CompuServe Thread

I just read a reply stating something about the Amiga being a niche machine and all that, which is probably right. But then I started wondering which niche it should take. It's already in the video/gfx business, and I see an interesting new market developing for our beloved machine. When I look at all the hype regarding internet, I still feel that it lacks a good machine. Windows and OS/2 simply don't cut it I'm afraid when it comes to videoconferencing and all – OS/2 might be the right software but it's on a very old hardware platform, which was never designed for heavy networking applications. Besides, a PC equipped with all the bells and whistles to *really* use everything internet has to offer is still quite expensive. And again, hardwarewise, it's outdated. On the other side are the heavy duty, high price solutions like silicon graphics machines and suns. Both are nice platforms to look at, but they're not really affordable for the "normal" user. That's why I see a market for the Amiga as a sort of "internet-outlet". Multitasking, true-color, powered by a 68060 with all the extra chips it needs to convert MPEGs, JPEGs and all sorts of other data (a few DSPs) – all this mass-produced and therefore affordable. It would be perfect for all people interested in surfing the internet – no hassles, just a working solution for everyone who doesn't want to become a network-guru before he or she can watch the WebLouvre pictures in Paris. But with enough depth to be seen as a "real computer" – capable of running wordprocessors and the like and games of course, but marketed as a communication tool. Here in Europe, ISDN is going to become BIG I think. When C=UK gets the Amiga technology, they should try and team up with a few big telecommunications companies, which could then offer the ISDN connection coupled with a "retrieval engine" like the new Amiga. Oh well, enough of this dreaming. What do YOU think of this? Does it make sense or do you see the Amiga's future differently? >F<riso Friso P. Gosliga | Auto CIS: 100341,464 – Internet: Friso.Gosliga@kub.nl | Pilot