thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (10/21/89)
Does the management of the AmiEXPO shows have a death wish? Or are they
operating the shows as some kind of tax-loss scam?
My perception of marketing and sales is that people aren't going to buy what
you're selling unless they know you're selling something. One of the more
common ways to inform people you've something for sale is to advertise.
Over the past several weeks,I've checked EVERY (major) newspaper and periodical
in N.California and Silicon Valley (San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune,
Peninsula Times Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Computer Currents, and
Microtimes) and noted not even ONE ad for AmiEXPO, which is being held today
(Friday), tomorrow and Sunday at the Santa Clara Convention Center in the heart
of Silicon Valley.
Advertising in a few of the Amiga-related magazines is fine, but that is
essentially preaching to those who are already converted! :-)
How are we to wean the weenies away from their fruits and clones when the
powers-that-be don't help?
The ONLY items appearing in print in this area concerning the AmiEXPO and/or
the BADGE Killer Demo Contest (held at the AmiEXPO site) are the following two
items reprinted in their entirety:
San Jose Mercury News, Sunday, October 15, 1989, COMPUTING section, in the
Computing Calendar:
"FRIDAY
------
AugNet, the Amiga users group network of Silicon Valley, will hold its
regular monthly meeting Oct.27. A special meeting will be held at AmiEXPO
at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Rooms A and C. (408)554-0515.
"
and the following (typical) anti-Amiga item also in the San Jose Mercury News,
Wednesday, October 18, 1989, Business Section, page 8E, in an article compiled
by Rory O'Connor, the Computing Editor of the San Jose Mercury News (who can
be contacted at 750 Ridder Park Drive; San Jose CA 95190; or via MCI Mail at
mailbox 361-2192. You can call O'Connor (directly) at 408/920-5019:
"
STAND CLEAR OF THE SCREEN
Commodore Business Machines, once one of the kings of the personal computer
business, wants to recapture some of its old glory. The way to do it: with
an old machine, namely its 4-year-old Amiga. The company has decided to go
ahead with a relaunch of the computer complete with a $15 million advertising
campaign that began this week.
The company hopes the glitzy ad campaign will convince buyers the Amiga is a
serious machine and help it in ``putting the bloom'' back on the company name.
Maybe they should have told a group of local Amiga developers sponsoring a
contest this weekend at AmiEXPO, an Amiga trade show and exhibition at the
Santa Clara Convention Center. The group will award some $6,000 in prizes
for the best --- Killer Demos.
No word on whether the D.A.'s computer crime task force will be undercover
here.
"
That's it. One local user's group casually mentioning AmiEXPO as part of its
regular meeting announcement, and the Computing Editor of the Mercury News
suggesting that BADGE is somehow sponsoring and producing illegal software.
If you've read any or all of O'Connor's writings, you will have noted that
he is humorless. Thus, I cannot believe the last line of his article (above)
is "tongue-in-cheek."
The CONSTANT anti-Amiga bias of the San Jose Mercury News has GOT to stop. The
previous two Computing Editors of the Mercury News were no better. The Mercury
News touts itself as the premiere award-winning newspaper of N.California.
You've all seen my more-or-less regular postings of Mercury News articles
pertaining to the Amiga, now it's time to flood them with your protests. Their
address is:
San Jose Mercury News
750 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, CA 95190
As an aside, the Wednesday, October 18, 1989 issue of the San Francisco
Chronicle was an 8-page-only edition produced on a Mac, and they hammered
home THAT fact multiple times. The computer was connected to a portable
power generator. There is NO technical reason an Amiga could not have been
used, with all the attendant publicity: WHY WASN'T AN AMIGA USED? Just
another reason I feel CBM's move away from Silicon Valley a few years ago
was a BIG misteak (sic).
And as another aside re: the Amiga commercial that was aired during halftime
on Monday's game: the implication I received from the ad was the computer is
too difficult for astronauts, musicians, singers, politicians, etc. to use (the
y
had to go to a teenage specialist). Jeez, how's that gonna help improve the
image of the Amiga? Or was the real statement: astronauts, Lasorda, Pointer
Sisters, Tip O'Neill, et al, do NOT have creative minds (so they can operate
the computer themselves)? One computer and one hacker to serve 9 people; seems
it would have been better for EACH of the 9 people to have their own Amiga.
Food for thought.
Sigh.
Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]