Re: Computing Editorial (please read)

[Charles Richmond <richmond@ev1.net>]

Paul Allen Panks wrote:
> 
> Dear Friends:
> 
>      As a long time owner and user of the Commodore 128, I have
> witnessed the 8-bit computer market from the early days (1982-1985)
> right on through Commodore's demise and Atari's bankruptcy. Of the
> once great 8-bit stallions, only Apple remains. But Apple hasn't
> supported the Apple II line for over ten years now. They have since
> moved on to better things. Commodore itself, in the waning years,
> promoted the Amiga over the Commodore 64 as inexpensive upgrade
> packages. If only Commodore allowed the Commodore 64 users to bring
> their software and hardware investments with them (minus the horrible
> C64 Emulators for the Amiga). If only anyone did.
> 
To be there from the early days, you need to have been there from
around 1975 or 1976. By 1982, the days of 8-bit computing as a mainstream
activity were numbered. And IIRC, Atari did *not* declare bankruptcy,
but sold their assets to some other company...
>
>      With the rise of modern operating systems such as Windows, Mac
> and Linux, long time users have witnessed a revival in interest among
> the general population in their once great computers. Users of the
> Atari 400/800, Apple II and IIe, Commodore 64/128, Tandy Color
> Computer, IBM PC/PC Junior, TRS-80 and even the Coleco Adam have
> witnessed a rebirth of interest in their computers. Thanks in no small
> part to the Internet, owners and users across the globe can share
> files, download information, access websites and even go online to
> eBay to bid for their beloved machines.
>
IMHO much of the interest in the older 8-bit computers is by collectors
who are trying to get a feel for the past. The other sizeable group 
are those crusty old users who hang doggedly on to their beloved 8-bit
systems. I admit to being a little of both of these...
>
> What drove the market in its early days remains today the very
> reason many got into computing in the first place: to share the
> knowledge of computing to neighbors, friends and family alike. To
> experience the joy of computing at the apex of technological
> breakthrough. And to squeeze every once of use out of a platform
> before deciding to move on.
> 
Yes, we *were* anxious to experience the joy of the apex of technology.
But today, 8-bit systems can hardly be called "the apex of technology."
We are more like at the apex of being a curiousity at this time. Kids
would look and say "Gee, computers sure were primative way back when..."
>
> As I have seen with the Commodore 128 and 128D, even success can
> be a nightmare. As a hard core C128 user, most of my time is spent in
> C128 mode, tip-tapping away at my latest programming project. But in
> truth, only a handful of people really explored that side of the
> machine. Simply put, the Commodore 128 became a Commodore 64 in a
> strange box. Every game, every application, every utility that was
> written to that point, was also not written for Commodore 128 mode.
> Why? Because the Commodore 128 "suffered" from the grand experience of
> being a Commodore 64 with "extra" computing power thrown in. But 64KB
> RAM was enough. It was always enough.
> 
It's true that the C-128 was a hopped-up C-64. But another aspect of
the C-128 that *never* took of in the public eye...was that the C-128
could run CP/M. By the time that the C-128 was introduced, Mess-DOS
was already making enroads into the CP/M marketplace. If people wanted
to run CP/M, they would run it on an IBM PC by that time.
>
> Computing has always been an experience of joy and discovery. Who
> can blame Bill Gates for being a billionaire today? His love and
> adequate knowledge of computing turned his one man quest into a
> crusade. Love him or not, Bill Gates carried the flag for computing
> well into the 21st century. But other pioneers, such as Apple, Atari,
> Commodore and Tandy, proved that innovating and cutting costs paved
> the way for more users to come to computing.
> 
Bill Gates did *not* make his money by "his love and adequate knowledge
of computing". Bill Gates made his money by stealing other people's 
ideas and marketing them. If Gates is anything, he is a marketing 
person. *I* can blame Mr. Gates for being a billionaire, because he
made that money over the bodies of the others that he drove out of
the computer software business with his unfair business practices.
IMHO the computer world would be much better off *without* the
contributions of one Bill Gates.
>
>      And even on our shores, we missed a lot as well. Sir Clive
> brought the Spectrum to millions of users in the United Kingdom. He
> remains to this day one of the few computing pioneers given an
> honorary Knighting by his country. We should all be so lucky to have a
> Sir Clive in our neighborhood.
> 
> But today, on the cusp of a new generation, we are the carriers
> of technology from shore to shore, and from life to life. It is the
> undying dedication to computing that has driven so many people, for so
> long a time. From Creative Computing and the Transactor, to Byte,
> Compute!'s Gazette, Family Computing and today's magazines, we are
> carrying a clear but simple message: "Computing for the masses, not
> the classes." As Jack Tramiel embodied and the 8-bit community showed,
> computers are an experience for all to enjoy, at minimum cost to
> financial budget.
> 
It *would* be wonderful *if* computing were carried on in the tradition
of the 1970's and early 1980's. I got to tell you...I do *not* see it
happening. As for Jack Tramiel...he was a bitter man, who as a survivor
of the Nazi death camps during World War II,  and still carried a great 
load of hate and distrust for his fellow man. This is my opinion. I do 
*not* blame Mr. Tramiel for this. But also, I do *not* think that the
way he marketed his products...especially the Atari products...was 
beneficial to the computer industry as a whole. 
>
> May the future be as bright as the sun above, and may the stars
> continue to shine for a new generation, for all time.
> 
"You are a child of the universe 
 no less than the trees and the stars; 
 you have a right to be here. 
 And whether or not it is clear to you, 
 no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Mr. Panks, you seem a sincere person and I know you contribute your
computer gaming efforts to the 'net, but IMHO you are living in a
dream world. You, sir, are full of crap.

You should be posting to <alt.painting.beautiful.computer.pictures>.
If you want to write poetry, okay. But if you want to talk about
the way things are in the computer world...or how things got that
way...try to stick a little more to the facts and less to the flowery
language.

IMHO. 

-- 
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|     Charles and Francis Richmond     <richmond@plano.net>   |
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