CompuServe Messages

Mike, maybe the Amiga users are… a) not as interested in commercial applications software as PC/Mac users (because, as everyone knows, the Amiga is a GAMES ONLY machine), or b) would buy are not able to afford those applications because Amiga users are the least well off computer owners on earth, or c) they use PD/Shareware (unpaid, of course) programs to do tasks PC/Mac users have to fork out hundreds of dollars for, or d) don't give a sh** and just copy everything they want to have (ah, c'mon – every Amiga user wants to have _every_ program ever made – we're software junkies in the purest sense!) from dubious sources and thus reap the rewards from the hard working commercial developers… I don't know, but maybe the Amiga's excellent choice of PD/Shareware programs for nearly every occasion has its share in destroying the commercial applications market for it? Would Norton Tools or Desktop have a chance on the Amiga? I guess not. Just about everything offered in there for, I don't know, $200?, can be had FOR FREE on the Amiga. So why should anyone bother to develop a commercial product anymore? The only chance is to do the ultimate Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Database, DTP, Draw, Paint/Retouche program or bring Amiga networking to the masses CHEAP (what masses? Who wants to fork out at the moment the price of a Amiga CD32 (for each machine) to connect his Amigas? Would it justify the expenses for development/marketing?). Sorry, but that's the way I see it at the moment… Having said all that, I have 2 1/2 Amigas (1 broken), networked via AmigaLink, am registered user of quite a few commercial programs (yes, PGS 2.21 is among them!) and haven't made a pirate copy for about 4 years or so, and thus I count myself to the "good guys" and not to one of the 4 categories above. Alright, flame me if you must. I still LOVE my Amigas! // Chris coming in from Germany \X/ still on AutoPilot 1.061….