| From: | Victor I. Haaz |
| Date: | 1 Aug 2000 at 18:59:07 |
| Subject: | Re: AMIOPEN: Amiwest news / new SDK |
My only little fear is in the possibility that winel coders will 'prefer' x86-native
code (versions) instead of VP counterparts, (i.e. 'forgetting' to compile also
VP-code), distracting the whole plan. (You know, *roughly* similarly as with
Linux...) I hope it won't happen. Are there any precautions?
Victor
From: Wayne Hunt <wayne@amiga.org>
>Aaron,
>
>I love ya man, I really do, but you really need to learn how to avoid being
>melodramatic... A lot of people (including developers who already have
>Windows machines) would vastly prefer a Windows version to learning (and
>tolerating) Linux. Like it or not, Windows PC's are the predominant machine
>on the planet, why not use them for good rather than evil? Whether the SDK
>runs on Windows, Linux, MIPS, or 68k makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE to the
>finalized Amiga product.
>
>Wayne Hunt
>Site Manager
>Amiga.org
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Aaron Ruscetta" <aaron@pd.org>
>To: <open@amiga.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 10:58 AM
>Subject: Re: AMIOPEN: Amiwest news / new SDK
>
>
>>
>> My reading of Bill McEwens announcements at AmiWest was a bit
>> of a Zen experience; real Yin/Yang, except without the symetry.
>> Comment seemed both important and pertinent, but if you disagree you
>> can send this (along with all flames) to: <bitbucket@null.com>
>>
>> > The following news tidbits are coming straight from Bill McEwen,
>> > courtesy of UGN's live audio feed from the show:
>>
>> > The SDK is selling better than forecasted. Amiga have been in contact
>with
>> > numerous major consumer electronics and software companies, including
>> > (straight quote) "every major gaming company out there". Many of these
>> > already possess the SDK. Interest from major companies particularly
>picked
>> > up after Bill's two recent TV appearances.
>>
>> Cool, and better than forecasted sales don't surprise me given the
>> nature of the communities that have been enlisted by Amiga Inc. so
>> far.
>>
>> Unfortunately, I find this and all the other upbeat news announced at
>> AmiWest being pulled off balance by a big black hole on the event
>> horizon...
>>
>> > A version of the SDK for Windows will be made available next month.
>>
>> I find this a most untimely and disturbing announcement. As any
>> student of this industry's monopolist physics can demonstrate, it
>> won't take long for the windows vacuum to suck away all the light
>> that's been shared with Amiga so far. Any concession to the monopoly
>> corruptions at this stage of Amiga development seems hugely premature
>> and remains, despite all fronts and assurances, a drain on resources
>> and a serious contradiction to the alternative community commitments
>> that Amiga Inc. has so successfully stated, solicited and exploited to
>> date.
>>
>> The first obvious and unavoidable result of this action will be the
>> destruction of the market for the alternative Developer Systems. It
>> seems in keeping with an Amiga corporate tradition of sepuku that this
>> is announced just as the DevBox systems are actually becoming
>> available. What motivation is there for buying a DevBox now? Why
>> would anyone get off the couch to invest the extra money and energy
>> needed to view the alternatives, when Amiga Inc. is broadcasting that
>> they should just lay back, punch the remote and join all the other
>> potatos on the monopoly shopping channel?
>>
>> Again in the Amiga marketing tradition, the first ones left slashed
>> and bleeding from a premature windows releases will be that tenacious
>> but waivering handful of remaining Amiga dealers; especially the ones
>> who had placed trust in the new AI's stated alternative focus and
>> invested in distributing the Developer Systems.
>>
>> Of course, once you point the sword the wrong direction, you have to
>> start applying bandages, with the common result of adding more gashes
>> in the process. An example may be the sudden announcement, just a
>> couple of weeks prior to AmiWest, that the $1000 "Trailblazer"
>> Developer registration would be included with the Linux DevBox
>> systems. Perhaps an attempt to patch the critical wound from a windows
>> SDK release would exlain why such a nasty cut was delivered to all the
>> committed developers who had already invested in the Linux SDK release
>> and/or compatible systems to run it on. (I guess we caught the
>> bleeding edge literally this time... but the choice seemed a lot more
>> productive than waiting indefinitely for the DevBox offering to
>> arrive.)
>>
>> I think the theme from Mash was way off: suicide is never a painless
>> proposition. ;-)
>>
>> The only thin ray of light that has escaped the black hole so far is
>> Gary Peake's follow up announcement that a Stand Alone SDK is close to
>> release as well. Of course, any windows release within 6 months of
>> this will overshadow that pretty completely. Why the stand alone SDK
>> and OE releases aren't the ONLY focus of AI at present is beyond me.
>>
>> > Red Hat will start selling the SDK next week. Also Sun have started
>using
>> > Amiga software to demo Java stuff.
>>
>> Cool! Very encouraging demonstrations of commitment from the essential
>> partners AI has brought on board! That is, if the light here escapes
>> the gravity well.
>>
>> > There are going to be public beta releases of the OE prior to release.
>>
>> That will be excellent... if...
>>
>> > There is going to be an Amiga IPO.
>>
>> I have to think that these IPO plans are still scheduled for a ways
>> down the road. Besides the huge risks associated with an immature
>> company jumping into the volatile IPO arena, Bill McEwen has
>> indicated that he may need to step down from running the show at that
>> time. He seems to me to be the most positive, reliable and consistent
>> voice in the mix and he needs to keep standing where he is for a good
>> while longer (as who've seen him in action here seem to agree).
>>
>> > Paul Nolan is now doing contract work for Amiga.
>>
>> Cool. Paul is sharp and has stuck it out with Amiga work for a long
>> time. Dedicated people are the only essential ingredient of success.
>>
>> > More on the license issues: No software developers will be forced to pay
>> > royalties. Voluntarily, they can sign up for a certification program,
>which
>> > will give their products an official Amiga "badge" and the chance to
>have
>> > their product marketed by Amiga themselves. This will cost them $1.50
>per
>> > sold item.
>>
>> Reason prevails! (well, at least in the licensing plan:)
>>
>> I find it most encouraging that the licensing process has been so
>> significantly revised. I know more than a few developers were ready to
>> say forget it or were not even considering AmigaNG unless something a
>> whole lot more practical, affordable and realistic came forward. After
>> reading the "fine print" license details that came in the SDK, I was
>> about convinced to pack it up and move on, too.
>>
>> > Amiga will start offering low-cost promotional merchandise to
>> > user groups.
>>
>> Great! The user groups are struggling and need all the help they can
>> get. Of course, low cost beta OE releases and maybe a couple OE
>> systems to demo will be a whole lot better... ;-)
>>
>> > At the show, Amiga were showing off an ARM-based touchscreen unit,
>> > running the new OE. The design is by none other than Mick Tinker,
>> > and it's not being sold commercially yet.
>>
>> > Backwards compatibility to the Classic Amiga from the new OE will
>> > be dealt with by something that "is not an emulator".
>>
>> Still more cool news! Hope all the plans manage to shine though the
>> looming dark anamoly.
>>
>> /* AArexx AAron */
>> /* (comment required) */
>> options RESULTS
>> ADDRESS 'aaron@pd.org'
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I can see the Burma Shave road signs for AmigaNG now:
>>
>>
>>
>> "--> Keep Going This Way -->"
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "--> so You Can Help Pay -->"
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "--> for All of Black Billy Gate's lawyers!"
>>
>>
>> <wink>
>>
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