From: pk-asdg@cup.portal.com (Perry S Kivolowitz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics
Subject: Open Letter
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 14:04:10 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world

In this, the week that Art Department Professional was overwhelmingly voted
the  1992 Reader's Choice for Best Imaging Processing Program and MorphPlus
was  used  to create one of TV'S most highly rated shows (Quantum Leap), we
have been viciously savaged by what must be considered:  sour grapes.

Mr.   Williams (of Black Belt Systems) said we are liars.  He said that our
company  (which  earned  the only Amiga Community Service Award ever given)
actually hates the Amiga community and strives like a dark force to deceive
it  at  every  turn.  He says we have contempt for Amiga users and that his
company is, but the victim.

We  hope  that  any  thinking person will see through this less than artful
play  for sympathy.  We think that most people will recognize the structure
of  negative  campaigning  at  its  worst:  if you are guilty of something,
accuse  your  opponent  of that charge so that if he responds, it will look
like name calling.

We offer only the following response to this latest episode of sour grapes:

1.  Mr.  Williams says we have lied about the capabilities of his product.

Before  composing  this  response, we consulted the ``addendum'' file which
Black  Belt  just  posted  (together  with  this  week's  version  of their
product.)

Their own documentation shows that the features we claimed they didn't have
(which  he  claimed  they  did - ergo we lied) were in fact added after our
comparison was drawn and published.

2.  He says that ASDG is riding Black Belt's coattails.

Again,  consulting  Black Belt's own documentation shows that 27 out of the
last  47  features  or  changes  to their product have either been features
already  present in ASDG products or have been bug fixes to features (added
to their product which were previously found in ASDG products).

3.  He says that MorphPlus is too difficult to use.

If that were the case, why would Black Belt try so hard to include the very
same  features  which they say make our product difficult to use?  (see (2)
above)

4.   Mr.   Woodall,  representing GVP'S morphing product, dismissed much of
our  comparison  as  saying  that  MorphPlus  has  many features which they
consider ``unnecessary or irrelevant''.

Our  strong  ties with the special effects community (who suggested many of
our  ``unnecessary''  and ``irrelevant'' features in the first place) would
argue  that it is exactly these ``unnecessary'' and ``irrelevant'' features
which   makes   their   work   easier,   faster,  more  precise,  and  more
sophisticated.

5.   The very Amiga community (which we are alleged to despise) will do all
of the bottom line deciding that is necessary.

In  a  very real sense, it already has:  voting Art Department Professional
the Best Image Processing Product of 1992 and making ADPRO the best selling
image processing product available for the Amiga.

6.   The  professional television and motion picture industry will likewise
separate the claims from the hype.

In  a  very  real  sense,  *they* already have:  Within a month of release,
MorphPlus  has  been used to create principal effects for Quantum Leap (one
of  the  most highly rated shows on television), Babylon 5 (a technological
marvel  which does all Amiga owners proud), two major motion pictures whose
names  I  cannot  pass  on  at  this  time,  several other television shows
including Mysteries From Beyond The Other Dominion from the Science Fiction
channel, several commercials, and other projects now in development.


In closing, we have faith in our ability to produce a superior product, and
we are confident that the Amiga community will always respond to a superior
product.  We happily submit ourselves to the only test which matters.

Yours.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics