From: David Manvell <putythe...@delphi.com>
Subject: 2nd Washington Post Fast Forward article.
Date: 1995/05/31
Message-ID: <R6w-0Tv.putythecat@delphi.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 103607157
organization: Delphi (i...@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)
newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
[This is another "letter from the editor" article that appeared in the
Washington Post's Fast Forward magazine (A magazine that comes once a month
in the Washington Post newspaper). It addresses their last months slandering
(?) of the Amiga. Any errors or typos are probably just my own.]
---------------------------------snip---------------------------------------
Nuestras Amiga Locas
Users of the Amiga personal computer are among the most proud, loyal,
knowledgeable, utterly humorless folks you'd ever want to meet - and we've
got the e-mail to prove it. In our May issue, circumspect readers may recall,
we attempted to deflect the simultaneous charges of Mac and PC bias we face
by explaining that we used, and sort of liked, both Macs and PCs. "But
flexibility has its limits," we warned. "Don't start sending us e-mail about
the Commodore Amiga."
Well: Hell hath no fury like that of a user of a commercially precarious,
long-ignored, technically superior computing system scorned. Within a day of
publication seething Amigans from Brazil, Italy, Germany and all around the
U.S. had accused us of bias, ignorance, close-mindedness, conspiracy and...
well, it was hard to tell what else, because some of the messages were in
second-language English. (Anybody know a good Amiga translation program?)
Amidst the screed we managed to isolate the following interesting facts: that
Commodore's Amiga was the pioneering multimedia computer; that, thanks to
brand mismanagement, Amiga never earned the prominence or respect its
technical capabilities deserve; that it can still do stuff, including multi-
tasking and on-screen video production, that Macs and PCs can't, or can't do
well; that its bankrupt corporate carcass was recently purchased by Escom AG,
a German company which may revitalize the platform; and that, among 3 million
alleged Amiga users, only 28 were insulted or bored enough to send us e-mail.
But - amigas, amigos, por favor: It was just a joke. We disparaged the Amiga
only to make fun of our self-proclaimed open-mindedness, and ultimately of
the strangely passionate loyalties that operating systems tend to provoke.
Which, of course, the mailstorm only verified. We could easily have chosen,
say, IBM's OS/2 as the joke-butt. But then, if we had, geez... think of the
potential consequences: Both loyal OS/2 users might have sent us angry
letters. (Wait! Drop your weapons!! that was just another joke!! We really
like OS/2, honest, we really do...)
--------------------------------snip-----------------------------------------
Well it does explain things to at least my satisfaction (this is a BIG step
for Mac and PC users you know - acknowledging existence I mean) At least we
got the name Amiga in the opening letter of a major magazine. It just goes to
show that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" or "it pays to bitch!" I'm glad
I was one of the 28. Now if I could only figure out what "Nuestras Amiga
Locas" translates to in American.
Dave
Putythe...@Delphi.com
From: swmpt...@cais2.cais.com (Swampthing)
Subject: WASH POST EDITORIAL ON AMIGA USERS
Date: 1995/06/01
Message-ID: <3qk5bv$eii@news.cais.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 103606967
organization: Capital Area Internet Service
newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Some of you may recall that last month, Washington Post's FAST FORWARD
high-tech magazine insert, commented in their editorial that while they
speak Mac and PC, don't start sending us mail about the Commodore Amiga!
Well, the new issue is out with the following response which sounds like
a smart-ass rebuttal to what they now claim was supposed to be a joke.
No article on the Amiga, no declaration that they would try to cover the
platform, just the following editorial response which isn't all too
flattering to Amiga owners.
If you would like to send the Washington Post your comments, their e-mail
address is: f...@washpost.com or you can send snail-mail to:
FFWD
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20071
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NUESTRAS AMIGAS LOCAS
USERS OF THE AMIGA PERSONAL computer are among the most proud, loyal,
knowledgeable, utterly humorless folks you'd ever want to meet--and we've
got the e-mail to prove it. In our May issue, circumspect readers may
recall, we attempted to deflect the simultaneous charges of Mac and PC
bias we face by explaining that we used, and sort of liked, both Macs and
PCs. "But flexibility has its limits," we warned, "Don't start sending
us e-mail about the Commodore Amiga."
Well: Hell hath no fury like that of a user of a commercially precarious,
long-ignored, technically superior computing system scorned. Within a
day of publication, seething Amigans from Brazil, Italy, and Germany and
all around the U.S. had accused us of bias, ignorance, close-mindedness,
conspiracy, and...well, it was hard to tell what else, because some of
the messages were in second-language English. (Anybody know a good Amiga
translation program?)
Amidst the screed we managed to isolate the following interesting facts:
that Commodore's Amiga was the pioneering multimedia computer; that,
thanks to brand mismanagement, Amiga never earned the prominence or
respect its technical capabilities deserve; that it can still do stuff,
including multi-tasking and on-screen video production, that Macs and PCs
can't, or can't do well; that its bankrupt corporate carcass was recently
purchased by Escom AG, a German company which may revitalize the
platform; and that, among 3 million alleged Amiga users, only 28 were
insulted or bored enough to send us e-mail.
But--AMIGAS, AMIGOS, POR FAVOR: IT WAS JUST A JOKE. We disparaged the
Amiga only to make fun of our self-proclaimed open-mindedness, and
ultimately of the strangely passionate loyalties that operatings systems
tend to provoke. Which, of course, the mailstorm only verified. We
could have easily chosen, say, IBM's OS/2 as the joke-butt. But then, if
we had, geez...think of the potential consequences: BOTH loyal OS/2 users
might have sent us angry letters. (WAIT! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!! THAT WAS
JUST ANOTHER JOKE!! WE REALLY LIKE OS/2, HONEST, WE REALLY DO....)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Swampthing
From: barr...@iastate.edu (Marc N. Barrett)
Subject: Re: WASH POST EDITORIAL ON AMIGA USERS
Date: 1995/06/01
Message-ID: <3qktaa$7sg@news.iastate.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 103607011
references: <3qk5bv$eii@news.cais.com>
organization: Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa USA
newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
In article <3qk5bv$...@news.cais.com>,
Swampthing <swmpt...@cais2.cais.com> wrote:
>Some of you may recall that last month, Washington Post's FAST FORWARD
>high-tech magazine insert, commented in their editorial that while they
>speak Mac and PC, don't start sending us mail about the Commodore Amiga!
>Well, the new issue is out with the following response which sounds like
>a smart-ass rebuttal to what they now claim was supposed to be a joke.
>No article on the Amiga, no declaration that they would try to cover the
>platform, just the following editorial response which isn't all too
>flattering to Amiga owners.
>
>If you would like to send the Washington Post your comments, their e-mail
>address is: f...@washpost.com or you can send snail-mail to:
>
>FFWD
>The Washington Post
>1150 15th Street NW
>Washington, DC 20071
Come on, guys!! fire up your word processors, and WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!
What are you waiting for!?! The Amiga has been insulted!! it's VITALLY
important to correct these people, or the Amiga may die!!
Really, guys, by firing up impulsive responses to this, you are
playing right into their hands. These guys already CORRECTLY think of
Amigas users as a reactionary, fanatical lot with a religious
infatuation with a chunck of metal, plastic, and silicon, and writing
responses only furthers this impression.
+++++++
++++ Marc Barrett -MB-
++ IRC nick: Cyclone | e-mail: barr...@iastate.edu
+
From: kin...@osf.org (Bill Kindel)
Subject: Re: WASH POST EDITORIAL ON AMIGA USERS
Date: 1995/06/01
Message-ID: <KINDEL.95Jun1141816@ghoti.osf.org>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 103607012
references: <3qk5bv$eii@news.cais.com> <3qktaa$7sg@news.iastate.edu>
organization: Open Software Foundation
newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Marc Barrett (barr...@iastate.edu) observes:
> Really, guys, by firing up impulsive responses to this, you are
> playing right into their hands. These guys already CORRECTLY think of
> Amigas users as a reactionary, fanatical lot with a religious
> infatuation with a chunck of metal, plastic, and silicon, and writing
> responses only furthers this impression.
As much as it pains me to do so, I must agree IN PART with Marc's point
here. Had the Washington Post been flooded with well-reasoned and
courteous responses, they MIGHT have taken us seriously. I have little
doubt that a sizable portion of the 28 responses they DID receive were
more in line with the vitriol that has appeared in the c.s.amiga.*
newsgroups on all too many occasions.
===========================================================================
Bill Kindel Voice: 617/621-7395 | Happy, productive Amiga owner.
Research Institute FAX: 617/621-8696 | 90M MS-DOS users CAN be wrong!
Open Software Foundation kin...@osf.org | (They just don't know better.)
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Standard Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are my own and do
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===========================================================================
From: dgr...@cycor.ca (Dennis Grant)
Subject: Re: WASH POST EDITORIAL ON AMIGA USERS
Date: 1995/06/02
Message-ID: <dgrant-0206950922170001@198.167.3.78>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 103607052
references: <3qk5bv$eii@news.cais.com> <3qktaa$7sg@news.iastate.edu>
organization: Cycor Communications Inc.
newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
In article <3qktaa$...@news.iastate.edu>, barr...@iastate.edu (Marc N.
Barrett) wrote:
>
> Come on, guys!! fire up your word processors, and WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!
> What are you waiting for!?! The Amiga has been insulted!! it's VITALLY
> important to correct these people, or the Amiga may die!!
>
>
> Really, guys, by firing up impulsive responses to this, you are
> playing right into their hands. These guys already CORRECTLY think of
> Amigas users as a reactionary, fanatical lot with a religious
> infatuation with a chunck of metal, plastic, and silicon, and writing
> responses only furthers this impression.
Would that be in any way related to a certain reactionary, fanatical
individual with a religious infatuation with a non-Amiga chunk of metal,
plastic, and sillicon, and a burning, evangelical need to "correct" Amiga
users at every turn?
C'mon Marc, you've been beating this horse for 8 years now. Take the hint.
Go away. Find some real friends.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dennis Grant Cycor Tech (Amiga&Mac) Support / HTML & Graphic Design
dgr...@cycor.ca Amiga 4000/040/14/970/17"IDEK/2XCD-ROM/14.4 AmiTCP
http://www.cycor.ca/TCave/ Visit Trog's Cave!