CompuServe Messages

Jeepers, Charles, SCSI is far from a standard on PCs. It's a standard on most Macs and Amigas (and useable on all Amigas). There are people using SCSI cards in A1200s, A4000s and even for that matter CDTVs. I fail to see that the fact they are not integrated in the base model represents a disadvantage. Read John Dvorak's latest PC World column, which in effect says that PCs are out of control and are not the tools they once were but in fact are burdens in many cases. More so the PC than the Amiga, I would hasten to add. I think there remains a strong market for a simple desktop computer at a low cost. I had a PC before my first Amiga, and if I had to buy a full-blown A500 I never would have. Instead, I took a risk on a low-price, plain-vanilla model, was impressed what I could do with 1 meg RAM and 1 900K floppy (Fast File System, ya know) and gradually as I could afford it expanded the system. For lots of folks, $2,500 systems are not options no matter how well equipped they are. Growing into a $2,500-equivalent system a bit at a time is a worthwhile option. E.g., every Atari carried a MIDI port. Now, if you didn't NEED a MIDI port, that was wasted money. If you don't NEED SCSI, why should C= make you pay for it. Finally, if I was a third-party Amiga manufacturer, I'd be thrilled at the aftermarket opportunities that would offer. Lots of PCs sold without clocks, too, but there still remains a healthy market for $30 add-in clocks. As long as it's an option, it's real. If you want a maxed-out system with everything in place, I'm sure there are dealers who will oblige you. Will such an Amiga cost more than an "equivalent" PC? That's a matter of perception, but I would argue no, in most cases. But even if it does, that's the price we pay for our willingness to be different. A Maserati costs more than a Corvette, too. — Ron Legro, Milwaukee via AUTOPILOT (the only way to fly)