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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

139.0. "Will anyone be around when it breaks?" by AMUZED::MARI (Lee Mari) Mon Oct 20 1986 01:36

    I have looked at all the PC's around and am convinced that the AMIGA
    is BY FAR the best value.  Even the APPLE ][GS is 2-3 times the price
    and cannot compete in functionality.
    
    However, I am really concerned about whether the AMIGA is already
    a dead product in spite of it all.  Every dealer that I have spoken
    to in NH has either dropped the AMIGA or is in the process
    of unloading them.  If I buy one, can I expect reliable service
    from these guys?  Will there be parts, peripherals, and software
    available a year from now?  When it breaks who will be able to fix
    it?

    Can any of you shed any light on these doubts?  Am I just being
    buffaloed by the dealers pushing their higher priced Apples?
    
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139.1Who needs dealers, anyway?JOKE::ACCIARDIMon Oct 20 1986 11:0649
    I am certainly prejudiced in favor of the Amiga (its great fun to
    dump on other computers! Try it and see!), but I know something
    of how Apple treats their dealers vs CBM.  My brother in law works
    for Apple as a Macintosh rep, and I get all the poop from him.
    
    First, CBM tried to act like Apple and IBM while setting up a dealer
    network for the Amiga.  They guaranteed them price (and profit)
    protection, and also claimed IBM compatibility via the Transformer.
    (Which, by the way, was a year late, but in fact does all that it
    is claimed to do for an absurdly low price).
    
    However, in the face of increasing pressure from Atari, CBM has
    been forced to cut prices on several occasions.  This means that
    a dealer may have to sell a system for a song to remain competitive.
     
    Another dilemna occurred when large chains like Computer Factory
    bought gobs of Amigas at the discounted price, then held on to them
    until the sale was over, in the hopes of making a killing.  CBM
    has since dropped them as a dealer, 'tho they will sell you a system
    from the back room.
    
    So, the dealer network sees CBM as reverting to a low-end sleeze
    outfit, ala Atari.  
    
    To your original question, Jeff Porter, CBM Engineer, told me right
    to my face (er...screen) that as of July, 100,000 Amigas had been
    sold in the USA alone.  These numbers, if true, would appear to
    exceed the volumes of Atari ST's shipped in the USA (60,000) per
    Atari's stock prospectus.
    
    The Amiga began shipping to Europe in June, where people were hungry
    for the product, but could not afford the price of $2700-3000 in
    the face of $1000 Atari 1040 STs.  However, CBM has just dropped
    the European price by about $750.00
    
    Noone can guarantee that any product will survive, but it looks
    like the Apple ][GS will not be the killer that was believed, and
    as the Amiga system price approaches the ST system price, sales
    should go up even further.
    
    Don't be discouraged by the fact that the "respectable" dealers
    are dropping the Amiga.  They are motivated by profit margins, not
    selling the best technology at an affordable price.
    
    Software support for the Amiga (and ST) is strong and getting stronger.
    The Sidecar should help sell a few machines also.  Version 1.2 of
    AmigaDOS makes the Amiga faster and more powerful than ever. 
    
    Best of all, Miami Vice is using Amigas on the show!! 
139.2Amiga in EuropePOMPEO::ZABOTMarco Zabot - Adv.Tech.mgr - Turin ACTMon Oct 20 1986 14:3819
    Buy your Amiga and enjoy it. You'll ever be in a better position
    that we are ! 
    Amiga has finally arrived in Italy ( and Europe as well ) in the
    local version, i.e. PAL version. They ( Commodore Italy) are delivering
    it since the very beginning of the month. Nevertheless a big bunch
    of people have already bought the NTSC version 'cause they didn't
    want to wait. In Turin alone ( NW Italy, 1.5Million people) in less
    then one month they have sold over 200 systems, ALL THE ONES THAT
    WERE AVAILABLE. There is a long waiting list of people that want
    to buy it.
    Consider also that commodore Italy has always been the worst dealer
    in the world, that almost NO software is available throu regular
    channels...  and they want it anyway.
    I got it. And I'm fully satisfied ( up to now, at least).
    Just a little advise, as a user. Buy immediatly a second drive.
    And have a 512 k machine.
    Ciao.
    
    marco
139.3Lot's of SupportAUTHOR::MACDONALDCUP/MLMon Oct 20 1986 16:2919
    ComputerMart of NH (Nashua and Manchester) and Electronics Boutique
    are the Amiga dealers in Southern NH. EB however is not an "authorized
    dealer" despite the fact that they purchase large quantities of
    the machine from Commodore!
    
    Memory Location in Wellesley and LCA Computers in Norwood are two
    "Amiga Only" outfits in Mass. Instant Software locations in NH and
    Mass are also selling the Amiga as authorized dealers now.
    
    I spent a year looking at the different 68000 machines and finally
    went with the Amiga and am glad I did. There are a lot of real pros
    out there writing public domain software that you can pick up for
    the price of a disk. The commercial houses are also writing some
    terrific stuff.
    
    Commodore is doing a lot of support for the system too that I for
    one appreciate tremendously.
    
    Paul
139.4supports thereTRUMAN::LEIMBERGERTue Oct 21 1986 07:1329
    I have questioned the people at Computer Mart about their support
    for the Amiga.The response was that management is sour on CBM's
    marketing,and that they are taking a wait and see attitude before
    restocking .I was assured that customer support will be maintained,
    and service will be available. They had just recieved a shipment
    of external drives,and a customer was carrying out an Amiga while
    I was there. I go in often to pick up pd stuff an see what is
    happening. Last sat. I met two guys from DEC who came from Mass
    to pick up pd software, and several other users. It is ironic 
    for a store that "would rather sell apples" should have so many
    Amiga users present. What bothers me is that while I was using the
    Amiga to build an adventure disk(bought adventure construction set)
    a person nearby was AMAZED that the Amiga played music.(disk loads
    with blareing trumpets),and shocked by the graphics. In conversation
    he mentioned he had ordered a GS . I told him I was sure he would
    enjoy his new system and continued about my task. This would seem
    to imply that he was not shown the Amiga at all. I appreciate the
    stores willingness to allow free access to the Amiga and their PD
    library so am always very careful not to "bother" any customers,
    but also always leave the Amiga with something interesting on the
    screen.(GLASS.IMG Caused A near riot). I would say buy your Amiga,
    because I have yet to meet anyone that is unhappy with theirs. If
    you do decide (or if you don't) call Computer Mart in Nashua for
    a quote.I am not solicitating for them,I just want them to know
    people are still buying Amigas. one last thing you should consider
    is the unofficial support available from other users. I have yet
    to meet a user that was not willing to help me
    
    bill  
139.5Alive and on display in GermanyNSSG::SULLIVANSteven E. SullivanFri Dec 12 1986 00:067
I  was wandering about Germany near Heidelburg around November 20 and
saw Amiga's in several department stores  well  displayed  with  nice
signs  and all.  Unfortunately,  none were running (insert Kickstart)
and no one seemed able to demo one. Well, at least the marketing part
seems better done than here in the USA.

	-SES