From: papo@cs.cornell.edu (Luis R. Anaya)
Subject: My views in some of the threads in c.s.a.a
Summary: Just my opinions. 
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Distribution: comp
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 17:23:29 GMT

Hello *

I have been reading this group from quite a while and these are my
opinions in some of the issues that have been appearing here.

Atari Falcon, the computer that will change the world...

I have seen a lot of discusion about this computer and its mytical
powers.  Nice graphics, nice sound, nice price, nice processor..
yes... very nice indeed.  However... it can have all of that but
beleive that it will become another niche computer with a niche
operating environment that will remain in an oscure segment 
of the computer market.  I do not care the comments regarding
this particular machine.  I do not care also the post of
some of the Atari Fans that just talk and talk about what
Atari advertised to them.  About this machine, the Falcon/030, I
rather wait and see.  If the machine becomes a very popular
platform that will outperform a CRAY-IV or a Symbolics LISP machine
then I'll give the bid for it.  Meanwhile I will not brag based
on rumours.

OS/2 vs AmigaOS  Which one will take the world.

There is space for both of these two operating systems.  OS/2 will clearly
dominate the corporate section that *does not* move to a UNIX platform.
UNIX will become more and more popular in the corporate world.  OS/2
would remain as an operating environment that would be used within
small bussineses.  I personally have not toyed around with it, so I can
not say something favorable/unfavorable about it.  However the biggest
complain that I heard about it is that it is BIG.  It may have a lot of
features and a lot of good stuff in it.  However, because it is big
and it is not multiuser, it looses a lot of its sparkle.  My opinion
here is also wait and see.  I know that it will grow, however it might not
be the greatest thing in the computer world.  

AmigaOS it is a small operating environment that provides basic multitasking.
It has come a long way (babe.. ;-) ).  I am surprised that it multitask
with 512K better than a PS/50 running windows with one full meg.  It is
not pretty, granted, at least version 1.3, however *it is fully functional*
I can use the operating environment and get good results with it. I
can use the machine and use the capabilities that are provided.

Is'nt that old lady the one that multitask and used to have great graphics?

Many people, specially Mr M. Barret, complains that the Amiga was
left behind with the technology, compared with clones and Mac's.
However there are some things to consider.

1.  A lot of third party vendors have done a lot for the Amiga.  It can have
graphics that might surpass the quality of some of the Clone's ones.

2.  Commodore is not dead sleep.  Something is going on inside there.
What is it?  'don't know... also.... don't care.  

3.  Amigas are right now quite expensive compared with clones.  However
we are just comparing prices against performance.  What about quality and
support? Many of those clone companies has less possibility of survival
than Commodore with a proprietary computer.  Still Amigas are far better
deal that most of the Mac's.  I am not saying tha Commodores is the best
of the computer manufacturers, but what I'm saying is that *nobody
is perfect*.

4.  I am rather confident that something new and exciting will come out
the door.  If that does'nt happen, I am going to be one of the first
one that will bash CBM.  However, also here, I'll wait and see.

Graphic Database of all of us.

Unlike Jerry's opinion, I beleive that this is a true gesture of friendship.
We migh disagree in a couple of things, however this doess'nt mean that
we are going to become enemies for the rest of our natural life.
BTW, my girlfriend wants to appear in the IFF photo.  She's planning to
use one of her famous nanoskirts ;-).

Let's save CBM!

A lot of us are worried about the future of CBM.  Complain that they
are slow and that its advertisement department is not worth it.
However I have not seen any constructive criticisim about it.
They may or may not listen to us.  They have their right to do
it.  In this case, if I get dissatisfied, I'll sell all my Amiga
equipment and  buy whatever I please to buy because I have
the same right of not listen to them.  Maybe some of our
constructive criticism will be heard, I do not know, but 
it may be worh to try giving some constructive criticism for a change.

In my opinion CBM should *try* a couple of things.

1.  Aim the Workstation or Personal workstation market.  Hit the High
end Mac's and NeXT.  Improve the service to its UNIX line and try
to do some serious things with them.  

2.  Improve communications.  There is always room for improvement.
Between customers, between 3rd party vendor, between dealers...

3.  Don't seclude yourselves in Video and Multimedia.  The computer
market it is not solely used for this.  That's the reason the quantity
of sold machines is *so huge* 

4.  Low End Computing is "nice", but it is not everything.  Yuppies have
more money than kids.


A computer is a computer is a computer.

Just to end this letter so I can do something worthwhile for the rest
of the day.  Once upon a time in the exotic island of Puerto Rico, an utter
student asked an utter question to the Department Head of the Mechanical
Engineering Dept. of the University of Puerto Rico.  He asked: "Master,
which computer system is the best?"  The Professor told him:" I don't know
I own a Mac and an IBM and I can do exactly the same thing with both
of them".


Regards,

Luis

PS.  Amiga, because is not for kids anymore, IMHO.

-- 
Luis Roberto Anaya-Rivera papo@cs.cornell.edu
-- disclaimer
This message comes from an OVERWORKED, OVERLOOKED, OVERDRAWN, but
still basically fun person.