From: raist@rmece02.upr.clu.edu (Ricardo Hernandez | 802-36-4453)
Subject: Re: Macintosh advocacy (really!) 
Organization: UPR-Mayaguez--ASEL Lab
Date: Sat, 07 Nov 1992 20:54:58 GMT

In article <6284.2af68ce9@hayes.com>, bcoleman@hayes.com (Bill Coleman) writes:
|> Organization: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Norcross, GA
|> Lines: 43
|> 
|> In article <1992Oct30.215408.11601@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>, abs0@coos.dartmouth.edu (Kelvin Leung) writes:
|> > well... so are you saying that the Mac can get out of the pit, but the 
|> > Amiga cant?  right now the Amiga lacks brand-name software house to 
|> > produce software for it.  
|> 
|> Exactly. That's why we Mac folk can't really consider it too seriously. That's
|> why we can barely get the PC folk to acknowledge the Mac, much less the Amiga.

   As I said a WHILE ago, there happens to be excellent software on the Amiga
in other areas.

|> 
|> > As soon as the Amiga gets rid of its image problem and manages to increase 
|> > its market share, perhaps software houses will reconsider.
|> 
|> Neither of those are small feats. If it was a simple task to improve your 
|> image or increase market share, wouldn't the PC houses or Apple have already
|> done them?

   I agree.

|> 
|> You state these things as if you anticipate them happening tommorrow. The
|> market doesn't transition that quickly. Take a look at the "low cost Mac"
|> issue. Apple has dumped their prices for the last 3 years, yet people still
|> complain Macs are too expensive. Such a complaint has no basis in reality.
|> It is an image problem. And it is just such a problem that is nearly 
|> impossible to shake. 

   I think that the Mac being expensive is not an image problem... it is 
a REAL problem.  How can a MAC LC-II with a 68030 @ 16Mhz with a 16-bit crippled
bus, 2 megs of ram, 40 (or 50) meg hardisk, can compete in terms of hardware
with a 486sx @ 20Mhz with SVGA monitor, 80+ megs of hardisk, 4 megs ram for the
same price?  Or with an Amiga 3000 for that matter?

|> 
|> As a Mac user, I see Apple making some pretty savvy moves where it comes
|> to improving their image and increasing their market share. Still, there are
|> setbacks. (Like the charges for System 7.1)

   I think there are less expensive Macs, but then, they cut a lot of features.

|> 
|> I don't follow Commodore, but nothing appears to have happened to bring
|> any of their actions to my attention. If they can't get the attention of the
|> Mac users, they have no hope of gaining attention in the PC market. Without
|> attention, Commodore will accomplish neither improving their image or 
|> increasing market share.

   The fact that they don't bring their actions to your attention doesn't mean
that there are not other Mac users who haven't been brought to their attention.
I guess that one examples is the Toaster... it even won a MAC Expo best booth 
award.

|> Question: How has Commodore's market share fared in the last 2 years? Apple's
|> has increased greatly. Anyone have the facts?

   Answer:  The Amiga has been gaining market share steadily, although not at a
fast pace.  Sales haven't been wonderfull, but they haven't been slow either.
Last year the Amiga reached the 3 million mark, and in the summer they reached
the 4 million machines sold mark.  The new A600 has been selling quite well
over Europe, and looks like the upcoming (this November, maybe already realeased)
A1200 will sell a lot since it has a 68EC020 @ 14Mhz, with A4000's AGA graphics
for 399 English pounds (around $600-$750 when it comes to the US).

   - You asked -

|> -- 
|> Bill Coleman, AA4LR                ! CIS: 76067,2327    AppleLink: D1958
|> Principal Software Engineer        ! Packet Radio: AA4LR @ W4QO
|> Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. ! UUCP: uunet!hayes!bcoleman
|> POB 105203 Atlanta, GA 30348 USA   ! Internet: bcoleman%hayes@uunet.uu.net
|> Disclaimer: "My employer doesn't pay me to have opinions."
|> Quote: "The same light shines on vineyards that makes deserts." -Steve Hackett.
|> 

-- 
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- Raist
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-- 
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  Raist   // Amiga 500, 38Mhz Special MegaMidget Racer
        \X/  Avid user of AmigaVision, sending mail from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 
---------
           "If the PC or Mac continues to be the standard,
            the SkyNet will never be built." - OUCH! were not my words!

Xref: sparky comp.sys.mac.advocacy:2465 comp.sys.amiga.advocacy:28872