Message from Sweden

===========================================================================
                            Message From Sweden
  Morgan Eklof and Magnus Ingmarsson     z94morek and d95magin@isy.liu.se
===========================================================================

Greetings from Sweden!

Maybe we should introduce ourselves...
We are two guys from Sweden who has been thinking alot about the AMIGA &
it's future.  (We = Magnus Ingmarsson, Morgan Eklof.) (We study at
Linköping institute of technology.)

First of all we would like to thank Amiga Technologies for doing a splendid
job.  This text has become a bit shorter since the interviews with
different Amiga people in Amiga-Magazin (5/96) were published.  For
instance some of the ideas that we were considering in the draft is already
implemented by Amiga Technologies:

The ads are concentrated on getting _new_ customers.  This is smart since
the old customers already are "brainwashed" ;-) (read: madly in love with
the Amiga.)

The own design.  Good job, leaves noone indifferent!  (btw.  We were
leaning towards getting help from Bang & Olufsen.)

The modular design.  Very smart with only one slot that can house a card
which holds additional slots.


Here are what we think is not only a recommendation but a necessety:
We do hope that AMIGA Technologies reads this and acts accordingly...
We also believe that these views are shared by many in the AMIGA-community.


1.  An important feature is that the power-supply should be in the box like
    in the A1000, A2000, A3000, A4000.  The A500, A600 and the A1200 give
    the impression of a "homecomputer".

2.  The use of standard components as much as possible to reduce cost and
    will make sure that the AMIGA does not become a slave under custom-
    circuits...  i.e.  makes sure that programmers program properly.  (but
    it will need a "thing" to make it different.  An unique OS is not
    enough.)

3.  In every AMIGA there should be a SCSI-interface to ensure fast & easy
    implementation of hd's, scanners and so on.

4.  There should be a "ZIP-type of drive" in every AMIGA & thus there would
    be no need for a HD.  (But since there is a SCSI-interface it is easily
    added.) (This choice must be made wisely since the ZIP is big at the
    moment but there has been anouncements about new products from 3M and
    their partners.) There should also be a hd-floppy drive.  (But by
    choosing the 3M and partners drive it will be compatible.)

5.   Magic Worbench must be included from the beginning.

6.  The smallest model must be able to deliver at least 800*600*24 NI in
    72Hz/31kHz.  Regarding TV it must be able to perform FULL PAL/NTSC non
    interlaced in 24-bits.  Of course there must be chunky as well as
    planar graphics and why not include a successor to the AKIKO...  There
    should also be 16-bit sound with fm-synth included.  A DSP is a must! 
    (Since it can be made to do alot of things.) There must also be a small
    custom made circuit that is cheap and easily replacable and upgradable
    and makes alot of difference!  (The consumer must feel that he/she is
    part of something special and the Design of the Walker is a good step
    in the right direction but it must be more than exterior, it must be in
    the hardware as well.)

7.  Memoryprotection has already been announced by Amiga Technologies but
    it must incorporate one important AMIGA-feature.  It must be possible
    to turn off!  Resource tracking should be there if one wants to have
    it.  And the GURU should return maybe in a new form.(For instance when
    there is a segmetation fault.) (For instance he might float in in a
    meditative way on the screen and drag a little piece of cloth with the
    errorcode on.) (Again, the Amiga can and MUST be different and FUN!)

8.  The Workbench must be able to multitask far better then today. (For
    instance when copying files.)

9.  Why not work together with SUN on getting the AMIGA to better perform
    in a network? (For instance is Ericsson and Motorola working on a
    way to transmit 8 megabits/s over standard copper wire which means that
    the computermanufacturer which has _thought_ about that development in
    the market and acted accordongly in one or two years will have a big
    advantage since people will probably have those kinds of speeds to
    their homes. (We have just seen a demostration of 1.5 megabit/s over a
    standard telephone wire. (From a server in Stockholm via optical fibre
    to the local phonestation and from there via standard phone-wire. Most
    impressive!)

10. Now to a more bold suggestion: Why not make a Virtual Workbench!  The
    ability is there if you use the I-glasses combined with a cheap
    glove...


We hope that we by producing these small suggestions have helped the AMIGA
to get to its proper place on the market.

One more thing...  Many people like ourselves are having a hard time to
choose between the Walker and the new Power Amiga.  We beliave that many
potential buyers of the Walker will be discuraged by Amiga Technologies
silence about the new Power Amiga since they don't want to experience
missing out on some important feature of the new Power Amiga.  Therefor it
is necessary that Amiga Technologies makes clear the specs of the Power
Amiga as soon as possible since the "high-end" customers will find out if
they should wait and buy a Power Amiga or conclude that they should buy the
Walker and buy extra cards for it since (in the "high-end" customers eye)
the Power Amiga will be "a size to small" in regards to CPU, Graphics and
so on.

All in all there is only one thing to say:

Amiga Technologies has done much more for the Amiga since mid 1995 then
Commodore ever did!  Keep up the good work and thank you!


Regards

Morgan Eklof      (z94morek@isy.liu.se)
Magnus Ingmarsson   (d95magin@isy.liu.se)

Amiga Report Main Page Amiga Web Directory