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Author Topic: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model  (Read 10853 times)

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Offline SysAdminTopic starter

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CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« on: December 24, 2012, 01:20:03 AM »
If there's anyone left that still believes CommooreUSA's business model for selling Amiga's without AmigaOS is sound we actually dabbled in this ourselves in 2009.

http://aladdin4d.blogspot.com/2009/11/aspire-in-4d.html

Our customers expressed complete disinterest in this so we nipped it in the bud and never sold any machines. We would have included AmigaForever so customers had a way to run classic software like Aladdin4D. CommodoreUSA didn't even include a way to run classic AmigaOS so it's doubtful any customers were interested. Linux PCs have been available for many years from several vendors if customers want that solution.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/the-top-five-linux-desktop-vendors/9313
« Last Edit: December 24, 2012, 01:41:06 AM by SysAdmin »
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Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2012, 03:48:18 AM »
The c64x is a unique product so far as the case goes. But the rest of the stuff is generic off the shelf stuff. The vic slim, which is the only product they currently have appart from the c64x, can be bought brand new for $169 with ubuntu installed (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007W66BRG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007W66BRG&linkCode=as2&tag=ou00-20) as a complete system.
 
I know people that buy Linux systems on a regular basis, either for family or as buisness items, and they have all said the thought of spending so much on a prebuilt system with linux is mental. Even if they were completely os free they still couldn't fully justify spending that much on what would be considered a novelty purchase.
 
Speaking of the OS. I don't understand them selling discs of Commodore OS. In todays modern linux world mosts distros are easily downloaded and the iso's dumped onto USB drives or cheap writable cd's or dvd's for installation. There is only a few distro's I can think of that still sell physical copies of the OS. And even Canonical only sell them for a small amount. I would be interested to see how they play that one with a bloated OS with software that is easily downloaded with a simple sudo apt-get command.
 
On a final note i got a bit of a laugh recently when their one and only, that we know of, reseller had their joomla setup hacked by some Iranian hacker and now it's been left a gutted mess by the server admins from a really old backup.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2012, 03:55:22 AM by CritAnime »
 

Offline kedawa

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2012, 05:21:21 AM »
Do we know who manufactures their c64x cases?
I wouldn't mind making an order myself.
 

Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2012, 05:25:49 AM »
I would imagine it's one of the partners they show on their site. What are you wanting to order exactly?

Offline Darrin

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2012, 05:40:43 PM »
I said right from the start that they should have been simply selling PCs running Linux and/or Windows with a retro software package included.  "Confusing" (and I'm being polite by using that term) customers with talk about AmigaOS, CommodoreOS, Workbench5, etc was a very bad move.  Lying to us was an even worse one.  Their pricing was laughable and their tech support below what I would suspect was legally permissable.

They blew what chance they had of making it.  They needed solid products available for shipping when the Tron advertising was launched and the media was firmly onboard.  Unfortunately for them, either they couldn't organise a party in a brewery or something happened to delay their C64x models.  Either way, potential customers got of lightly.

If they want to survive then they need to quickly go back to the drawing board and completely redesign their business model around reality not fantasy.  Again, I suspect that C-USA is so far in the red that anything they do now will be a desperate attempt to claw back some cash before they are liquidated and Barry writes it off on his taxes.
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2012, 11:20:02 AM »
Their tech support was been handled by a hand full of users on their forums. I feel very little was been handled by themselves given the responses from users on their forum that tried the usual email and phone channels.

I have said from the start of their attempts at an os that it's a distraction they don't need. And I don't think people would be willing to buy the OS as a physical premium package. Considering you can download other distros for free. And the software packages can be found in the repositories for free.

And again can I note that the only distributor that has been seen has had their site hacked yet again. It's now an attack site for porn. Highly amusing.

Offline kedawa

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2012, 03:07:01 PM »
Quote from: CritAnime;720179
I would imagine it's one of the partners they show on their site. What are you wanting to order exactly?


Like I said, the c64x barebones units.  CUSA is nothing but a middle man.
 

Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2012, 04:22:37 PM »
http://www.technicraftplastics.com/ I would assume these are the people. However the C64x is one of their own products. There is endless complaining from barry about how much the mould cost. So I doubt you will be able to go to the company producing the cases and ask for a cheap one.

Offline kedawa

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2012, 04:32:49 PM »
Yeah, I may have to wait until CUSA goes tits up.
Let's say February.
 

Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2012, 05:39:02 PM »
Ah I see what you mean ;)

Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2013, 01:08:42 PM »
Their business model at the moment must be to not sell products. Their store page has been showing the same error message for a few days now, 4-5 days that I noticed, about there been no products in the shop. A couple of people have picked up on this on their forums. Though nothing seems to be done about it. Are they folding?

Offline Kesa

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2013, 07:56:32 PM »
"Unable to find Specified Product in Catalog."

Interesting. Doesn't look good for CUSA does it.
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Offline CritAnime

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2013, 09:32:01 PM »
Their amazon page shows they have five c64's, vic's and oddly 5 mio's. Odd.

Offline Darrin

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2013, 03:12:59 PM »
Quote from: CritAnime;721903
Their amazon page shows they have five c64's, vic's and oddly 5 mio's. Odd.


"Buy It Now - $3000"?  ;)
A2000, A3000, 2 x A1200T, A1200, A4000Tower & Mediator, CD32, VIC-20, C64, C128, C128D, PET 8032, Minimig & ARM, C-One, FPGA Arcade... and AmigaOne X1000.
 

Offline spanner

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Re: CommodoreUSA Amiga business model
« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2013, 04:29:09 PM »
Well it looks like the site....Dead Jim Dead..

But there's always this..  http://cbmosvision.webs.com
« Last Edit: April 21, 2013, 04:45:34 PM by spanner »