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Author Topic: Barry Altman and Commodore USA  (Read 60298 times)

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Offline IggyTopic starter

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #29 on: September 03, 2010, 01:14:44 AM »
Quote from: tone007;577429
Commodore and Amiga were something original and different. Taking run of the mill PCs that don't do anything that any other PC on the market (from established vendors with real reputations and real support) can do and branding them Commodore/Amiga to play on the fond memories people have of the names from their early computing experiences (the "good old days" which most seem so eager to reclaim) for nothing but profit is very lame.

Bring on the original product, even if it's only a replica C64 case.  At least that'd show a bit more effort than doing some paperwork and ordering generic computers.

Yes, this is not your father's Commodore. And even if Altman can get the PC 64 ready for sale, its not my cup of tea. But, the introduction of that product will require some creative work. He'll sell a few of those even if it is just a PC.

Is it a legitimate business? Sure appears to be. As he pointed out to me, he is in business to generate a profit (this is a reasonable, hell essential, goal for any business). So why would anyone think its a con? How would he profit from that? He's not asking anyone for money up front and while he may have made these product announcements prematurely, you have to give him credit for one thing. He got the right to use those two trademarks. No one else even considered the possibility.
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Offline tone007

Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #30 on: September 03, 2010, 01:44:22 AM »
Quote from: Iggy;577436
No one else even considered the possibility.


..right.  I can think of a couple.  They just all happened to fail!
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Offline IggyTopic starter

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #31 on: September 03, 2010, 02:25:04 AM »
Quote from: tone007;577445
..right.  I can think of a couple.  They just all happened to fail!

This could fail too. Most new business' fail. It doesn't mean he hasn't got the right to try. Especially if he's negotiated the rights to use the trademarks and the only funds hes risking are his own.

The last attempt to resurrect Indian Motorcycles in the US failed. Someone else will probably try it again in the future. These things happen.

What if he succeeds?
"Not making any hard and fast rules means that the moderators can use their good judgment in moderation, and we think the results speak for themselves." - Amiga.org, terms of service

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Offline dammy

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #32 on: September 03, 2010, 02:36:38 AM »
@tone007
Quote
Commodore and Amiga were something original and different. Taking run of the mill PCs that don't do anything that any other PC on the market (from established vendors with real reputations and real support) can do and branding them Commodore/Amiga to play on the fond memories people have of the names from their early computing experiences (the "good old days" which most seem so eager to reclaim) for nothing but profit is very lame.

Funny, I seem to remember saying the same thing about a rebadged Teron MOBO pretending to be an Amiga not too long ago.  Or am I getting that confused with the embedded SoCs based mobo of present and future? ;-)
« Last Edit: September 03, 2010, 02:37:56 AM by dammy »
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Offline jorkany

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #33 on: September 03, 2010, 02:39:44 AM »
Quote from: actung_bab;577434
chould you ask about where this leaves hyperion and all work they have put in
and just leaves bit of confusion about where and what a amiga pc is or chould be
to me of course right for people to make a buck and good on them but , not that my opion counts as l dont make hard ware or software and not affected in any way money wise
but to stop hyperion and others of making the choice to port to x 86 in there contact many years ago . whos knows gateway might wanted this as there pc maker , but to then
say hay guess what we making x86 machines with Aros just as hyperion are about to make good on there hard work over many many years just seems wrong.
And think amiga people arent silly they can see people that actualy follow through and
the old saying actions speak lounder than words springs to mind.
And chould you just say l was feeling postive about amiga as hobby with likes of amiga round table and even when they made the annoucment about this deal l was bit confused as l though hyperion had legal rights to os 3.1 and amiga brand
okay thats okay for me l guess . but this big but l read about legal fights and sueing l just turned of all toghter . just brings everone down l mean whats the postive in that
surley if your got a idea a product you want focus on that and use all your energy to that agghhhh

just my 10 cents worth
It's really beginning to look like all Hyperion really needed to do was work with AInc. to rebrand some PCs and optionally load AROS on them - instead they spend years struggling with OS4 and PPC hardware. Just a bad business decision on their part, nothing the consumer should be concerned about.
 

Offline tone007

Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #34 on: September 03, 2010, 02:42:29 AM »
Quote
What if he succeeds?

Then people will have PCs with Commodore logos on them and he'll get his new sports car.

I couldn't really care less whether or not he got the rights to do it legally, but provided he does of course he has the right to try.  The basic idea of throwing a Commodore or Amiga logo on some generic piece of hardware that doesn't do anything different than any other is just cheesy.

You may have noticed my signature contains a couple of "Commodore" items that are rebranded imports.  I happily bought them for far less than retail value for a laugh when the vendor who was attempting to market them stopped for whatever reason.  Should that happen in this case, I can't say I won't be tempted again!
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Offline tone007

Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #35 on: September 03, 2010, 02:51:27 AM »
Quote from: dammy;577457
@tone007


Funny, I seem to remember saying the same thing about a rebadged Teron MOBO pretending to be an Amiga not too long ago.  Or am I getting that confused with the embedded SoCs based mobo of present and future? ;-)

Not really sure what you're getting at, but the Terons, X1000s, and SAMs actually do something different than a generic x86 PC and have a place, running OS4.1.  Call them whatever you want, but they're required hardware if you want OS4.1.

There are millions upon millions of PCs capable of running Windows, Linux, and AROS.  A few of those will be relabeled Commodore, apparently.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2010, 02:53:32 AM by tone007 »
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Offline IggyTopic starter

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #36 on: September 03, 2010, 03:59:04 AM »
Quote from: tone007;577459
Then people will have PCs with Commodore logos on them and he'll get his new sports car.

I couldn't really care less whether or not he got the rights to do it legally, but provided he does of course he has the right to try.  The basic idea of throwing a Commodore or Amiga logo on some generic piece of hardware that doesn't do anything different than any other is just cheesy.

You may have noticed my signature contains a couple of "Commodore" items that are rebranded imports.  I happily bought them for far less than retail value for a laugh when the vendor who was attempting to market them stopped for whatever reason.  Should that happen in this case, I can't say I won't be tempted again!

Yeah, the Commodore netbooks threw me. And in never said the rebranded hardware didn't have a cheese factor.
If you're tech savvy, buying an Intel 915 based Socket 775 system (like the Phoenix) wouldn't have much attraction.
But there's going to be people who snap up the PC 64's just for the nostalgia and the fun of screwing with others' heads.
"Not making any hard and fast rules means that the moderators can use their good judgment in moderation, and we think the results speak for themselves." - Amiga.org, terms of service

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Offline LoadWB

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #37 on: September 03, 2010, 05:46:58 AM »
Quote from: Iggy;577466
But there's going to be people who snap up the PC 64's just for the nostalgia and the fun of screwing with others' heads.


I have to admit, the prospect of running a server on one of those boxes is rather attractive.
 

Offline cicero790

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #38 on: September 03, 2010, 07:34:37 AM »
Quote from: takemehomegrandma;577421
Thanks for the effort, and thanks for the info! :)

I look forward to this new Commodore Amiga, and kudos to him for actually doing what many people dreamed about for many years - bringing the Commodore and Amiga brands together again! :)

And if you can install AROS on it, it will be an upswing for AROS as well! :-)

I think 2011 might be the year of Amiga! :-)


+1

Also, thanks Iggy for the inquiries.
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Offline runequester

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #39 on: September 03, 2010, 07:49:47 AM »
I dont really know enough to get into the pros and cons of this particular outfit and whether or not they are reliable or not.

However, it seems pretty obvious that the idea is pretty much the only path forward for "amiga".

x86 hardware, available new, cheap and preferably in a comfy commodore style case to reduce the amount of space it takes up, and running AROS, which is the only amiga os that nobody can take away from us, and the only that runs on standard hardware nowadays.


Whether or not the guy is for real or not, the idea is sound.
 

Offline WolfToTheMoon

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #40 on: September 03, 2010, 08:36:51 AM »
Hi guys!

A long time lurker and a commodore/amiga user back in the days...

Iggy, thanks for the info I registered only to thank you for doing the right stuff while others seem more bent on calling him names you did what was right to do.

IMHO, this is THE ONLY way of bringing Amiga and Commodore back into mainstream. And mainstream is where money is. Nobody is going to invest in a market for several thousand users.

I will GLADLY buy a commodore machine if it is a quality product. I mean, why not? People already pay more money for brands like MSI, ASUS, ACER... If they(Commodore) can come up with a interesting design that can rival those products I'll give them my money.  I am not a hard core Amigan and therefore I always knew that Hyperion was fundamentally wrong. They really outdid themselves with this X1000 stuff, an obviously overexpensive product which has nowhere to go. This is the only way forward.
 

Offline skurk

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #41 on: September 03, 2010, 09:06:43 AM »
I'm a long time pessimist and non-believer of C=USA, so I'm going to make this short.  While I admire Barry's efforts and persistence, I simply cannot understand how this will work in the long run.

Sure, a PC that looks like a C64 will sell a few thousands, but then what?  The market is satisfied, where are the next buyers?

It's a PC.  You can buy a small Dell desktop for a few bucks that does the exact same thing, it runs Windows, Linux, AROS and whatnot.  It may not have the same specs, but it's more or less capable of doing the exact same thing.

So then what do you have?  A fancy looking plastic shell?

It's nothing left to make it special.  The magic is gone.

Quote from: WolfToTheMoon;577490
I will GLADLY buy a commodore machine


I'm sorry (and please don't take this as a personal attack) but why would anyone buy a PC just because the case looks special?  I don't give a flying puck what my computer looks like.  Hell, if my A600 was mounted in a beige PC tower I'd still use it.  It's the interior that interest me, not the exterior.

And, to be brutally honest, x86 is as interesting as knitting.  But maybe I'm not exactly Barry's target audience.

Quote
This is the only way forward.


It's not the only way forward, but it's definitely the easiest.
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Offline WolfToTheMoon

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #42 on: September 03, 2010, 09:15:28 AM »
Quote from: skurk;577492
I'm sorry (and please don't take this as a personal attack) but why would anyone buy a PC just because the case looks special?  I don't give a flying puck what my computer looks like.  Hell, if my A600 was mounted in a beige PC tower I'd still use it.  It's the interior that interest me, not the exterior.

I didn't say I'd be interested in a PC64. I already have a C64. That said, if it is a good product and I feel I could use it, then maybe yes.

But primarily, I'd be interested in a laptop/netbook. Seeing they have a license on AIO format, a laptop is possible and probably in their plans.

A nicely done aluminium case with a few retro details and a nice screen and I'm sold. I'd be willing to pay above average prices if the product meets above average quality.


P.S. A lot of people buy "just a PC" when it comes with a nice case. Even MORE people buy "just a PC" when it comes with a nice case and a recognizable name.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2010, 09:24:00 AM by WolfToTheMoon »
 

Offline curtis

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Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #43 on: September 03, 2010, 02:08:58 PM »
Guess I'll toss my nickel into this thread.

Sorry, guys, but I have to agree, the original Amiga platform is pretty much a dead end.  If you want a new platform for the 68K Amiga, get a Minimig!

If you want the platform to evolve, like it should, you're going to be stuck with the Intel chips.

As far as OS, yeah, Winblows SUCKS!  Linux offers a LOT of potential!

Looking at things, and to be honest I just discovered AROS, AROS may be the way for the Amiga to continue to evolve.

If CUSA and AInc. can get together and put some reliable, and nice designed machines together with AROS, I would be tenpted.  If they just throw a CUSA/AInc. badge on a generic beige box, I'll probably just build my own!

Everybody has the right to try and make a buck.  They also have the right to fail miserably, and, possibly, go to jail if they try to cheat people.

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Offline HammerD

Re: Barry Altman and Commodore USA
« Reply #44 from previous page: September 03, 2010, 03:31:31 PM »
Quote from: Iggy;577449
This could fail too. Most new business' fail. It doesn't mean he hasn't got the right to try. Especially if he's negotiated the rights to use the trademarks and the only funds hes risking are his own.

The last attempt to resurrect Indian Motorcycles in the US failed. Someone else will probably try it again in the future. These things happen.

What if he succeeds?


Iggy, did you ask him anything about:

1) How many employees C= USA has?
2) Does he plan to do any SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT for AROS? Or in any other way to support and promote it?

He's bought the C= name, the Amiga name rights, and plans to sell x86 boxes in old C= style cases and throw on bundled OS's.   Not very exciting and not interesting if he doesn't plan to support and augment AROS development.
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