mathers@titan.trl.oz.au (Steven Mathers) (05/09/90)
I dont think that the amiga is viewed as a games machine is the major problem. Lets face it, there are no really good business programs available for the amiga. OK, so someone is going to say what about this or that program. Sorry, but with the people who pay big bickies for software (business users) some obscure program on a fairly obscure machine (in business circles) isnt going to be worth a pinch of shit. They want Lotus, AutoCAD, Ventura, Dbase, and as many bug name word processors as possible (nice try Word Perfect). If they cant run these programs on the Amiga, even if it has got nicer graphics, is multi-tasking and costs less, then forget it. Bringing out clones of these programs wont even help, because part of what these people buy when they pay BIG BUCKS for software is the reputaion, and suport services of the name brand software developers. Thats why they drive porches instead of mazdas. About the only thing Commodore could do about this is beg or even subsidize the brand name software developers to support the amiga, then bring out an amiga package aimed specifically at the business market. This would include an A2000, 40 Meg hard drive, 1 Meg, Monitor, 3.5 inch drive, and 5.25 inch drive for transfering IBM format files and something like CROSSDOS as standard. If they could run the exact-same, but nicer looking and multitasking programs they have on their IBMs, and transfer files to/from IBMs as easilly as from one IBM to another, then the fact that the hardware was different wouldnt really make a difference. Of course this supposes a really solid OS, with absolutely no bugs or Gurus. Buisiness users are fairly intollerent of this kind of crap. Once Commodore had their foot in the door, they might really take the Amiga somewhere. Of course it'll never happen... Stefo.