From: barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy,comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: CDTV is dead.
Date: 17 Aug 92 22:43:08 GMT
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA

In article <34402@cbmvax.commodore.com> campbell@cbmvax.commodore.com (John Campbell - CATS) writes:
>In article <1992Aug17.063021.8871@news.iastate.edu> barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett) writes:
>
>>For all I know, Commodore has already decided to kill AmigaVision, and
>>has been attempting to do so as quietly as possible, so that nobody catches
>>on to what they are doing.
>
>Nothing could be further from the truth.  A great deal of R&D dollars continues
>to be spent on AmigaVision, as we try to incorporate the changes that users
>have requested.  (Please note: we do listen to our users.)  Right now there
>are quite a few beta testers all over the world who are testing our rewritten
>version of AmigaVision so that it meets the needs of real users.

   Good.

> 
>>...If Commodore were to say "Yes, AmigaVision is still
>>very much alive, and were are in the middle of a rewrite.  Here are some
>>features we will try to put in:  ...", then this would show me that I am not
>>correct in my assumption that AmigaVision is already dead.
>
>We have stated this many times on the net, at shows, and elsewhere.  I can
>tell you factually that we ARE working on a new release.  However, I still
>don't think it makes sense to create vaporware.  I have asked the net many
>times for suggestions, and gotten a lot of great ideas.  We have often stated
>that we are working on various features.  To go into detail about an as yet
>unreleased product gives little real value to the audience.

   Hardly.  It would show that Commodore is committed to getting the new update
to the market.  With the vast numbers of quality systems and products that have
been cancelled internally at Commodore over the past year, and the lack of
desire by Commodore reps such as you to make factual statements about anything
until the last minute, it sounds to me that you are yourselves unsure whether
or not the products you are working on will ever be released, even if they
are major products.  

>
>>Indeed, I think Commodore has not been showing any of their long-term plans for
>>many of their product because they do not have any long-term plans for the
>>products.
>
>Although I strongly disagree, I can understand your point of view.  Commodore
>could do a better job of explaining the long range plan, and has tried to do
>that lately through some of our advertising and recent press releases.  I am
>not sure this is the right forum for distributing long range plans.
>
>However, I find the manner that you choose to express your views (extremism,
>half truths, inflamatory choice of words, etc...) to be very
>counter-productive.  I would suggest ways to channel your energies more
>positively, but it appears those ideas would not be of interest to you.

   Counter-productive only if you view Commodore's public-relations support as
being totally satisfactory, and not needing any changes.  I seek positive 
change from Commodore in this area; but since it is not easy to get change 
from a company that will not change without causing a certain amount of 
trouble, of course my efforts will be viewed by insiders as being counter-
productive.  

>John F. Campbell
>Director, Commodore Applications and Technical Support (CATS)

---
| Marc Barrett -MB-  |  email: barrett@iastate.edu
--------------------------------------------------
      "Beware the ides of September..."