NO TIME TO MAKE A MOVE, PERHAPS

Well,... what can I say,....?
Keith, you are not a happy little vegemite, not at all...
and it upsets me that this is happening, but...

I think I see your point about an Amiga User Group looking at other platforms at its meetings.

As President of a local User Group which has been faced with a very rapidly dwindling membership because of Amiga's recent misfortunes, and with the prospect of no tangible focus for any further group activity (surely this can't be so?) you have felt it necessary to at least try to prepare remaining members of the Group for the possibility of a computing life beyond Amiga by introducing them (through meeting presentations) to a range of alternative (non-windows) platforms and OSs so that they might be better able to make intelligent and informed choices when their trusty old Amigas inevitably fall over for the last time.

It would appear that, in your minds, you feel that by looking at other platforms then, if Amiga goes away, you will have your Macs to fall back on.

Correct me if I am in error, but have your Amigas stopped working simply because the company has gone through this turmoil?
NO! I guess they still run.

As for your comment that the new owners of Amiga cannot expect our renewed, undivided loyalty and trust, I'd say: "Yes, but I would not like to pass on to the new owners the prejudices we had towards the previous owners."

Surely you'd agree that it would be distinctly unfair (and un-Australian) to prejudge them?

Sure, they must earn our trust, but give them a fair go.
We are Australians; we believe in giving people a fair go; and if they fall short of our expectations, then and only then, will we speak out.

You say that our first duty as user organisations is to our user member base, and that's good.

I agree with your observation that the IT marketplace doesn't have much time for sentimentality, even when a product (such as the Amiga) has been quite inspirational and is still not quite past its time.

I agree that the rest of the computing world has moved on, and almost out of sight, and there may well be some worthy successors to the old Amiga `Touchstone' that truly do embody the original `spirit of Amiga'.

And, yes, I agree that the Amiga has stood still in development terms with regard to its own circuitry per se. And I would venture the opinion that the Amiga needs to be overhauled entirely in its overall circuitry, starting with the burdensome 2MB chip RAM barrier.

But it is very easy to fall into negativity, and even harder to be positive.

Keeping AMIGA alive is a two-edged sword.

On the one hand, you have the users; and on the other hand, the company and the machine.
Each depends entirely on the other. So it's a sword that cuts both ways.

Like it or not, if you/we need Amiga, Amiga needs you/us; it relies on your/our support.

Just as the success of any enterprise depends entirely on its customer base, and no support by users/customers equates to the failure of the company...
... Amiga's success depends heavily on your/our support.

Regarding your comment that, even with this recent change in ownership of Amiga and the glimmer of light it sheds for an Amiga future, you believe it is now necessary to prepare User Group members for inevitable change regardless of any renewed optimism, I would agree that, yes, a change for the better is most welcomed.

This is 2000, not 1992, so lets have latest technology. It will come, just as surely as day follows night.
Just give them time. I believe this shakeup is the best thing that has happened.

You warn the new owners of Amiga not to take our forgiveness and continuing total loyalty to the Amiga for granted.

I feel the "forgiveness" thing is out.
Don't you think that your hostility towards them that I detect is a bit harsh?

What have the new owners done to deserve your pre-judgement?
They have only at this stage owned it for two weeks! Cut them a little slack, please.

They are not to blame for the events that have occurred before, just as you are not to blame for your User Group members deserting your Group.

It is good to vent your displeasure, but not in front of others when it creates a bad impression. Especially when one is in a position of some importance (real or perceived) it is unwise to speak with so much negativity towards any subject lest that person to whom you told something negative would instantly take in that negative thought, in a split second. The subconscious takes in data very quickly, and just as quickly accepts a negative thought.

What one says and does affects others; they often imitate all that one does. This is not fiction, but a proven fact.

Regarding your remark about sending the new Amiga "caretakers, as they like to put it" the clear message that User Group members are, by and large, now looking for a computing OS/platform that embodies the original spirit of the Amiga (with or without the Amiga badge), I have to say that I do not see them as "caretakers," as you describe them, but as visionaries. I have been quite impressed with the words (texts) of both Bill and Fleecy.

And as for your belief that the new caretakers of Amiga need our User Group loyalties much more than we need them, I have to say: "Sorry, Keith! I totally disagree with that one. As I said earlier, it is a sword that cuts both ways."

You say that the User Groups have had to learn about their independence the hard way and that, as far as you're concerned, the new Amiga owners will now have to win us back to the clan.

You talk of independence, huh!
Try being an Amiga dealer, and see where User Group members' loyalty to dealers is.
It's gone!

And as for that thought of yours stirring the blood...
Well, perhaps it may slightly curdle it!

It is clear that you are pretty much upset by what has happened in the past.
But let go of the past.
Let's get on with the future.

The future is Amiga.

Jeffrey Rose (JP)
Unitech Electronics P/L
Email: unitech@ideal.net.au

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