Article:
Light at the end of the tunnel?
Erik Elgersma believes Amigas have feelings, and isn't ready to tell his it's "legacy" quite yet. Nasty reprisals would be bound to follow.
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The dawn of a new era? A new age in computing, where the "platform wars" are taught to kids as part of their History curriculum, and everyone uses Amigas? Where inefficient, bulky OSes don't stand a chance? Where "Digital Convergence" is on everyone's lips, and red/white checked clothes are fashionable?
Not quite.When the news broke it was a massive shock to most, and brand new PowerUP owners probably choked on their coffee and biscuits. Unfortunately that was the biggest shock: the complete U-turn in true Tory (and now occasionally Labour) fashion on the PPC decision, coupled with the lavish bandying about of the "Int*l" word on IRC was what had people upset. As with any official announcement by Amiga Inc/International nowadays, there were a few users shouting "it's over, wanna buy my Amiga?" wherever you looked.
All this completely overshadowed what really was announced: the timetable for an all new platform, based on the Amiga culture, the Amiga feeling. Precisely how this will be achieved is as expected not completely known: what is important is that a start has been made. The start Escom never made, the start Bill Buck and his mates never achieved, and the start QuikPak could only dream of.The future looks very good indeed. If the plans set can be realised. If Gateway can get its' muscle behind it. If the "big companies on the other side" earmarked as strategic allies come good. It's all very hazy at the moment, but at least the market can look forward now, instead of over its' shoulder at a past that is no more.
There is a smudge that Amiga haven't cleaned up yet, though. Or rather a fudge. A fiasco. It has alienated, after initially embracing, two of the biggest major players in the market as it stands today. Phase5, without a shadow of doubt the leading, pioneering accelerator manufacturer, and H & P, who have dedicated a lot to their WarpUp system which is making PPC development easier for coders and software houses, and has increased the viability of the PPC accelerators while it was compatible, and now after the joint announcement will again. And although it was good to see how quickly differences can be resolved when livelihoods are at stake, the cause for it happening was not.Where is PPC going on the Amiga? Where for that matter is Project Alpha headed on our platform?
Both it seems have less than two years to live. What is to become of Phase5 Digital Products, of Haage and Partner, and others? All must be ingredients in Amiga's recipe for success.