Whatever Happened To The Real Amiga Community.

[Franko]

I've only been online since June of this year, but my oh my, how has the Amiga community changed since the good old days when all Amiga users had one thing in common ie: we all loved the Amiga and never actually had a bad word to say about it (we usually only slagged of other platforms...)

Not anymore it seems, I know there's a right old mixture of folks on this sight who claim to be Amigans but there's also a hell of a lot of folk who seem intent on either trying to claim the Amiga is dead and another lot full of crazy opinions that the Amiga should be run on this processor or that processor, or this OS or that OS and spend more time arguing and debating and even slagging each other off about each others views

Now I enjoy a good debate/argument but my brother just emailed me to tell me that he and a number of his friends (their all PC users by the way) have been looking in on this site lately and they are all of the opinion now that our so called Amiga community is nothing more than a bunch of "sad retards who seem hell bent on destroying themselves from within"...

Don't know about you but I think they may have a point... or do they just not understand the Amiga Community as it is today...

[tone007]

Whatever Happened To The Real Amiga Community.

They went post-apocalyptic.  It does different things to different people.

[KThunder]

Some of us lived through well over a decade of false promise, vaporware, company stupidity and out-right lies. As such many wouldn't piss on Amiga.com etc. if it were on fire.

Like wise we have seen others like UAE, Aros, Pagasos, Minimig, and others actually do some incredible stuff. But we don't agree which direction is best (just like the old days with PPC, Alpha, etc.)

Call it jaded. Enthusiasm sometimes comes off as idiotic. New projects are spurned as we don't want to get our hopes up. (natami)

[KThunder]

I still want a boXer

http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/boxer.html

[Franko]

@ KThunder

I see you've removed the last line of your first post, but from what it said I think you misunderstand what I mean here...

I was only asking what others think about this comment that was made by someone whom I know has never used an Amiga in his life and assume his friends haven't either...

I am only looking for some decent responses that I can email to my brother-in-law to hopefully correct him and put him in his place with his comments that have left me feeling a wee bit peeved...

[Matt_H]

This is how I reacted to the launch of Amigans.net. Hard to believe it was 4 years ago.

So much fragmentation in our little realm of computing...

[klx300r]

dude..it's like a family...what looks like chaos to the 'outsiders' is actually just people talking loud to those inside 'the family':afro:

[Franko]

This is how I reacted to the launch of Amigans.net. Hard to believe it was 4 years ago.

So much fragmentation in our little realm of computing...

Nice post, but it doesn't really give me much ammo to email back him with...

[amigasociety]

I like your message here.  

I was never an Amiga owner in the day.  I was an Atarian as that fit my budget best.  I have no issues with any platform and used whatever computer I could get, enjoying them to the fullest.  Just this year 2010 I found some interest in Amiga after all these years.  I must say there is way too much what I call "teenage angst" on most all Amiga forums I joined.  This angst coming from adults is way over the top.  Turned me off a bit from the Amiga community.  I can turn away and not get involved with these kinds of folks but it seems a large percent of the activity these days is just this bashing that and this bashing that.  Gets real old even if I agree with some of what they say.  Sad because most all the Amiga hardware that has anything to do with Amiga or the Amiga OS or compatible are fine fine products.  They can stand on their own and shows why some of you really loved the Amiga for what it is and was.

You always see a crackpot or two in any online community but I must say, the other retro computer boards I am on, there is much more positive attitudes and helpfulness on them versus the Amiga sites.  Seems like other retro folks I meet on other sites enjoy a common bond of using their machines.  Sure they have lively discussions but that is what they are and never turn to all the verbal abuse I see on the Amiga forums.

Not sure why this is the case but for me, reading these forums day in and day out has turned me a bit away from enjoying or getting more info Amiga.  I am not into care bear sites and can duel with the best of them but prefer to enjoy items of interest and leave the kids agnst to kids.

tj

I've only been online since June of this year, but my oh my, how has the Amiga community changed since the good old days when all Amiga users had one thing in common ie: we all loved the Amiga and never actually had a bad word to say about it (we usually only slagged of other platforms...)

Not anymore it seems, I know there's a right old mixture of folks on this sight who claim to be Amigans but there's also a hell of a lot of folk who seem intent on either trying to claim the Amiga is dead and another lot full of crazy opinions that the Amiga should be run on this processor or that processor, or this OS or that OS and spend more time arguing and debating and even slagging each other off about each others views

Now I enjoy a good debate/argument but my brother just emailed me to tell me that he and a number of his friends (their all PC users by the way) have been looking in on this site lately and they are all of the opinion now that our so called Amiga community is nothing more than a bunch of "sad retards who seem hell bent on destroying themselves from within"...

Don't know about you but I think they may have a point... or do they just not understand the Amiga Community as it is today...

[KThunder]

@ KThunder

I see you've removed the last line of your first post, but from what it said I think you misunderstand what I mean here...

I was only asking what others think about this comment that was made by someone whom I know has never used an Amiga in his life and assume his friends haven't either...

I am only looking for some decent responses that I can email to my brother-in-law to hopefully correct him and put him in his place with his comments that have left me feeling a wee bit peeved...

It is retro, or nostalgia, or whatever you might think. But I think their comment might be spot on for an outsider. With the possible exception of Aros there is little here for outsiders.  

The title of the thread however is what happened to the "real" amiga community, as though we are not the real community or there is no real community aymore. anyway both may be true. we have split into amigafans who like Aros, amigafans who like os4, etc. etc.

in other words there isn't really anything to "put him in his place" I think people who knit are a bit off thier rockers, but they don't have to care what I think. same with us.

[Franko]

@ amigasociety & KThunder

I agree with what you both say here. I know I shouldn't be bothered about what folks who don't even have an interest in the Amiga have to say but it just made me wonder if outsiders looking in think we are all a bunch of "sad retards" then what hope is there of the Amiga ever being taken seriously again by companies that we hope one day may take an interest in producing stuff for the Amiga again.

If I were an outsider looking in I'd honestly have to say I'd probably have a similar view as them.

[KThunder]

"sad retards" is a bit harsh, it's just something they aren't interested in.

Personally I've bought probably three times as much retro games as new ones as well as hardware etc. in the last ten years. But I've had friends who will stand in the cold for hours to get their hands on the newest (overpriced) xbox360 or ps3 game.

They don't have to get me, and I don't have to get them, but it would be nice if people were polite.

[lsmart]

... outsiders looking in think we are all a bunch of "sad retards"

And when it comes to discussing the flaws and merits of AROS/OS4/MOS we certainly are extremely uncivilized - especially on Amiga.org. But if we look at Aminet and the sites of people who actually do something with or for Amiga stuff, we find some great work there.

I for example was very impressed that since the changes to youtube - it took only about 3 days for the developer to update Getvideo.rexx and it is running better than ever. There is no money to be made and hardly any fame to be gained when you are working for the Amiga, but there are many highly motivated people out here that build upon the legacy of the most powerful home computer ever built.

I am inclined to end this with "long live Amiga", but in fact we all know that Amiga is dead since 1993. "Long live the dead?":laugh1:

[whabang]

Your brother is right - we are a bunch of sad retards, but we are passionate sad retards.

There are few others who care enough about 25 year-old electronic equipment like the Amiga
community does.

[Iggy]

I too come from outside the Amiga community. When Amigas were still on the market, my company was selling 68K based multi-user systems starting at $999.
Like the Atari user who posted earlier, my main connection is the 68K processor.

My current fascination with the Amiga community stems from the fact that it is the only M68K based system that is not only not dead, but is alive and continuing to see new developments in hardware and software.

I think its very cool that I can run unmodified 68K code under MorphOS on my Powermac PPC based system. Amiga related OS' are compact, efficient, and have very quick booting times. With NG OS' we have software that makes our systems practical substitutes for common PCs.

How many other retro systems can claim this? None that I know of. We may sound like fanatics, but personally I think it's just pride in the resilience and vitality of our market.