Subject: Re: What is different about Amos Pro?
From: Paul Burkey <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 95 00:33:33 GMT

Hi Daniel,

> I have regular Amos. I was skeptical about Amos Pro because to me it
> seemed that Mandarin or whoever was trying to pick the pockets of
> those who had already bought the Amos product. They are not selling
> enough to newcomers so they turn around and come up with this "new"
> product to sell to people already using Amos.

> I have also heard that it's not any faster or better. I suppose it 
> have some new commands, but I don't know of what they might be to
> motivate me to plunk down fresh cash. I have not heard that it was any
> less buggy than regular Amos. In fact lately people are having
> compatibility problems with compilers etc. How irritating that the
> marketing pros divided a decent product.

As for the difference, well you wont really spot many differences but the
most important thing is the fact that it's a lot more compatable with
other Amigas. When I first started sending out Shareware copies of my
programmes I must have received hundreds of error reports and bugs. But
I was sure the program was bug free. You might write a program and compile
it and it rund perfectly well but send it to someone who has an A1200 or
an A500 or A600 or some strange thing called an A3000 or even a funny thing
called an A4000 whatever that is ;) and you'll get nothing but complaints.

When I moved to using AMOS Pro I found the bug reports dropped and
compatability increaced. It's well worth the move but before it wasn't
worth the price, but now it is (I Hope) According to AMIGA Shopper 57
there's a company called 'Ultimate Software' I'll quote a bit for you:-

"AMOS Pro will be the first to be re-released On 11 disks, it will include
a compiler (GOOD!) and an easy disk for beginners (Easy amos will not be
re-released because all the commands are in the Pro Version anyway)"

Should be about 25-30 which is good with the Compiler included!!!

As for Picking the pockets of us AMOS users well I think your half right
because I don't think there was much need for an 'Easy AMOS' package and
I also think that AMOS Pro should have been an update rather than a
different package. Then again how long do you think Europress would have
stuck with AMOS without the extra cash from AMOS Pro? At least they sorted
out a few bugs and came up with a much better compiler, which come to think
of it is probably the reason why compiled programmes are a bit better :)

on the whole :-

AMOS Pro is not on the whole faster than AMOS classic.
AMOS Pro does have bugs it's very own :(

AMOS Pro *is* a better working environment
AMOS Pro has good on-line Help features
AMOS Pro has macros!!!!!
AMOS Pro has a faster Test proccess
AMOS Pro commands PP load etc. Iff Anims and a few other new commands.

I think (don't take me up on these):-

AMOS Pro is more compatible with different Amigas
AMOS Pro has MORE up to date extensions for it?
AMOS Pro has a nicer shade of blue than the old AMOS

On the whole I'd wait for that bargain package from 'Ultimate' and maybe
they could sort out some updates or maybe get hold of the AMOS-source code
for us so that someone can fix us up with the perfect language.
 
We all need to move to AMOS V2.00 so that the market isn't divided. As
for compatability problems with compilers, well I think thats more to do
with 3rd party Extensions rather than AMOS commands themselves. I'm still
trying to sort out bugs with some of my stuff used dodgy extensions.

Lastly I'm not saying AMOS Pro is perfect but it's miles better than the
original AMOS. If anyone is having problems getting used to the editer
then I'll be happy to give you some tips ;)

Sorry for the long waffle but it's my first message to this list so
don't shout at me please ;)

Cheers all,

--
-------------------------, There will be rumours of things going
Paul Burkey      \|/     | astray, and a great confusion as to where
IRC: shoecake    O^O     | things really are, and nobody will really
-------------oOo-(_)-oOo-+ know where lieth those little things with
[email-masked] | the sort of raffia work base, that has an
-------------------------' attachment that will not be there. M-PYTHON