CompuServe Messages

Don, Microsoft Works is a critical product for education markets, e.g. K-12 and collegiate. It is a wildly successful product for home users of both MS-DOS machines and the Macintosh. It is fully integrated, unlike the present Amiga offerings. (I am thinking of Platinum_Works! and the Gold Disk offering for the 2000HD/P). While we're going along that line, I wish we had Quicken for the Amiga. Don, if you have not used these products from other platforms, then try them out at your local dealer. I will simply state that there must have been a reason for all those MS-DOS users and MAC users to have turned both products into blockbusters, i.e. profit centers for their respective companies. Why is it important? The simple answer is that it makes the sales effort easier for the markets I just described. Potential first time buyers associate the tradename Microsoft with Quality. When I show the Amiga, the most frequently asked question of me is, "Does it run Microsoft Works?" My most frequent retort is "Microsoft Works for the Amiga is called Platinum_Works!." The truth is that Micro-Systems Software's product is dated and hasn't been through a significant revision in years. It is price competitive, however. MS Works costs about $60 to schools and Platinum_Works! about the same price. Other Amiga integrated packages are lots more. Don, my comments are not grist for the "rumor mill." I have placed them here, in AmigaTech, because ostensibly its readers are more technically informed than those of AmigaUser/Arts. If my comments were within the realm of unsubstantiated rumors, then I would agree with you and I would censure myself. However, I give them more credence… obviously, I am closer to the source. I want to repeat my respect for Commodore USA and Int'l. I want them to hang tough and be strategic. I admire their guts for going after CDI with CDTV. We may not all be stockholders in the company, but we are all stakeholders. I really like my Amiga 3000, as I have said before. I see [ MORE ]