Hi Guys,
{sleep deprived rant coming}
Something is bothering me tonight. So much so that I simply cannot sleep. Please note that this isn't aimed at anyone here on this site, nor any person specifically. From what I can tell, the recent announcement of hardware issues with AW.net were handled rather well by our members in response to that thread. Thank you for surprising me.
I do however see on other sites, namely the similar thread on ANN what I consider to be a seriously bad indicator of the problems in this community.
witness:
the thread in questionNote that I'm not slamming Christian, the ANN moderators, or any particular ANN member. I think that Christian and staff do one hell of a good job with what they're faced with.
What I am severely disappointed with is the childish and petulant attitudes of apparently a great deal of the members there when it comes to respecting others and other sites. I bring it up here on AO, because rather commonly, these attitudes appear in threads here, and are the same types of childish stupidity that is represented in that thread. Sadly, it's probably by the exact same people on both sites..
As I said in one of my responses to that thread, the bullyish tactics and red/blue sillyness is the heart of what's wrong with this community. I openly admit that I'm not an innocent bystander here where harming the community is concerned. My history in this is a source of constant regret to me and I hope one day to be forgiven, but the damage I did (as relates to my getting screwed over by Genesi) was unintentional, where the damage inflicted by the attitude in the aforementioned thread is simple ignorance caused by a Sun Tsu edict well known by a certain West Point graduate.
I simply find myself simultaneously outraged and revolted that at least 25 different people (or at least nicks/IP's) could have such {bleep} attitudes that they don't realize the harm they're doing, or even worse, don't care....
As I said on ANN, if anyone has a right to dislike Amigaworld.net, it's me. They did after all stage a documented "coup" against this site in particular, but let's not open up that can of worms, because it's not what I'm kvetching about tonight. Trouble is, I don't hate AW.net at all. They saw a niche that they thought needed to be filled, and worked to fill it. While I disagree with their chosen methods of achieving their initial success, bravo to them.
The thread on ANN simply serves to illustrate either jealousy at their success, or petty scarcely-veiled agendas by the typical suspects.
At the heart of it all, I'll have you consider this. Amiga Inc was incompetent. Some might even argue (please don't, not again) that they've acted in a fraudulent manner (T-shirts and coupons, etcetera) but!!!! The problems and division that exists in this community did NOT exist until Bill Buck and Genesi came along, driving the wedge between long-time friends, and apparently creating pawns out of everyone involved (myself included at one point) by throwing money and vague promises around.
That's right! I said it! We have all become PAWNS, whether we're willing or even cognizant of the fact and those who've taken strong stances ON EITHER "SIDE" have done so because it is exactly what Bill Buck wanted.
The fluff job done here is absolutely astounding, because it has been done in such a way that Bill Buck's gotten us, the Amiga community to sweep all the Amiga supporters into a small corner and shout them down any time they say "hello world".
Bill Buck has, in fact, succeeded in making sure of only one thing, and that's that it's almost impossible for Amiga Incorporated (in their former glory) or even perhaps KMOS to succeed.
One final thought...
I don't care which platform you CHOOSE to support. I never have. I've been here to support the Amiga community in any way I can since 1995, and will hopefully continue to be so, but...
Between one rightful parent company that's been run into the ground by absolute incompetence and neglect, and a questionably-operated wannabe parent company run by a duplicitous bully, which is the lesser of two evils? Which "company" means that we win, and why the {bleep} does it really matter? Neither company is "in charge" of our destiny.
We are the Amiga community. Not them. We have somehow forgotten that....
Rather than working to support the Amiga -- regardless of how YOU choose to support it, we're now hell bent on acting like kids and tearing each other apart like the good little puppets we've become. That's not right, and that needs to change for the better. That being said, good night, and thanks for listening.