DDRAKE@AUVM.BITNET (12/02/89)
I figured that I would post this because it probably will not get
published in AMIGAWORLD.
Dear Doug Barney,
I just received my December 1989 issue of AMIGAWORLD magazine and
regret to say that I am disappointed in your conduct. In a magazine
that has been around since (almost) the inception of the Amiga,
survived the ups and downs that the computer has experienced, and has
one of the largest markets of all the Amiga magazines, I expect more.
While the Amiga has over the years matured, obviuosly some of its users
HAVE NOT. It used to be way back in 1985 and 1986, that Amiga owners
had the reputation of being quite liberal in voicing their opinions of
other computers and their users. And in quite the same manner that you
have demonstrated so admirably. However, since the Amiga has been established
in the industry, albeit not on a large scale, this behavior is inexcusable.
Not only so MS-DOS and MAC computers have their uses, but the people who own
them are also potential buyers of Amigas. It can only damage the sales of
Amiga's to call these potential buyers dolts and uncreative idiots. Also,
in a respectable magazine, e.g. non-tabloid, one would expect a more
professional level of conduct.
As if the above mentioned things were not enough, you have added
insult to injury. It has come to my attention that you have written several
arlicles for COMPUTER WORLD magazine. In these articles, you have expounded
on how advanced OS/2 has become and what things to expect from it. You
have written non-negative material about IBM. Does that make you an idiot
and a dolt? If we follow your criteria, you condemn yourself.
The Amiga does not need people like you. It needs responsible, mature,
pragmatic people who know what they want and the best way to get things
done. What was the purpose of writing the article in the first place?
You don't need to tell people who know that they have the best machine
that they have the best! You have to convince others, and you will never
be able to accomplish this by insulting them. I refuse to believe that
there are no other subjects to talk about. The editor's note used to be
an overview of the computing industry, new trends, or spotlight a
particular product or person. No longer is it a source of information,
but just another piece of fluff. I suggest that you review your
priorities and prove the worth of your magazine.
Thank You,
A REAL Amiga owner,
Daniel J. Drake
I think that this letter pretty well sums up my feelings about the
direction the magazine industry has taken as a whole. I prompt
every body who thinks the same way I do to write to AMIGAWORLD,
or some other magazine, and get rid of all this fluff. I want
my money's worth for my subscription.
===========================================================================
'My Name is Tazmania ... spelled with a Z. and Z is for sleeping'
-Lynesia Walter 1989
ddrake@auvm.bitnetgfre@pawl.rpi.edu (gregory m stiegler) (12/03/89)
Thank you for your attention, Gregory M. Stiegler, A REAL person. =============================================================================== "When all else fails, there's always NOS." - TURBO magazine
stewartw@warpdrive.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (12/08/89)
I certainly must add my agreement to the article which complains about Doug Barney's attitude towards IBM and Macs. I was about to do the same myself. AmigaWorld (no matter how much we dislike it) is widely read, and will therefore, be held to represent the viewpoint of the Amiga community. Doug condemns IBM and Apple's preoccupation with standards, and yet fails to recognize how important IFF has been to the growth of desktop video on the Amiga. There is a lot that both Commodore and the Amiga community can learn, both good and bad, from those two companies. Rather than attacking those machines, it is better notice where we are better (to keep that direction) and to adjust that which is poorly directed. Doug's comments came across as someone who is very insecure and, by boasting, hopes to overcome that insecurity. Stewart Winter -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: uunet!cognos!stewartw Ottawa, Ontario "The bird for the day is .... nanday conure." CANADA K1G 3Z4
hill@evax.arl.utexas.edu (Anthony Adam Hill) (12/11/89)
I agree with Stewart a bit. In the Jan issue of AW there is a glimmer of hope. AW is sponsering the Amiga Dev. Asscn. This group seems to want to be a
spokesperson (?) for developers and by the article AW doesn't seem to mind
loosing money on the deal. I wish AW and the ADA luck.
BTW how many real developers out there think the ADA will do any good?
adam hill.
... ramblings of a wanna be developer... anyone got 10 thou? I gotta idea...Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com (12/18/89)
Re: Doug Barney's slights of other computers and computer users in
AmigaWorld Magazine
I feel, as does the originator of this thread, that Doug Barney's remarks
against other computers and other computer users are detrimental to the
publication, to Amiga users in particular and to the industry in general.
In fact, I was so upset, over the course of 2 issues, that I DIDN'T write
to Amiga World, the letter would have been so emotional and angry, I felt I
wanted to sit on it and think about it for a while. When a new issue came
out, the slights were still there. I am fairly diligent and consistent in
writing to editors, but this time, my anger was to the point where I felt I
wanted to tell him personally. I phoned Amiga World several times, but
Doug wasn't available (on the other line, out of his office, etc.) and I
it wasn't a topic for which I wanted to leave a message (then I might
as well write).
I have no quarrel with Doug's enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for the Amiga is
common among those who have taken the time to learn something about the
machine. But I feel VERY STRONGLY that IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO DENIGRATE
OTHER COMPUTERS or USERS of other computers in order to elevate the status
of, or awareness of, the Amiga. To do so lacks class. It's juvenile.
It's uncalled for. It's unnecessary. It's also incorrect. The Amiga owes
much to previous and current systems. No machine is designed in a vacuum.
The Amiga is not the perfect solution for everyone. No computer is. The
Amiga is used by many people who use other computers. People who use other
computers are potential Amiga owners--but they won't be if we alienate
them.
The Amiga is strong enough to stand on its own. We shouldn't attempt to
raise its status by tearing down that of others.
Having said that, I wanted to address just a few of Doug's specific
remarks:
"...a group whose aim is to spread the gospel of Amiga to a world
of uninitiated, uninspired computer users, journalists, and other
good-for-nothings."
Our job is to educate, not to proselytize.
Inspiration is not a function of which computer you use. And those
computer users and journalists he has labelled as good-for-nothings are the
exact same people we need to provide balanced, reasoned arguments for AND
against the Amiga, so people purchase them as a result of an INFORMED
decision, and not because of advertising hype or peer pressure.
"In the Macintosh world, when the going gets dull, the dull create a
new buzzword ... multimedia ..."
I personally know a lot of Mac users. They are definitely not a dull
bunch. Apple has employed successful marketing strategies. We can learn
from that. Buzzwords are a useful tool for encapsulating a group of
related concepts. They are one of the successful publicity tools that
the Amiga community could utilize. In fact, multimedia describes rather
well, in a word, what the Amiga is all about. Why not pick up the ball
someone else started rolling?
".... Like every good buzzword, the pundits have jumped on multimedia.
Just in time, really, because they had been running out of column ideas
and were recycling badly."
Doug. Anyone who sets out the bad-mouth the press is really asking for
trouble. If you have a message, the press is your greatest ally. Provide
them encouragement, information about the Amiga, ideas for columns, etc.
instead of running them down. You'll go further towards achieving the
goal of letting people know about the capabilities and applications of
the Amiga. And you won't damage your credibility.
This message is long enough, so I'll sum up. Doug Barney, I appreciate the
enthusiasm, time and effort you're putting into promoting the Amiga. But
you can't get to the top of a mountain if you waste your time at the bottom
throwing stones at others. So why not just shift your focus a little, and
I think we'll all benefit.
\_
)\_ _/
`/)\_ __ //
__ _____________________________________________ `\\)\_ / '~//
/// Julie Petersen (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com `\\//\\/|'//'
/// Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com) (\/Yyyy/'
__ /// /Yyyy/'
\\\ /// Education, not indoctrination. --J. Dewey //\\ LadyHawke
\\/// ______________________________________________ ///\\\ doug@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (douglas.sulpy) (12/18/89)
Julie, If and when you DO finally get through to Doug Barney, please post the results. Like it or not, Amiga World is the highest profile Amiga magazine. Too bad they had to pick someone so utterly uncool to be Editor.
donw@zehntel.zehntel.com (Don White) (12/23/89)
> > Re: Doug Barney's slights of other computers and computer users in > AmigaWorld Magazine > > I feel, as does the originator of this thread, that Doug Barney's remarks >against other computers and other computer users are detrimental to the >publication, to Amiga users in particular and to the industry in general. > /// Julie Petersen (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com `\\//\\/|'//' I was also disappointed and a little hurt. It was precisely BECAUSE of my experiences on other computers that I had the IMAGINATION to understand what the Amiga could do for me. i.e. I would not have bought an Amiga if I had not been previously exposed to other computers. If Doug Barney continues this tone, he may damage the growth of the Amiga. Would you buy a computer when your initial impression was that the support group for it is SNOOTY? (Well yes if it's this good, I might 1/2 ;-) Many people get some of their first impressions by looking at the trade magazines. Doug, please. Don White Box 271177 Concord, CA. 94527-1177 zehntel!donw