[rec.games.video] Amiga origins

rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert allen Jung) (03/31/89)

In article <2483@puff.cs.wisc.edu> russell@uhura.CS.WISC.EDU (Russ Perry) writes:
> [Much stuff deleted about old Atari 2600 games]
>
>In addition, check out the Supercharger which had extra RAM in the cart and 
>allowed tapes to be loaded in sections to increase the memory even more.
>Amiga (not related to Commodore except possibly that they designed the thing
>and sold it to CBM -- is this true anyone?) was supposed to have a similar
>system out, but I don't think it made it beyond CES.

  That's right. The original purpose of Amiga the company (Amiga Inc.?) was
to make joysticks and similar controllers for home video/computer systems.
Pretty tacky equipment -- I used one once, and never returned to it again.
I'm not sure, but I think the money they made from those 'sticks went to the
development of the Amiga computer (no wonder it acts like a cheap piece of
plastic  B-) )...

						--R.J.
						B-)

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eric@cbmvax.UUCP (Eric Cotton) (03/31/89)

In article <3312@nunki.usc.edu> rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert  allen Jung) writes:
>  That's right. The original purpose of Amiga the company (Amiga Inc.?) was
>to make joysticks and similar controllers for home video/computer systems.
>Pretty tacky equipment -- I used one once, and never returned to it again.
>I'm not sure, but I think the money they made from those 'sticks went to the
>development of the Amiga computer (no wonder it acts like a cheap piece of
>plastic  B-) )...

Actually, the purpose of AMIGA had always been to develop a system.  The
josticks and such were sold to infuse capital into the company.
-- 
Eric Cotton
Commodore-Amiga                                               (215) 431-9100
1200 Wilson Drive                        {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!eric
West Chester, PA 19380            "I don't find this stuff amusing anymore."

raz%kilowatt@Sun.COM (Steve -Raz- Berry) (04/01/89)

In article <3312@nunki.usc.edu> rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert  allen Jung) writes:
>In article <2483@puff.cs.wisc.edu> russell@uhura.CS.WISC.EDU (Russ Perry) writes:
>> [Much stuff deleted about old Atari 2600 games]

>>In addition, check out the Supercharger which had extra RAM in the cart and 
>>allowed tapes to be loaded in sections to increase the memory even more.
>>Amiga (not related to Commodore except possibly that they designed the thing
>>and sold it to CBM -- is this true anyone?) was supposed to have a similar
>>system out, but I don't think it made it beyond CES.

I don't know what you are talking about here. The only thing that I am aware of
that was shown at CES by the developers of the Amiga were the joysticks,
joyboard and a prototype Amiga (shown behind a veiled curtain on invitation
only). Of course, I don't pretend to know it all :)

>  That's right. The original purpose of Amiga the company (Amiga Inc.?) was
>to make joysticks and similar controllers for home video/computer systems.

That's wrong. This was never the original purpose. This was a cover for the
real computer development going on at Amiga inc. 

>Pretty tacky equipment -- I used one once, and never returned to it again.

That's too bad. I thought they were excellent controllers, much like the 
EPYX joystick. They also did a controller called the joyboard which was
somthing you STOOD on! Suzy Chaffee had the unique opportunity to show the 
world how to use this device to SHOOSH the slopes playing some skiing game.
If you have one of these Amiga joysticks you would like to part with, please
email me... I am very interested.

>I'm not sure, but I think the money they made from those 'sticks went to the
>development of the Amiga computer (no wonder it acts like a cheap piece of
>plastic  B-) )...
>						--R.J.

Please. Jealousy does not become you. Besides, the development cost was mostly
born by the original investors in Amiga Inc (which was not it's original name).
If I remember correctly it was around seven million dollars.

Steve -Raz- Berry      Disclaimer: I didn't do nutin!
UUCP: sun!kilowatt!raz                    ARPA: raz%kilowatt.EBay@sun.com
"Fate, it protects little children, old women, and ships named Enterprize"

Doug_B_Erdely@cup.portal.com (04/02/89)

Once again Mr. Jung shows his shear lack of information! The Amiga joysticks
were used to fund R&D as well as a cover! And of course your normal nasty
remarks.... Sounds like someone who is not happy with their current computer.

          - Doug -

 Doug_B_Erdely@Portal.Cup.Com

cdouty@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Christopher Douty) (04/05/89)

In article <96978@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> raz@sun.UUCP (Steve -Raz- Berry) writes:
>In article <3312@nunki.usc.edu> rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert  allen Jung) writes:
>>In article <2483@puff.cs.wisc.edu> russell@uhura.CS.WISC.EDU (Russ Perry) writes:
>>> [Much stuff deleted about old Atari 2600 games]
>
>That's too bad. I thought they were excellent controllers, much like the 
>EPYX joystick. They also did a controller called the joyboard which was
>somthing you STOOD on! Suzy Chaffee had the unique opportunity to show the 
>world how to use this device to SHOOSH the slopes playing some skiing game.
>If you have one of these Amiga joysticks you would like to part with, please
>email me... I am very interested.
>
>>I'm not sure, but I think the money they made from those 'sticks went to the
>>development of the Amiga computer (no wonder it acts like a cheap piece of
>>plastic  B-) )...
>>						--R.J.
>Steve -Raz- Berry      Disclaimer: I didn't do nutin!

At one FAUG meeting R.J. Mical showed some slides of the early Amiga
development.  He also showed and videotape of some morning program where
Suzy Chaffee demonstrated a Joyboard in a tight spandex ski outfit.  It was
most triumphent. #8^)

Then R.J. told a little story about where the name "GURU Meditation" came
from.  Apparently whenever he or the team came on some tough problem or
set-back they would go play a little game to think about the problem.  The
game consisted of sitting in lotus position on a Joyboard and, well,
meditating.  The object was to be perfectly still so that the Joyboard would
not give out detect any motion.  Anyway, when they were thinking about
system errors, the GURU game popped into someone's mind, and the rest is
histroy.

I appologize to R.J. if I got any of the details wrong, or he wanted to post
the story himself. #8^)

-- 
				Christopher Douty       
			 cdouty@jarthur.claremont.edu
with STANDARD_DISCLAIMER;  use STANDARD_DISCLAIMER;  "Gun control is being
with SILLY_QUOTE; use SILLY_QUOTE;                   able to hit your target"