#Taking a poll….
9 messages in this thread
I frankly can't understand why anyone would put $200 or even $50 into
their Amiga 500 at this point. It only takes $400 more to have a brand
new computer with acceleration, 32 bit memory, new graphics and a future.
If it meant saving your $200 until it became $600 it would be worth it.
Think about it man!
You say there is a market out their for new hardware for the A500 in the
$200 range. I am not sure how you figure this. The used Amiga market is
a big 'buyers' market. You can get about anything you want for your A500
cheap.
Mark, the A500 is dead.
-mark=
Mark,
The A500 is only dead for those that need something more than the A500
offers them. And for the vast majority of owners of the A500, it's
perfectly suitable for them. Just as my A2500/20 is perfectly suitable
for me.
WHile I'd like a newer machine, I can't justify one. The cost of a
tradeup to an A4000 isn't justified by things I do with my machine.
The same is true for many others…the vast majority I'd suspect.
Of course, as a dealer, that's not good news for you, but then on the
other hand, the possibility of the new machines attracting new users is
good news for you…so it all balances out.
Don
My point, and perhaps I failed to make it clear is that product
development for the A500 and the continued investment into Amiga 500
hardware products on the whole is foolish.
This is what makes the A500 dead in my book. Sure if you have an A500 it
will still do what it always has done.
Do you disagree with this?
-mark=
Mark,
There are somewhere in the vicinity of 3 million A500's in existance,
anyone who ignores that market is foolish in my opinion. As to owners
investing in new hardware products for the A500…again, if their A500
does everything the owner wants… with a minor exception here and there,
you bet I'd still reccomend them buying a hardware add-on. The exception
would be, of course, when the add-on costs more than trading up to a newer
model that includes the add-on.
Personally…I wish the A500 had never seen the light of day. I
thought that back when I was writing for TransAmi and said so. I've
always believed that internal expansion and separated keyboards are the
keys to success in professional applications. Attached external expansion
units, with system-unit/keyboard in the same box (such as the A500) tend
to attract an entirely different type of buyer. One who's more interested
in entertainment than they are in productivity. Certainly there are
exceptions…but on the whole, units like the A500 tend to attract game
buyers while units like the A2000 (3000,4000) tend to attract those
interested in more powerful applications. And yes, there certainly is
crossover.
Of course, the flip side of that coin is that the A500 may have been
what kept the Amiga profitable..and thus may have allowed it to remain
viable. Without the 500, there may not have been an Amiga today.
Don
Don,
Unfotunately, what I heard this weekend makes me wonder if anything can
save the Amiga, or much more importantly, Commodore. My brother has some
stock in C= and received the shareholders report friday. Net loss for the
last fiscal year was $94 million, approx. $2.60 per share. This even
givin the fact they are the largest PC clone seller in Europe. The main
problems are the recession in Europe and a strong $ hurts the exchange
rate.
No, the *main* problems as described in that report were write down of
inventory and abandoned manufacturing capacity. The c64 stopped selling
pretty much (about time, too!) and they also dropped Amiga proces and so
lost profit margin aaccording to them. i think you'll see a very different
report next quarter – those aren't issues with long duration, they're one
shot things. I bought more stock. :^)
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Wow,
Alittle optimisem, I wish they'ed come out with an AGA box for the
Toaster w/ SCSI 2. Then we'ed be in business again……….
I know I'll regret it if I don't buy some at 5, hmmmmmmmm :^)
Of course there is still a market when you the thousands of A500 owners out
there. I already have a fair investment in y A500. If I were to sell it I
would get very little for it. I'm sure there are others out there in the same
boat. I think that given the number of potential customers out there, somebody
will make peripherals for the A500.
Mark –
The key phrase in your note that is the big bone of contention is the "It
only takes $400 **more** to have a brand new computer…"
That More is a real brick wall for some.
/7
//\ob …on Amiga via Autopilot from Northeastern PA…