lou@vaxsc (02/07/91)
I realize this should probably be posted over in comp.sys.advocacy but ... sorry for the waste of space. Have you ever noticed how the Amiga vs. Atari wars usually end up with both sides saying the same things? For example, "The Amiga does multitasking better than Atari ..." (example only!) "The Atari does Audio / DTP better than Amiga ..." (example only!) etc. You get the idea. The above lines are NOT open for debate! They are presented only as examples of such lines used in flamefests. So, why is this? I have a clue that both sides are rathar insecure about their purchase, and I suspect that the culprit is neither Atari nor Commodore, but the multitudes of IBM/PC and MAC owners out there. How many times can you Amiga AND Atari owners count that PC owners have attempted to trash your machine? You may know the machine is better, and you may have even convinced a few others of this fact, but in general, how many times have you been left feeling as the butt end of the purchase, primarily because the masses disagree with your point of view, and instead of them attempting to recognize you, and ACCEPT you, they contend that "they're better than you". Further, doesn't it ring especially true when you want to go and buy a software or hardware item for either the Amiga or the Atari? You find acres of store space devoted to PC's and MAC's but nothing (or next to nothing) for the Amiga or the Atari? Ok so some of you in the VERY large metropolitan areas (i.e. LA, New York, Chicago, London) may have dealers close by. Great! I'm happy for you. But there are others of us who live in metropolitan areas, albeit smaller ones, who are STILL forced to use mail order because of a lack of stores which carry supplies/software/hardware relating to either the Amiga or the Atari! Finally, I have only seen one post which brought out the truth of the matter before. Flamefests typically generate large arguments with very little point to them, and this one seems to be no exception. But the truth still remains. The original question, for what purpose did you buy YOUR computer, and does it STILL serve that purpose must be asked. Hopefully, it will be asked before you recommend or flame another machine. I see posts asking for advice continually on which machine should I buy, and why, but I rarely ever see the most important question in the reply. That question being, "What do you intend to use the machine for?" Further, manufacturers are not guiltless in this campaign. They have different motives, motives which usually do not take into consideration that it is PEOPLE that use their machines. IBM and APPLE are famous for obsoleting their hardware as soon as you've purchased it. But they are not alone, and this attitude in the personal computer industry is prevalent. This further aggravates the buyer into a position of doubt about his/her purchase. So now that I've opened myself up to yet another flamefest from the PC/MAC users out there, allow me to squelch it now. I am NOT attempting to say that they ALONE are responsible for these attitudes. There seems to be a general consensus in the personal computer industry that the following things are important: 1. If my machine is better than yours, you should own the same thing as I do. 2. If my machine can do more than yours, then your machine should be driven out of existance. 3. My machine is so great that I can withstand any amount of upgrading, because it will only make a great machine better. Beginning to sound like a materialistic society yet? Remember, these are PEOPLE who use these machines, not the other way around. Before you flame somebody because their machine is different, go look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, "Is there something about me that could be better?" Specifically "Why should I make them feel poorly about their purchase, simply because it's different? Perhaps they have different needs than I. Further, would I want them to make fun of my purchase?" I, for one, have had just about enough of the materialistic values of most personal computer owners out there, and worse yet, the spread of these values (or lack thereof). Just my $0.02 worth. Please send flames to /dev/null Please send followups to .advocacy (of whatever group/machine you choose).
lou@vaxsc (02/07/91)
I realize this should probably be posted over in comp.sys.advocacy but ... sorry for the waste of space. Have you ever noticed how the Amiga vs. Atari wars usually end up with both sides saying the same things? For example, "The Amiga does multitasking better than Atari ..." (example only!) "The Atari does Audio / DTP better than Amiga ..." (example only!) etc. You get the idea. The above lines are NOT open for debate! They are presented only as examples of such lines used in flamefests. So, why is this? I have a clue that both sides are rathar insecure about their purchase, and I suspect that the culprit is neither Atari nor Commodore, but the multitudes of IBM/PC and MAC owners out there. How many times can you Amiga AND Atari owners count that PC owners have attempted to trash your machine? You may know the machine is better, and you may have even convinced a few others of this fact, but in general, how many times have you been left feeling as the butt end of the purchase, primarily because the masses disagree with your point of view, and instead of them attempting to recognize you, and ACCEPT you, they contend that "they're better than you". Further, doesn't it ring especially true when you want to go and buy a software or hardware item for either the Amiga or the Atari? You find acres of store space devoted to PC's and MAC's but nothing (or next to nothing) for the Amiga or the Atari? Ok so some of you in the VERY large metropolitan areas (i.e. LA, New York, Chicago, London) may have dealers close by. Great! I'm happy for you. But there are others of us who live in metropolitan areas, albeit smaller ones, who are STILL forced to use mail order because of a lack of stores which carry supplies/software/hardware relating to either the Amiga or the Atari! Finally, I have only seen one post which brought out the truth of the matter before. Flamefests typically generate large arguments with very little point to them, and this one seems to be no exception. But the truth still remains. The original question, for what purpose did you buy YOUR computer, and does it STILL serve that purpose must be asked. Hopefully, it will be asked before you recommend or flame another machine. I see posts asking for advice continually on which machine should I buy, and why, but I rarely ever see the most important question in the reply. That question being, "What do you intend to use the machine for?" Further, manufacturers are not guiltless in this campaign. They have different motives, motives which usually do not take into consideration that it is PEOPLE that use their machines. IBM and APPLE are famous for obsoleting their hardware as soon as you've purchased it. But they are not alone, and this attitude in the personal computer industry is prevalent. This further aggravates the buyer into a position of doubt about his/her purchase. So now that I've opened myself up to yet another flamefest from the PC/MAC users out there, allow me to squelch it now. I am NOT attempting to say that they ALONE are responsible for these attitudes. There seems to be a general consensus in the personal computer industry that the following things are important: 1. If my machine is better than yours, you should own the same thing as I do. 2. If my machine can do more than yours, then your machine should be driven out of existance. 3. My machine is so great that I can withstand any amount of upgrading, because it will only make a great machine better. Beginning to sound like a materialistic society yet? Remember, these are PEOPLE who use these machines, not the other way around. Before you flame somebody because their machine is different, go look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, "Is there something about me that could be better?" Specifically "Why should I make them feel poorly about their purchase, simply because it's different? Perhaps they have different needs than I. Further, would I want them to make fun of my purchase?" I, for one, have had just about enough of the materialistic values of most personal computer owners out there, and worse yet, the spread of these values (or lack thereof). Just my $0.02 worth. Please send flames to /dev/null Please send followups to .advocacy (of whatever group/machine you choose). ---------------------------------------------------------------- -Lou Williams Via Bitnet : william8@niehs.bitnet Via Internet: lou@vaxsc.niehs.nih.gov Computer Sciences Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC ---------------------------------------------------------------- -Sometimes in order to feel better about yourself, you have to make others feel bad, and I'm tired of making others feel good about themselves. -Homer Simpson. ----------------------------------------------------------------