TRUEBASIC ABANDONS AMIGA
3 messages in this thread
TRUE BASIC ABANDONS AMIGA
A while back, I purchased the Student Edition of True BASIC, and have been
having lots of fun with it, just waiting patiently for the Runtime module
to come out so that I may share my little programs. Today I received this
in the mail:
"Thank you for purchasing the Amiga version Student Edition of the True
BASIC Language System. Many of you have found this Language System to be
very useful and powerful and have phoned to ask if True BASIC's plans to
create a Runtime module for the Amiga Student Edition that would allow you
to develop free-standing applications for the Amiga.
Unfortunately, our development schedule will not allow us to complete a
runtime version of the Amiga Language System.
We also announce that, effective March 1, 1993, DevWare of Poway, CA will
become the exclusive distributor of the Amiga Student Edition. DevWare has
a long history of supporting the Amiga computer with programs and Amiga
information and plans to make the Amiga Student Edition an important part
of their future product line. You will soon be receiving a mailing from
DevWare with a variety of special offers.
As a purchaser of the Amiga Student Edition we are also offering you a
special limited-time opportunity to purchase either the PC-compatible or
the Macintosh versions of True BASIC at a 50% discount. These versions
include the Runtime modules that allow you to create independent .EXE (PC)
or double-clickable (Macintosh) applications. Please use the coupon below
and order directly from True BASIC by mail, phone, or fax.
We appreciated the opportunity we had to serve you and regret that our
present development commitments will not allow us to add the next level of
capabilities to the Amiga version Student Edition that some have
requested."
If that last paragraph isn't a sign-off, I don't know what is.
/7
//\ob …on Amiga via Autopilot from Northeastern PA…
Rob,
It's truly a shame that TB will stop supporting the Amiga, but in
reality that support has long been missing. The release of the first Amiga
version was lacking in any serious support other than the app itself which
wasn't a fully compatible program. It was quickly left behind when the 680×0
processors became so prevalent and TB would crash and burn on them, yet TB made
no serious effort to upgrade the product until the recent release of the
Student Edition.
Unfortunately, that release did not come with the needed library and runtime
support. It was too little too late and I suspect they no longer had much
share of the Amiga basic language market (if there even is one, anymore!) I
would bet the decision was made like at WordPerfect. Not enough sales to
justify continued product support and development.
TB was a good product, but it needed something more than it had to be a viable
competitor. The experience goes to prove something many software developers
have yet to learn: If you want to impact the market for your product, you need
to have a product that stands out for its excellence, uniqueness, and
superiority rather than just another run of the mill competitors. I believe
this was Wordperfect's downfall and it's probably true for TB, as well.