bhoggett,
I don't want to piss in anyone's beer, but you might say the announcement is a cynical marketing ploy. By announcing a trade-in price now the obvious aim is to encourage those who might have been tempted to wait for the promised G4 system to buy a G3 Amiga NOW, as they would be getting most of their money back in the trade-in.
I kinda answered this in the forums, but what the heck.
You are right it's a marketing ploy to get the ppl that never upgraded their classic Amigas with the powerPC accelerators because of the price. However, giving the 'comminity' this nice trade in option is not unheard of. It had happened in the past with Phase5.
I will leave it at that. In the end everyone will make their own decisions and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
I know this is old, but... there is a saying/prayer ( depending on how you view it ) that states "grant me the serinity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can(ie... yourself... as in the first person, you being the one saying this***), and the wisdom to know the difference."
Blitter
***I know someone out there is not going to get what I meant and a FW is going to happen. Oh well, I tried to make it as clear as I could. I'm not a master of any language.
