🚀 go-pugleaf

fulldog@tag01.acnet.net  writes:
> Just read the Scala IRC logs, and have to say I'm depressed... Z-axis
> effects??? A CD full of backgrounds/anims/scripts??? FOR THE MS-DOS
> VERSION??? Wasn't that the platform most of us, Amiga users, used to mock
> since 'it can't even do a simple vertical scroll' not too long ago?? And
> meanwhile, the earliest we can expect a PowerPC-based Amiga is 1997... oh
> well...
> Sorry if I sound too pesimist, but the simple tought of having to even
> remotely consider getting some Gates box to use Scala has made me have
> nightmares lately...

Victor, 
I agree wholeheartedly!!
What about a CD of effects for the Amiga!!?
And all the PC effects, could, I am sure, be done on an Amiga.
I mean, Lightwave/Toaster does Z axis effects, if you're
doubting the POSSIBILITY they can be done on an Amiga.  Not
only did I not know the pee cees were capable of such
multimedia prowess as in PC100, but they certainly cannot do it
as easily as the Amiga.  I mean, simple things like dragging
down a screen, are things that are MUCH too fast for the PC to
do ever!

What happened to Amiga development!!??
Hopefully Scala are currently working on PPC development for
the PowerAmi.  We can only hope.

Patrick Mackin

In <Dp7GC7.Hu8@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, pwm5k@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Patrick William Mackin) writes:

>What about a CD of effects for the Amiga!!?

Not everyone has a CD-ROM drive for the Amiga.  However, I've seen postings
of publishers making backgrounds, animations, sounds, MODs, etc. available
for Amiga multimedia use.

>And all the PC effects, could, I am sure, be done on an Amiga.
>I mean, Lightwave/Toaster does Z axis effects, if you're
>doubting the POSSIBILITY they can be done on an Amiga.

Z axis effects are possible, due to the additional hardware on the
NewTek Video Toaster.  However, the Amiga, especially some low 
powered systems, have difficulty moving full screen images in
the Z axis.  It should be noted that a number of demos show some
remarkable capabilities, but at the expense of multitasking and
typically "illegal", but certainly innovative programming.

>Not only did I not know the pee cees were capable of such
>multimedia prowess as in PC100, but they certainly cannot do it
>as easily as the Amiga.  I mean, simple things like dragging
>down a screen, are things that are MUCH too fast for the PC to
>do ever!

Certainly there are some limitations to the PC hardware.  For
example, its quiet difficult to get a high-powered PC to perform
vertical and horizontal scrolls.  Contrast this to a normally
aspirated 14 MHz 68020 based A1200, which can do this with
ease.  The platforms have their strengths and weaknesses.

>What happened to Amiga development!!??

Nothing at the moment, as we are still preparing for the release
of the PC versions.  Once that is done, we will be looking into
development on other platforms, including the possibility
of developing for the proposed Power Amiga.  We shall see.



Regards,

John Chang
____

John Chang, Technical Support Manager, Scala, Inc. USA

Websites: http://www.scala.com or http://www.scala.no
USA Technical Support: mailto://tech.support@scala.com
USA Sales Information: mailto://sales@scala.com

"Multimedia by SCALA.  Why Make It Harder?"
Scala Computer Television
____

"Too bad she won't live.  But then again, who does." - Gaf (BladeRunner)

On Mon, 1 Apr 1996, Patrick William Mackin wrote:

> Victor, 
> I agree wholeheartedly!!
> What about a CD of effects for the Amiga!!?
> And all the PC effects, could, I am sure, be done on an Amiga.
> I mean, Lightwave/Toaster does Z axis effects, if you're
> doubting the POSSIBILITY they can be done on an Amiga.  Not
> only did I not know the pee cees were capable of such
> multimedia prowess as in PC100, but they certainly cannot do it
> as easily as the Amiga.  I mean, simple things like dragging
> down a screen, are things that are MUCH too fast for the PC to
> do ever!
> 
> What happened to Amiga development!!??
> Hopefully Scala are currently working on PPC development for
> the PowerAmi.  We can only hope.
> 
> Patrick Mackin

Scala, like so many other Amiga developers, has gotten too full of 
themselves. They believe it was them, and not the Amiga, that was 
responsible for their success. If you ask me, they are trying really hard 
to go out of business by ignoring their roots and trying for the illusive 
and non-existant PC pot of gold. The PC community will respond by doing 
what it always does. It will almost completely ignore Scala because the 
PC community only buys what everyone else already has. New companies to
that platform rarely survive for long. It's a shame that we, the Amiga 
community will have to suffer the loss from yet another ego and greed 
based business decision.

Commodore is Dead,                                                        
Long Live the Amiga.                                         Joe Rothman

       __ Mr. Hardware Computers - 516-234-8110 - 100% Amiga Since 1985
      /// Reach us on the Internet - hardware@insti.physics.sunysb.edu
 __  /// Developers of Video Escort, Freelance Escort, and Retail Escort
 \\\/// A.M.U.G. BBS 516-234-6046 Continuous Service Since March 10th 1986
  \XX/ I Think Therefore I Choose Amiga! - The Computer That Would Not Die!

In comp.sys.amiga.multimedia, john.chang@scala.com writes:
>In <Dp7GC7.Hu8@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, pwm5k@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Patr
>ick William Mackin) writes:
>
>>What about a CD of effects for the Amiga!!?
>
>Not everyone has a CD-ROM drive for the Amiga.  However, I've seen postings
>of publishers making backgrounds, animations, sounds, MODs, etc. available
>for Amiga multimedia use.
>

This should not be an excuse as to NOT release the Amiga version of
SCALA on CD-ROM. I consider SCALA to be a professional application for
the Amiga computer platform. I do not think your average Amiga computer
user is running SCALA. SCALA is being used by high end Amiga computer
users for video work. I don't think people who use MM300 and MM400 are
running this software on Amiga 500 or Amiga 600 machines. They are using
Amiga 1200 and Amiga 4000 with at least 2MB chip/4MB fast and have or
can afford a SCSI interface and CD-ROM drive.

CD-ROM distribution of software should be standard.


Joe K.






---
--

: Scala, like so many other Amiga developers, has gotten too full of 
: themselves. They believe it was them, and not the Amiga, that was 
: responsible for their success. If you ask me, they are trying really hard 
: to go out of business by ignoring their roots and trying for the illusive 
: and non-existant PC pot of gold. The PC community will respond by doing 
: what it always does. It will almost completely ignore Scala because the 
: PC community only buys what everyone else already has. New companies to
: that platform rarely survive for long. It's a shame that we, the Amiga 
: community will have to suffer the loss from yet another ego and greed 
: based business decision.

: Commodore is Dead,                                                        
: Long Live the Amiga.                                         Joe Rothman

I'm sorry guys, but while I sympathize with your discouragement, and 
even frustration at the state of "things Amiga" over the last few years,
this attitude towards Scala is way over the top and I can't let it 
pass without rebuttal.

First, if you think you are dissappointed/annoyed/frustrated/out-of-pocket
by the damage done to our beloved platform over the last few years, just put 
yourselves in the shoes of guys like Dave Haynie and company who 
put heart, soul and career options into the Amiga for at least a decade!  
I beleive it's still true that the majority of Scala N.American empoyees 
are ex-Amiga people...maybe 'ex' is the wrong adjective, as many are 
still working for the advancement of the platform in very real ways. 
Guys like this have put more on the line and suffered far more for 
it than the sum total of a dozen user-groups.  But they still speak well 
of and support the Amiga at every opportunity.  As well, they continue to 
express publicly and privately their optimistic view of the Amiga 
future.

Scala -the company- itself (aside from providing astonishing software 
which allows even antique Amiga hardware to hold it's own with the most 
up to date PC) has recently released ScalaMM400 for NTSC at a very 
reasonable price, and has stated in this forum that the new BackBone 
code used for the Intel version is specifically designed with 'portability'
in mind and that if the Power Amiga debut is reasonably succesful we can hope
for a version which will make the PA shine above it's peers (my very rough
paraphrase).

Scala has demonstrated their continued interest in the Amiga 
by being involved in some of the A1200 software packs, even producing 
a 'dongle-less' version for that purpose, and their continued
contacts/consultations with AT.

They can hardly be blamed for wanting to enter a profitable market at the
same time...possibly they'd like to feed their children, who knows.  
And,while PC MM100 may be a lovely product it still takes massive 
hardware resources to run as compared to MM400. Thus we still have some 
market edge.  As well, when the PowerAmi and appropriate version of 
Scala become available, there will certainly be no harm to the 
Amiga in having crossplatform compatability of scripts.  The lack of this 
in other software has been a very real problem in selling Amigas in the 
past.

I don't (obviously) share your view that the PC market will ignore  
Scala.....like LW it's just too fine a program, and is a testament 
to those that worked on it.  It seriously outshines it's competitors. 
I hope it does very well, that everyone at Scala prospers, and that they
be alive and well fiscally to be there when the Power Ami comes to 
be!

Long live Scala, long live the Amiga!

My $1.25
Steve.

-- 
	Steve Bowie ad636@torfree.net 
	North York, Ontario, Canada
      << new sig imminent...honest!! >>

In <DpJwM2.MAE.0.sheppard@torfree.net>, ad636@torfree.net (Stephen Bowie) writes:
>: Scala, like so many other Amiga developers, has gotten too full of 
>: themselves. They believe it was them, and not the Amiga, that was 
>: responsible for their success. 

Without an Amiga, Scala MM products would have been unusual
doorstops. Without applications like those from Scala, the Amiga would
have been an unusual and expensive doorstop. 

They work together, see. The Amiga's architecture (that's SW and HW,
together, for those of you who haven't been paying attention)
certainly made things like Scala possible, when it was impossible on
other platforms. But the orginal Scala team put in years of hard work
to realize that potential. And Scala certainly sold some Amigas;
people don't buy computers just to run the Boing! demo. See, they work
together. 

>: If you ask me, they are trying really hard to go out of business
>:by ignoring their roots and trying for the illusive and
>:non-existant PC pot of gold.

Ignoring your livelihood is the best way to go out of business. A big
part of Scala's business when Commodore was around was the integration
of Scala networks in hotels and businesses. Much like Newtek's Toaster
business, this requires new computers, you're not selling into
existing boxes. Once it became clear that C= was going under, Scala
didn't have much of a choice. Once Amigas were no longer available,
they would have virtually no income left. 

So they rebuild Scala, with its own OS this time. They ported it to
the PC, and it's also going into some settop systems. This is what's
known in the industry as a survival move. If it works out, Scala will
be in a better position than ever. If not, they die. But they would
have died already sticking strictly to the Amiga. 

>: The PC community will respond by doing what it always does. It
>: will almost completely ignore Scala because the PC community only
>: buys what everyone else already has.

Hardly. You aren't going places if you're trying to sell a mainstream
operating system on the PC, and you're in trouble if you're trying to
make money on a word processor or spreadsheet. The fact that most PCs
come with Microsoft versions of these tools makes it impractical for
anyone to compete, unless they really have something new. 

In other places, there's plenty of action. The MIDI/Audio sequencer
market on the PC, for example, is exploding this year, as most of the
companies doing Mac-only work are releasing PC versions. And there
were already some excellent tools of this kind on the PC. There's a
similar flurry of activity in video-related tools from Amiga
companies. Sure, it's a harder market to penetrate, more money to be
lost as well as won. 

On the other hand, long-time PC companies, especially those in the
midst of business automation market, have a certain myopia when it
comes to program design. They do tend to see the world as having one
OS, and they have a real hard time keeping up against Microsoft. So
you don't see much innovation. This is exactly why an Amiga company
has a chance on the PC. No one in the PC business would have done a
program like Scala. You can't do Amiga-like multimedia under Windows
3.1, and no one would have thought to write a portable, multimedia
friendly OS to host applications and enable this kind of thing. Of
course, it's not like there are many companies on the PC who would
even know about OS development. That's another thing unique about the
Scala team. 

>: It's a shame that we, the Amiga community will have to suffer the
>: loss from yet another ego and greed based business decision.

You're totally off base here. Do you really need a list of all the
Amiga companies who DID go out of business thanks to Commodore's
demise, by sticking to nothing but Amiga development. Sure, some have
survived, but they're not in the same part of that market as Scala. 

>First, if you think you are
>dissappointed/annoyed/frustrated/out-of-pocket by the damage done to
>our beloved platform over the last few years, just put yourselves in
>the shoes of guys like Dave Haynie and company who put heart, soul
>and career options into the Amiga for at least a decade!

Now that's more like it!

The demise of the Amiga wasn't Scala's doing, it wasn't your doing, it
wasn't my doing. It was a simple application of management's ego and
greed applied in quantities that would have been impossible in a
company with a less shady corporate structure. If nothing else, this
made me damn sensitive to this kind of thing. Unless you think its
greedy and egomanical to strive for simple survival, this has nothing
to do with Scala. 

>I beleive it's still true that the majority of Scala N.American
>empoyees are ex-Amiga people...maybe 'ex' is the wrong adjective, as
>many are still working for the advancement of the platform in very
>real ways.

Indeed, a number of us have Amiga-related projects going. I have too
many. 

>Scala -the company- itself (aside from providing astonishing software 
>which allows even antique Amiga hardware to hold it's own with the most 
>up to date PC) has recently released ScalaMM400 for NTSC at a very 
>reasonable price, and has stated in this forum that the new BackBone 
>code used for the Intel version is specifically designed with 'portability'
>in mind and that if the Power Amiga debut is reasonably succesful we can hope
>for a version which will make the PA shine above it's peers (my very rough
>paraphrase).

While I can't speak for Scala, if the Power Amiga does what's planned,
I think they'll be quite interested in using Power Amigas as Scala
players. If nothing else, it'll be simple economics -- a low-end Power
Amiga will be able to replace a rather fancy PC setup for the same
class of multimedia work. But Power Amigas don't exist today. And I
think the folks at Scala, most of us having been though the whole C=
mess, aren't about to bet the farm on any one company again. The
PClone, right now, is the only platform that's beyond the control of
any one company. 

In fact, that little observation has had some powerful echos in the
computer industry, way beyond the whole Amiga/Scala thing. The whole
PowerPC Platform initiative is an effort to make another standard that
permits multivendor HW and system software to mix and match. Java, to
a large extent, is an effort to elminate software's reliance on any
given operating system.

These are important issues if you love innovation in personal
computers. A dominant OS can have too much say over what hardware can
do. And in the PClone business, the OS software is notoriously lagging
the capabilities of the hardware.

>They can hardly be blamed for wanting to enter a profitable market at
>the same time...possibly they'd like to feed their children, who
>knows.

Exactly -- those big slabs of raw meat aren't exactly cheap these
days. 

>I don't (obviously) share your view that the PC market will ignore
>Scala.....like LW it's just too fine a program, and is a testament to
>those that worked on it.  It seriously outshines it's competitors.

Again, folks who have been around the PC too long seem to think in
terms of what it's generally accepted that a PC can do. Rather than
what it should be able to do. While it's not easy to get around the
software limitations, if you can, you have a real advantage. I don't
think Scala's advantage will be lost on the PC world. 

>Long live Scala, long live the Amiga!

I'll drink to that, long and deep.

Dave Haynie          | ex-Commodore Engineering |   for DiskSalv 3 &
Sr. Systems Engineer |  Hardwired Media Company | "The Deathbed Vigil"
Scala Inc., US R&D   |    Ki No Kawa Aikido     |     info@iam.com

	     "Feeling ... Pretty ... Psyched" -R.E.M.

OK, call me sensitive, but I wish to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR to everyone 
following this thread that while the following appears under a banner 
proclaiming that I wrote it, only the vigorous rebuttal was mine!


Dave Haynie (dave.haynie@scala.com) wrote:

: In <DpJwM2.MAE.0.sheppard@torfree.net>, ad636@torfree.net (Stephen 	
	Bowie) writes:
: >: Scala, like so many other Amiga developers, has gotten too full of 
: >: themselves. They believe it was them, and not the Amiga, that was 
: >: responsible for their ....SNIP

	^^^^^^^^^
	|||||||||

	NOT MINE !!

............................................................................


: >First, if you think you are
: >dissappointed/annoyed/frustrated/out-of-pocket by the damage done to
: >our beloved platform over the last few years, just put yourselves in
: >the shoes of guys like Dave Haynie and company who put heart, soul
: >and career options into the Amiga for at least a decade!

	^^^^^^^^^
	|||||||||

	MINE !!!



: Now that's more like it!


Damn straight!  I know, I know, lay off the caffeine ;)

Steve.
-- 
	Steve Bowie ad636@torfree.net 
	North York, Ontario, Canada
      << new sig imminent...honest!! >>

I have typed out a longer reply to you, but it seems that it is not
making it across... so, this is just a test to see if I can reply to
anything in this newsgroup.

In <DpJwM2.MAE.0.sheppard@torfree.net> ad636@torfree.net (Stephen
Bowie) writes: 
>Scala -the company- itself (aside from providing astonishing software 
>which allows even antique Amiga hardware to hold it's own with the
>most up to date PC) has recently released ScalaMM400 for NTSC at a
>very reasonable price, and has stated in this forum that the new
>BackBone code used for the Intel version is specifically designed with
>'portability' in mind and that if the Power Amiga debut is reasonably
>succesful we can hope for a version which will make the PA shine above
>it's peers (my very rough paraphrase).

Agreed. With Scala, I can easily do things with my Amiga that the PC
people can only dream about. Until now that is. And yes, the upgrade
price to MM400 is very reasonable. Like a "good-bye and thanks for the
memories" price. There is a key word that you used in your above
message, that is the word IF. IF the PA is successful (according to
who..) and even to me, IF it is ever made. Also remember, it will be at
least 1 1/2 yrs before the PA is released (if). So, in the mean time,
no more upgrades (and I dont mean bug fixes either). Sounds like
'good-bye' to me.

>Scala has demonstrated their continued interest in the Amiga 
>by being involved in some of the A1200 software packs, even producing 
>a 'dongle-less' version for that purpose, and their continued
>contacts/consultations with AT.

Gee... wish I had that offer.. dongle-less MM300. Upgraded from MM210
to MM300. Told I could keep the dongle and run Scala on second machine.
I thought that it was a good idea being I own 3 Amiga's. Little did I
know that I could only run MM210 with the old dongle (red). Why would I
bother to upgrade just to run an older version? Maybe I should have
read the fine print better. I thought that a $69 site-license was a
good price. I was wrong.

>They can hardly be blamed for wanting to enter a profitable market at
>the same time...possibly they'd like to feed their children, who
>knows.

And that is why they are in business.. to make money. And, it isnt
being made with the Amiga.
  
>And,while PC MM100 may be a lovely product it still takes massive 
>hardware resources to run as compared to MM400. Thus we still have
>some market edge.  As well, when the PowerAmi and appropriate version
>of Scala become available, there will certainly be no harm to the 
>Amiga in having crossplatform compatability of scripts.  The lack of
>this in other software has been a very real problem in selling Amigas
>in the past.

But PC hardware prices drop like rocks so cost wont be factor soon. And
again... IF the PA comes out and IF it sells enough where Scala would
consider it. And I dont agree with the cross platform thing being a
real problem... C= was the problem.

Sorry for feeling so pessimistic. I feel like the blue collar underpaid
worker that sends his wife to college to get a good education and a
good job. When she graduates, she finds a white collar worker and dumps
the blue collar husband....

Mr. Haynie, I greatly respect you for being there and sticking by the
Amiga for so long. I do know that companies exist to MAKE money. I also
dont really believe in being restricted to just 'one' thing. That is
why I also own a PC in addition to 3 Amiga's. I am using the PC right
now. But I do feel that unless the Power Amiga sells in very large
quantities and still offers the uniqueness that makes it the multimedia
platform that it is. That Scala will continue to market to the huge
based PC crowd. Even maybe look into the PowerMac. 

I have read about how great MM100 is, but will stay away from it for
the moment. Getting it to video for me right now is not a priority
since I have a Toasted Amiga and an Opaled/SuperGen Amiga for video.
But not hearing of any further upgrades of Scala on the Amiga side is
saddening. Waiting 1 1/2yrs or more for a PowerAmiga and THEN waiting
for Scala to consider programming for it, well, you can understand my
feelings.... and pessimistic outlook.

In <4kj6t9$k4n@cloner2.ix.netcom.com>, apierre@ix.netcom.com(Anthony R Pierre) writes:
>Agreed. With Scala, I can easily do things with my Amiga that the PC
>people can only dream about. Until now that is. And yes, the upgrade
>price to MM400 is very reasonable. Like a "good-bye and thanks for the
>memories" price. There is a key word that you used in your above
>message, that is the word IF. IF the PA is successful (according to
>who..) and even to me, IF it is ever made. Also remember, it will be at
>least 1 1/2 yrs before the PA is released (if). So, in the mean time,
>no more upgrades (and I dont mean bug fixes either). Sounds like
>'good-bye' to me.

Frankly Mr. Pierre, I believe you have a myopic view of us and the future of
the beloved Amiga.  Please do me the great favor of reading the Scala IRC
logs, which have been published in the recent issues of Amiga Report.  I
believe it will shed more light on the issues that concern you, the Amiga
and our company.  Please pay particular attention to why we cannot use
the existing source code for the current version of our software 



Regards,

John Chang
____

John Chang, Technical Support Manager, Scala, Inc. USA

Websites: http://www.scala.com or http://www.scala.no
USA Technical Support: mailto://tech.support@scala.com
USA Sales Information: mailto://sales@scala.com

"Multimedia by SCALA.  Why Make It Harder?"
Scala Computer Television
____

"Too bad she won't live.  But then again, who does." - Gaf (BladeRunner)

: But PC hardware prices drop like rocks so cost wont be factor soon. And
: again... IF the PA comes out and IF it sells enough where Scala would
: consider it.

Only time will answer this....I'm an optimist, and I'll work to make it 
happen, but I'm not stupid (IMHO) either.  At least if I ever am forced 
into an Intel platform, I'll be comfortable with 1 program ;)



: And I dont agree with the cross platform thing being a
: real problem... C= was the problem.

Oh, definitely....but not the only one - time is inexorable, and as the 
other platforms gained market share compatibility became desirable.  If 
in doubt, read the backlog of posts begging Softwood to add PC wp file 
capabilities.

But we've digressed. I admit you have a point, but like I said, I'm an 
optimist - I may be wrong occasionally, but I spend a higher percentage of 
my time happy than a pessimist (who only evers can fell vindicated, not 
happy.    :) 


: Sorry for feeling so pessimistic. I feel like the blue collar underpaid
: worker that sends his wife to college to get a good education and a
: good job. When she graduates, she finds a white collar worker and dumps
: the blue collar husband....


Well, good illustration, but I think the Amiga (and Scala) provided our 
education as opposed to the reverse...I hope to share my home with Amiga's 
for a long time yet tho'.

Regards,
Steve.
-- 
	Steve Bowie ad636@torfree.net 
	North York, Ontario, Canada
      << new sig imminent...honest!! >>

In <1996Apr12.153727.5690@scala.scala.com> john.chang@scala.com writes:
>Frankly Mr. Pierre, I believe you have a myopic view of us and the
>future of the beloved Amiga.  Please do me the great favor of reading
>the Scala IRC logs, which have been published in the recent issues of
>Amiga Report.  I believe it will shed more light on the issues that
>concern you, the Amiga and our company.  Please pay particular
>attention to why we cannot use the existing source code for the
>current version of our software 

I am sorry Mr. Chang for my myopic view of Scala and the Amiga. Don't
get me wrong. I enjoy Scala and think that it is a wonderful program. I
really don't like using PC's, but as we know, the world doen't run on
Amiga's. Watching all the Amiga developers disappear over the last 9yrs
(for me) is not positive. I have an Opalvision board that served me
well, but no modules. I also bought it because a Scala rep told me at
the last WOA in NY, that it would be supported. Nothing. Now, MM400
will be the last upgrade for the Amiga as we know it. With Viscorp in
the picture now, who knows what will happen. Scala is in the business
to make money. I have no problem with that at all. But that still
doesn't change the way I feel about being someone that has supported
Scala and now will be basically abandoned.

In <4ktd4c$k1e@reader2.ix.netcom.com>, apierre@ix.netcom.com(Anthony R Pierre) writes:

>I am sorry Mr. Chang for my myopic view of Scala and the Amiga. Don't
>get me wrong. I enjoy Scala and think that it is a wonderful program. I
>really don't like using PC's, but as we know, the world doen't run on
>Amiga's. Watching all the Amiga developers disappear over the last 9yrs
>(for me) is not positive. I have an Opalvision board that served me
>well, but no modules. I also bought it because a Scala rep told me at
>the last WOA in NY, that it would be supported. Nothing. Now, MM400
>will be the last upgrade for the Amiga as we know it. With Viscorp in
>the picture now, who knows what will happen. Scala is in the business
>to make money. I have no problem with that at all. But that still
>doesn't change the way I feel about being someone that has supported
>Scala and now will be basically abandoned.

Thank you for your kind comments about our products.

You are certainly entitled to your opinions Mr. Pierre, but I think you
are jumping to conclusions as to support and development of Scala
products for the Amiga.  There is a great deal that you do not know and
things that I cannot tell you.  As the old saying goes, "Don't count
your chickens until they hatch."

We, the Amiga and computing community at large, cetainly don't have enough
valid information about VisCorp, nor their intentions with the Amiga platform.
Spending $40 million is a hefty investment for any corporation, especially
for a small one like VisCorp.  I believe they know where Commodore went
wrong, and I can say that they are not going to make the same mistakes,
at least not deliberately.

Hmm, I suppose my time and effort corresponding here in the newsgroups,
CompuServe, IRC sessions are unappreciated?  Especially the IRC sessions,
which I conduct on *MY* time and on *MY* Internet account, not the 
company's.  What does that mean to you in terms of support by a multimedia
company that still supprts the Amiga?  How many other "Amiga" companies do
this on a regular basis?  Have you even had the chance to read the Amiga
Report on the Scala IRC sessions?  What do you think half the engineering staff,
here at Scala, were part of?  If you say, "The majority of the Amiga software
 engineering staff at Commodore".  Bingo!  You get the booby prize! :)  That's
right, the company's "blood" is half Amiga!

Well, if you and others continue with this "doom and gloom" attitude, I'll
just move on to more rewarding efforts.  And as Forrest Gump would say,
"That's all I have to say about that."



Regards,

John Chang
____

John Chang, Technical Support Manager, Scala, Inc. USA

Websites: http://www.scala.com or http://www.scala.no
USA Technical Support: mailto://tech.support@scala.com
USA Sales Information: mailto://sales@scala.com

"Multimedia by SCALA.  Why Make It Harder?"
Scala Computer Television
____

"Too bad she won't live.  But then again, who does." - Gaf (BladeRunner)

In <1996Apr16.144302.6822@scala.scala.com> john.chang@scala.com writes:
>Thank you for your kind comments about our products.

Scala is an Excellent product for the Amiga. When I show what the Amiga
is capable of, the first program that I 'run' to is Scala. The "Time"
demo is excellent!!

>You are certainly entitled to your opinions Mr. Pierre, but I think
>you are jumping to conclusions as to support and development of Scala
>products for the Amiga.  There is a great deal that you do not know
>and things that I cannot tell you.  As the old saying goes, "Don't
>count your chickens until they hatch."

Mr. Chang, we all have opinions and are, as you say entitled to them.
But when it comes to support for the Amiga, let's face it... it is
dwindling rapidly. As for support from Scala, I am sure that there will
be some support, but your programs are basically 'bug-free' on that
front. You might need to answer technical questions about doing certain
things within Scala, but will there be any more versions for the Amiga
after MM400? You might say that I am jumping to conclusions. You might
be right. How about telling me (us Amiga owners) some type of future
news outside of the PowerAmiga?  I can understand your excitement over
MM100, but it 'appears' to me that there really isnt mentioned anything
about the Amiga. 

>We, the Amiga and computing community at large, cetainly don't have
>enough valid information about VisCorp, nor their intentions with the
>Amiga platform. Spending $40 million is a hefty investment for any
>corporation, especiFrom: apierre@ix.netcom.com(Anthony R Pierre)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.multimedia
Subject: Re: Scala for PC... oh well...
References: <fulldog-0104960225140001@167.114.251.9> <Dp7GC7.Hu8@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> <Pine.SGI.3.91.960407052120.3245A-100000-100000@brook> <DpJwM2.MAE.0.sheppard@torfree.net> <4kj6t9$k4n@cloner2.ix.netcom.com> <1996Apr12.153727.5690@scala.scala.com> <4ktd4c$k1e@reader2.ix.netcom.com> <1996Apr16.144302.6822@scala.scala.com>

In <1996Apr16.144302.6822@scala.scala.com> john.chang@scala.com writes:
>Thank you for your kind comments about our products.

Scala is an Excellent product for the Amiga. When I show what the Amiga
is capable of, the first program that I 'run' to is Scala. The "Time"
demo is excellent!!

>You are certainly entitled to your opinions Mr. Pierre, but I think
>you are jumping to conclusions as to support and development of Scala
>products for the Amiga.  There is a great deal that you do not know
>and things that I cannot tell you.  As the old saying goes, "Don't
>count your chickens until they hatch."

Mr. Chang, we all have opinions and are, as you say entitled to them.
But when it comes to support for the Amiga, let's face it... it is
dwindling rapidly. As for support from Scala, I am sure that there will
be some support, but your programs are basically 'bug-free' on that
front. You might need to answer technical questions about doing certain
things within Scala, but will there be any more versions for the Amiga
after MM400? You might say that I am jumping to conclusions. You might
be right. How about telling me (us Amiga owners) some type of future
news outside of the PowerAmiga?  I can understand your excitement over
MM100, but it 'appears' to me that there really isnt mentioned anything
about the Amiga. 

>We, the Amiga and computing community at large, cetainly don't have
>enough valid information about VisCorp, nor their intentions with the
>Amiga platform. Spending $40 million is a hefty investment for any
>corporation, especi
asked and presented how I felt. I didnt 'flame' you or anyone. I even
stated I saw nothing wrong with making a PC product. Business is
business. But saying that I felt that the Amiga would be left behind
(yes, you explained about Backbone and the Amiga. But remember, we ARE
talking about an Amiga, not a PC that required Scala to make an OS to
get the product to run) is what I get from reading your messages. There
were a few big "if's" in them and I would just like to have them
clarified. Not much to ask is it? 

Anthony

In <4l0u36$6bj@dfw-ixnews2.ix.netcom.com>, apierre@ix.netcom.com(Anthony R Pierre) writes:

>Scala is an Excellent product for the Amiga. When I show what the Amiga
>is capable of, the first program that I 'run' to is Scala. The "Time"
>demo is excellent!!

Thank you.

>Mr. Chang, we all have opinions and are, as you say entitled to them.
>But when it comes to support for the Amiga, let's face it... it is
>dwindling rapidly. As for support from Scala, I am sure that there will
>be some support, but your programs are basically 'bug-free' on that
>front. You might need to answer technical questions about doing certain
>things within Scala, but will there be any more versions for the Amiga
>after MM400? You might say that I am jumping to conclusions. You might
>be right. How about telling me (us Amiga owners) some type of future
>news outside of the PowerAmiga?  I can understand your excitement over
>MM100, but it 'appears' to me that there really isnt mentioned anything
>about the Amiga.

You still didn't answer the question of whether you have read the logs
of the Scala IRC sessions in several past issues of "Amiga Report".  If
you had, you would have read that our new software technology,
"Scala BackBone(tm)" is platform independent, binary independent,
scalable and modular.  For more information on BackBone, please visit
our website at http://www.scala.com.

So, what does BackBone mean to you?  Well, nearly 80% of MM100 for the
PC, which is the first personal computer implementation of BackBone, can be
ported back to the exisiting ECS or AGA Amiga and possibly the proposed
Power Amiga.  It took us three long years to develop BackBone, which means
that it makes it less expensive to port MM100 back to the Amiga.  Is this
the "future news" that you are looking for?

>asked and presented how I felt. I didnt 'flame' you or anyone. I even
>stated I saw nothing wrong with making a PC product. Business is
>business. But saying that I felt that the Amiga would be left behind
>(yes, you explained about Backbone and the Amiga. But remember, we ARE
>talking about an Amiga, not a PC that required Scala to make an OS to
>get the product to run) is what I get from reading your messages. There
>were a few big "if's" in them and I would just like to have them
>clarified. Not much to ask is it? 

Mr. Pierre, the AGA chipset, isn't that far removed from the original
OCS chipset found on the Amiga 1000, when it was released in 1985.  Indeed,
the Amiga has aged well, but the simple fact is that there is technology
today that displaces 10 to 20 times the power of the AGA chipset, at nearly
half the cost.  The existing Amigas are at the end of their market viability,
as a personal computer.  Thus the urgent need to develop the Power Amiga,
if the Amiga is to compete in the personal computer market at all,
into the next century.

Now, it is possible to re-engineer the AGA chipset into one or two chips,
especially with today's sub-micron manufacturing facilities.  It will take
a fair amount of VisCorp's resources and time to do this.  The AGA chipset
can make an excellent interactive television set-top box, but can it make
it into the next century as a personal computer?  Personally, I doubt it,
although I would be more than happy to be proved wrong.

So, if "Scala MultiMedia" is to fulfill its function as an interactive
multimedia presentation program, we need to develop it for an Amiga platform
that has a chance in the marketplace.  Theoretically, the Power Amiga can
compete.

Is the existing Amiga platform being left behind?  Yes, it needs to be.  Its
time to build a better Amiga.  If VisCorp wants to do it, then that's great.
Our phone lines are open and they can contact us on what we can do together
to bring Scala products to market for the Power Amiga.



Regards,

John Chang
____

John Chang, Technical Support Manager, Scala, Inc. USA

Websites: http://www.scala.com or http://www.scala.no
USA Technical Support: mailto://tech.support@scala.com
USA Sales Information: mailto://sales@scala.com

"Multimedia by SCALA.  Why Make It Harder?"
Scala Computer Television
____

"Too bad she won't live.  But then again, who does." - Gaf (BladeRunner)