Subject: Porting Plug-ins
From: [email-masked] (Doug Peters)
To: [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked] (LW)
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 1995 16:38:36 +22293746 (CDT)

> Would Amiga users be willing to PAY for these plug-ins though??
> 
> In other words, if a developer came out with a plug-in for the PC version 
> of LightWave and charged $100 for it and then decided to release a copy 
> of that same plug-in for the Amiga market, which probably has one tenth 
> as many LW users as the PC market, would Amiga users be willing to pay 
> $1,000 to make it worth the developers time?  What if the plug-ins were 
> only 2 or 3 times as much?

First, I think you drastically underestimate the Amiga LW users as opposed
to PC LW Users.  Second, a port is a rather simple and easy
accomplishment.  Third, although Amiga software in general is cheaper than
what is available for the PC, that doesn't mean that that should be a
rule.  If the Amiga Software is the same (uncrippled) professional application
ported to take advantage of the Amiga's OS, I would NOT hesitate in paying
IBM/Mac price if I thought that the program was a neccessity/deep-desire.

However, most Ports to the Amiga are simple and incompetent hacks.  When a
developer does this and Amigans wonder why i.e: SimCity2000 (as a factual
example that I can vouch for) is considered a big crock of dung, and
blames it on the Amiga's lack of market instead of his unworthy port, he's
cutting-up his own money. 

> The huge number of PC users out there is the reason that developers can 
> sell hardware/software so cheaply for the PC....and the dwindling number 

I don't think there is hardly ANY Cheap PC software , especially
in professional applications.  I *ALREADY* pay MAC/PC Price when I buy a
native MAC/PC Application to emulate on my Amiga.  I don't need that many
of them, though, since if there is an Amiga alternative, it will not only
run (instead of emulate) on the Amiga, it takes advantage of it (true
premptive multitasking and etc...) and Looks Better.  

I have an Amiga because I want my computer to be easy to use and friendly.
Computers are supposed to make life easier.  If I had to have popularity I'd 
get a Mac.  If I had to have the largest base of software I'd get a PC. 
If I had to have Power I'd get a DeskStation Alpha.  But I do video and
3D, and use my computer for many other things along the way, a spot where the
Amiga has excelled for a LONG TIME.  Just because a PC is now catching up
in the Video Technology and is faster at rendering doesn't mean I should
jump platforms, nor does it mean that everyone will (or should) port thier
programs to the Amiga correctly.  I work with Macs and PCs all day and am
glad that I can come home to an Amiga.  I have two roommates that are PC
Support technicians that feel the SAME.  If someone doesn't want to do a
proper Amiga port, it's thier loss, there is no signifcant expense to do so.
But I may not want to run a PC/Mac Program on my Amiga because I think
it's interface is junk and I can't do a (slower) render AND write a script
while making adjustments to a 2D AnimBrush, all for use in the final
animation (and still pop in and out of InterNet to read the list for breaks).
It just isn't good time economics for me if I can't use my computer when I
need it, and I *AM* doing this now (at this very minute).  

PC/Mac Software developers may not consider the Amiga a professional machine,
and I don't claim to be a professional, but the PC or Mac don't ACT
professional enough for me.  They have a LOOOOONG Way to go in my book.

> of (buying) Amiga users is why prices are skyrocketing for the Amiga.
> 
Since when?  I think you have us confused with the SGI, but then again,
they are simply over-priced and though this is due to a small market
price, it certainly is NOT Dwindling.  I have yet to see one hardware or
software package for the Amiga go up in price.  I will admit that the PC
Market gets cheaper faster, (by the day) but a high resale value does also
count for something.

Maybe it's "dwindling" because some of us Amiganauts who run AmigaOS 2.1
and above are buying-up the old Amigas and upgrading them to the new OS,
and using them in Networking solutions.  My house has 5 Amigas with 2 (or
3) others on the way.  The user base may be dwindling, but the Amigas are
still in use!  On top of this, I buy dupes of each and every application I
need to run for every Amiga I need to run it on.  

If software developers want to ignore such a market, so be it, it's THIER
loss.  I will buy a PC/Mac program if it's neccessary.  So Far, I only own
AutoCAD, PhotoShop, and 2 other PC/Mac programs that are required for my
college classes.  

When I get out of college and IF I get the chance to start my own business
in a couple of yeares, I still (AT THIS TIME) believe that I will have to
buy 3 Amigas, 1 DeskStation, 1 PPC.  

The PPC will ONLY be for business, so I will have no problem buying a
slow used model.

Then again, if Amiga produces PowerAmigas as promissed, I won't even need
the PPC, as it would be utterly worthless to me without true
multi-tasking, Retargettable Graphics, and CAPABLE Animation and DECENT
Painting capabilities.

Business is Risk.  You take it or you don't.  If you don't and play it
safe, you are not contributing to the full scope of business.  While you
guys are whinning about MicroSoft, there is NO Bill Gates in my world, and
I do things *MY* Way.  It may be worth the risk, if you think about it.

-dp
 
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[email-masked] (Doug Peters) sent this message.
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