CompuServe Messages

Re your item #7 on digital video and Newtek's never-marketed Digiview Pro: Too bad Newtek couldn't see the appeal of quarter-screen video. I happen to agree that it's pretty useless, but it's a toy that a lot of people are fooling around with, and it's transformed the PC and Mac markets. Those people actually think they have access to a breakthrough range of products. Yes, over on the Multimedia forum you can listen to a steady parade of PC and Mac users complaining about the crummy video they get unless they spend really big bucks (and maybe not even then). Nevertheless, the point is, the market let them make that choice, and some people jumped right in with both feet. They're not likely to get ticked off if Quicktime dies in favor of a newer video standard, only more hooked on PCs and Macs. Hucksterism in computers pays off! I wish Newtek would've pushed its equivalent product big time (some products similar to Digiview Plus WERE marketed by others, but never quite with the oomph to get beyond background noise level). Imagine a well-marketed product for the Amiga doing Quicktime-type stuff back in, say, 1987. The Amiga would've blown the competition out of the water forever! Now, "doing it right" may mean there won't be a market by the time Newtek and the Amiga get there. — Ron Legro, Milwaukee via AUTOPILOT (the only way to fly)