kurt@fluke.UUCP (Kurt Guntheroth) (09/20/85)
So Commodore Intl, parent company of Amiga, is in technical default. Look
at Atari; with massive debt, hit with massive layoffs, forced to discount
its 8-bit systems to keep cash flowing while they rush development of the ST
line. They gotta make a hit by Christmas or its curtains. Look at
(relatively successful) Apple. Layoffs, declining profits, shakeups in the
board of directors, faltering sales, slipping schedules. Apple wont go
bankrupt this year, but still they are in none too good shape. Even the
giant, IBM has been surprised by the softness of the market. How do you
think all the people who bought the PCjr ("I'll be safe and go with IBM")
feel right now.
If you want the Amiga or ST to be a success, go and buy one because it is
the one you want. If people will look at the price/performance and features
of computers and stop listening to media doomsayers, both of these machines
will be a success.
No affiliation with Commodore, Atari, Apple, or IBM.
--
Kurt Guntheroth
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!kurthes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) (09/23/85)
> If you want the Amiga or ST to be a success, go and buy one because it is > the one you want. If people will look at the price/performance and features > of computers and stop listening to media doomsayers, both of these machines > will be a success. > Kurt Guntheroth <not quite a flame> - buy it if it does what you want! If you are really worried about the staying power of the company just don't be an *early* buyer. Once a bunch of them are out there they'll take on a life of their own. (If IBM left the micro market today, would you have any trouble continuing using an IBM PC, or getting service - NO!) If it doesn't do what you want - don't buy it! If you do then you'll not only have to worry about the existence of the company, but about the continuity of their marketing plans, etc. --henry schaffer "If it doesn't exist, then don't buy it."
petera@hcrvax.UUCP (Smith) (09/28/85)
Commodores Amiga looks in my opinion to be one of the nicest pieces of hardware to have been designed for a long time. It is inexpensive and powerful. It could pull Commodore out of their financial difficulties but it is sad to think that people will not buy one because of the possibility of the machine being discontinued. As programmers we are constantly griping about the Intel line and wishing we had a better peice of hardware to work with. Well here is something better. As people who program small machines we have the power together to help make or break a machine. I'd rather see this machine do something like the Apple II rather than become another Lisa. Let's help it rather than hinder it. Peter Ashwood-Smith, Human Computing Resources, Toronto, Ontario. P.S. I have no connection with Commodore nor do I stand to profit if the Amiga is a success of failure. I will however be very pleased to see a nice peice of hardware get the market share that it deserves.
ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu.ARPA (Ralph Hyre) (10/03/85)
How can Apple continue to list the basic Apple //c at the same price an Amiga base unit lists for ($1295) and expect to compete? (Yes, I realize that //c's are currently discounted, and it is possible to get a complete systems for less than the base price.) Does Apple plan to stop cross-subsidizing Mac family development by overpricing the Apple // line? Latest report I saw shows the //e selling for 6.6 times manufacturing cost. -- - Ralph Internet: ralphw@c.cs.cmu.edu (cmu-cs-c.arpa) Usenet: ralphw@mit-eddie.uucp Fidonet: Ralph Hyre at Fido#385 (Pitt-Bull) -- - Ralph Internet: ralphw@c.cs.cmu.edu (cmu-cs-c.arpa) Usenet: ralphw@mit-eddie.uucp Fidonet: Ralph Hyre at Fido#385 (Pitt-Bull)
chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) (10/04/85)
In article <938@vax2.fluke.UUCP> kurt@fluke.UUCP (Kurt Guntheroth) writes: >Look at >(relatively successful) Apple. Layoffs, declining profits, shakeups in the >board of directors, faltering sales, slipping schedules. Apple wont go >bankrupt this year, but still they are in none too good shape. Actually, if you look at Apple's financials, they are making an operating profit. Now that the one time losses attributed to the layoffs and reorganization are over, it is expected that they'll be solidly profitable. Cutting out a lot of the duplicated functions in the company (and dedicating a much higher R&D budget to the long neglected by Jobs Apple II line) means they'll be able to react to the market faster AND keep the Apple II from dying out for a longer period of time. Apple seems to be in pretty good shape from a technical and financial standpoint. They are one of the few 'home' computer manufacturers that I'd be willing to either work for or invest in right now. -- :From under the bar at Callahan's: Chuq Von Rospach nsc!chuqui@decwrl.ARPA {decwrl,hplabs,ihnp4,pyramid}!nsc!chuqui If you can't talk below a bellow, you can't talk...
jabusch@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU (10/06/85)
So when are they finally going to drop the Apple ][ dinosaur
and get on with new technology? R&D on that architecture is just as
bad as Intel and the 8080. Sure, let them keep producing for the
education and home market that still wants to buy them, but it's time
to go on with newer and better things.
John W. Jabusch
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