🚀 go-pugleaf

bds@lzaz.ATT.COM (Buce Szablak) writes:

| > It is important to make sure that professional programmers know how to
| > program the computers, not end users.

| Sorry, you are way off base here. Most PD software comes from end-users
[...]

I'm not way off base. I may be wrong in your case, and in fact I may be
wrong in the case of every person who reads comp.sys.atari.st!  But
active members of online communities aren not by any means
representative samples of ST owners.  If the online community were more
ubiquitous, I would grant that your experiences were representative,
but it isn't, so I can't.  My opinion is based on my experience working
in a computer store, working with user groups, supporting development
tools, and talking with Atari's user group and developer support people.
Users, by and large, want to use their computers.

As far as supporting hobbyist programmers, I take a pragmatic stance.
How much PD software comes from where is not directly important to a
computer maker.  It is certainly indirectly important, because a wide
variety of PD tools make a computer a lot more attractive to the
informed buyer.  But a wide variety of professional products make a
computer more attractive to the market at large.  A lot of people buy
the computer that runs the software that they want to run.  That is why
it is vital for computer makers to have a broad commercial software
base for their machines.  In order for that to happen, strong support
for the companies that produce that software must exist.

A side effect of having strong support for professional programmers is
that end users get supported as well.  More books get written by the
professionals, making more information available to the hobbyist than
the computer maker can hope to provide.  A broader base of technically
competent people exist to answer the questions of hobbyist programmers.
All these programmers will be happy because they can get their
questions answered and they can solve their problems without having to
stumble around in the dark too much.

| BESIDES, aren't I (an end-user who uses
| his ST to write programs for enjoyment) a valued customer???? 
| Aren't my CUSTOMER needs important??? Your attitude really bothers me.

Every customer is a valued customer.  You are an espeically valued
customer, because you take the time to give feedback on how you think
Atari is doing.  I'm sorry that my attitude bothers you, but I think
that it's a practical one.  I hope that I've clarified where I'm coming
from.

Please note: the opinions expressed in this article are mine and mine
alone.  Atari has its own.

-- 
   |||   Ken Badertscher  (ames!atari!kbad)
   |||   Atari R&D System Software Engine
  / | \  #include <disclaimer>