CompuServe Messages

David, I am an authorized Direct Commodore dealership, and I deal with Commodore on a daily basis. First off, you have a few facts wrong. Commodore did slash the outside sales force and closed their West Coast Sales offices. Currently Commodore Sales is in a skeleton shape, but even before the layoffs Commodore people were on travel restrictions to save money. Commodore engineering lost approximately 11-15 people, non of them from very key projects from my understanding. Development continues at Commodore International. Many people have a myoptic view of Commodore. They only think of the United States operation and assume that it is the focus of Commodore International, it simply is not so. Commodore makes a majority of its income from Europe, which you may well know, doesn't have a Video Toaster product. In short, while the Toaster is an important key product, it has little to do with the future of the Amiga in Commodore's eyes outside of the United States. Now, what I do know is that Commodore had a bad quarter, all around the world. Commodore US sales from what I hear were pretty good all-in-all, I know we had a very good quarter, but Commodore lost their butt in Germany and the UK. Medhi Ali called Jim Dionne and said "cut 40% of your staff" and that was that. No secret meetings with NewTek, no purchase plans, nothing. Simple as that, Ali picked up the phone and the layoffs happened. Commodore US has been forced for some time to work with very little captial. David, while I appreciate your comments, it doesn't help anyone to pass along speculation such as yours. I know my information source(s) are extremely good and it bothers me greatly what you are speculating about. The people I know at Commodore US (CBM) care, and intend to continue as best as they can given the circumstances they are forced to work under. In my opinion, Mr. Medhi Ali makes decisions based on numbers alone. He doesn't care whether Commodore sells computers or sells potatoe chips. He simply wants to make a profit, and a large one. He is willing to do this anyway he can, even at the expense of the Amiga and it's users. -mark= Otto Pilot Engaged..