Will the Amiga survive? -- 1997

Gateway enters, stage right.

It is rather amazing. I am writing this article at the latest major event in the life of the Amiga -- its purchase by Gateway.

When I wrote about the Amiga last, ESCOM had just completed purchase of the Amiga. The future looked bright. And, yet, we knew that ESCOM would have to work to revive the Amiga. My prior article described what steps I thought would be necessary.

As we in the Amiga community know, ESCOM went "belly up." Although it was due to failure of ESCOM's PC business rather than the Amiga part of the operation, the result was the same. The Amiga became an orphan once again.

Between ESCOM and Gateway much has happened, both good and bad.

On the PLUS side --

• The Amiga survived.
  • It happened against all odds.

  • It happened because of the loyalty of users and developers.

  • It happened in spite of Commodore and ESCOM and not because of them.

• Excellent Internet related software was developed.
  • This was the one key area brand new software needed to be developed -- and it was.

• Key commercial programs were updated.
  • Whether it was image processing programs like ImageFX or word processing programs like Final Writer, developers kept us current.

• Some new commercial programs appeared.
  • Whether it was Art Effect or Draw Studio, new developers came forth to show their faith in the Amiga.

• Shareware programs literally exploded in numbers and in quality.
  • I need only mention Image Engineer which I find indispensable for my image processing.

  • The quality of many shareware programs equaled or surpassed their commercial counterparts.

  • I think that it is safe to say that the Amiga could not have survived without public domain and shareware contributors and the continued sense of happening that they brought.

On the MINUS side --

• Many users, developers, and re-sellers left the Amiga.
  • This is a great loss.

• A generation of potential Amiga users was also lost.
  • This may be an even greater loss.

• The operating system was not enhanced.

• No new standards, e.g., for networking, graphics, or hardware, were set.

• Hardware and software began to show their age.

• Name recognition eroded.

• Fragmentation into various "Amiga-like" computers occurred.

What must be done.

At the risk of sounding trite, Gateway must --

• Build on successes.

• Reverse the negative trends that have occurred.

• Go from there.

In many ways, the task that Gateway faces is the same that its predecessors did.

The loyalty of the Amiga community must be recognized and rewarded.

• The ideas of the Amiga community deserve a fair hearing.

• Developers and re-sellers deserve understanding and support.

• Shareware developers deserve recognition.

• We all deserve to see some commitment and real progress from Gateway.

Negative trends must be reversed.

• Erosion of the Amiga community must stop.
  • Former users must be lured back with special offers and new products.

  • Former developers must be given realistic offers of support.

  • Former distributors and re-sellers must be enticed to return.

  • New users, developers, and resellers must see tangible evidence of exciting new hardware and software.

• Software and hardware must be brought up-to-date.
  • The system software must be overhauled.

  • Standards for software and hardware add-ons must be set.

• The perception that the Amiga is a computer of the past must be reversed.
  • The Amiga must be advertised.

  • The public must be told that the Amiga is back to stay.

Gateway must surge forward.

• The must demonstrate commitment to the Amiga and Amiga users with service and support.

• They must create excitement by developing new products that surpass what is available on other systems.

• They must work with developers of "Amiga-like" computers to produce the new Amiga.

Some specific ideas? You bet!

Make a public statement.

• For the Amiga to be taken seriously, Gateway must be clear about its long term support for the Amiga in public forums and not just in Amiga-specific meetings.
  • There is no gesture more clear than a significant, long term financial commitment to Amiga hardware and software development.

Advertise the Amiga.

• Both Commodore and ESCOM failed to advertise the Amiga.
  • Failure to advertise effectively is the kiss of death.

Provide a range of products.

• There must be both "high-end" and "low-end" Amigas.
  • The Amiga always meant affordable power. That tradition must continue.

Recognize that this is a world dominated by the PC.

• The Amiga must come to terms with the PC.

• It would be best if the Amiga were also able to run PC programs.
  • A CHRP approach, where one chip could run any operating system, would be very attractive.

  • The Siamese system in which the Amiga can also run a PC is also attractive.

  • At the very least, the Amiga should be able to load and store all common PC data and graphics formats.

Give people a reason to buy an Amiga.

• The Amiga must be able to do more than what the PC or MAC can do.
  • Merely being able to say, "We can do the same." will not get the Amiga anywhere.

Encourage development.

• Gateway must encourage Amiga software development.

• I think that the lack of software development has hurt the Amiga much more than lack of hardware development.
  • Hardware development has actually continued much more steadily than software creation.

  • In this regard, software piracy was, and is, a serious problem.

written circa 1997
revised -- December, 1999
reviewed -- December, 2002

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