashionable with computer journos but people who have to use Multimedia should have all the facts. Andrew PS Why didn't I ignore this agitator. -- Andrew Phillips (andrew@teslab.lab.oz.au) Phone +61 (Aust) 2 (Sydney) 289 8712
jcb@frisbee.Sun.COM (Jim Becker) (08/30/90)
andrew@teslab.lab.OZ (Andrew Phillips 289 8712) writes: ingle bob In article <141225@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> jcb@frisbee.Sun.COM (Jim Becker) writes: >If you read newspaper reviews of software, especially the San Jose >Mercury, there is very little mention of CBM or Atari products. ... This is the whole point of sending letters to editors to make them aware that they are *not* catering to their market. That is there are a lot of Amiga users out there who want to see reviews etc. I've done this in the past, sent one to Rob Ingle (Bob?) at the Mercury News. He called me on the phone. I had been pretty incensed about all the coverage of the PC with total lack of Amiga mention. I believe it was in terms of multi-tasking and usability. Anyway, turns out he has an Amiga for his kids - and likes the machine. Then he told me about how things work, in terms of what gets covered and what doesn't. One of the notable things mentioned is that the C64 should get a large bulk of the news, if one wanted to go by market size. But this isn't the basis of what gets covered. In the end, my letter didn't get printed. They occasionally print letters from Amigoids about how great the machine is, and the lack of coverage. But they get a lot of letters about other things as well. This conversation, with the editor of the paper, is why I've come to accept the Amiga being a second class citizen in terms of newspaper coverage. Perhaps things are getting better, I stopped reading the paper (and feel a lot better). I'd like to think that all things were fair and given equal treatment, and that everything in the paper was gospel and truth. But that isn't what has made the National Enquirer and the New York Daily News so widely read. Or built Hearst Castle.. The other point is to make sure that these sort of articles are factual rather than fashionable. That is Macs and SUNs may be fashionable with computer journos but people who have to use Multimedia should have all the facts. I'd also like to think everything printed is factual, but have seen some amazing statements of farce printed about different subjects in the computer world. Around here people just assume there are going to be mis-statements and mis-facts, and don't concern themselves over it that much. Guess they live longer. If OZ prizes factual over fashionable it sounds like a great place to live! Andrew PS Why didn't I ignore this agitator. Who, me? Just the voice of experience here... -- Andrew Phillips (andrew@teslab.lab.oz.au) Phone +61 (Aust) 2 (Sydney) 289 8712 -Jim -- Jim Becker / jcb%frisbee@sun.com / Sun Microsystems