Re: What's It All About, Ian?

[joko@well.sf.ca.us (Joe Kohn)]

>> And you seem take my comments very personal.

Look, I don't want to get into a war of egos, but yes, I did take your
comments personally. And, yes, they angered me.

Why?

Because I have decided to remain with the Apple II, when every other
single company I have ever worked for in Apple II land has gone, or will
soon go, the way of the dodo bird. I have invested the last 6.5 years of
my life working on a full time basis with the Apple II, and if you don't
think that I have taken an incredible financial risk, guess again.

When Ian posted his comments, they _were_ very well thought out, and he
added a disclaimer saying that with his level of technical expertise, he
personally didn't learn anything from SSII. Well, I respect Ian's
programming abilities, which is why at least one older FTA game has a v2.0
designation with both our names on it. When I wanted to get FTA stuff
updated to work on all GS's, I sent them to Ian.

But, you, sir, are no Ian Schmidt.

You speak of the free exchange of ideas, yet I have invited you to our
local IIGS user group on several occassions, and you've always come up
with excuses to not come.

Dan Muse, my former editor at inCider, now works as a feature editor at
MacWorld. It would be very easy for me to pick up the phone, and call Dan,
and get a job there. I've often thought how nice it would be to get a
regular paycheck and vacations and health plans. But, I have decided to
take a major risk, when nearly every other Apple II professional and/or
organization has already moved on to more lucrative platforms. I have
decided to stay, and to publish an independant voice for Apple II users.

When people like Steve Disbrow (GS+ Publisher) and Bill Heineman (OOTW)
and Phil Shapiro (Balloons Software) and Michael Foegelle (Columns IIe)
and Dave Tribby (BlackJack Tutor) and Dean Esmay (Studio City, GEnie's A2)
and Will Nelken (Script-Central) and Cynthia Field (inCider/A+) and
Charles Hartley (Computer Keyboarding) all go public with their
unqualified endorsements of Shareware Solutions II, then that means
something.

Now, I don't want people to think that I cannot take constructive
criticism, as I do actively request it, and am always seeking feedback to
help make SSII the best darn magazine the Apple II world has ever seen.
But, when barbs are thrown my way that are construed _by me_ to be
destructive, then I'm going to roar, and I'm going to come out fighting.

Joe Kohn