Let the "Amiga Spirit" rest in peace.

[YourPal]

Undoubtedly there have been posts here decrying similar facts about the Amiga's significance in modern day computing and her fate.  In case it hasn't sunk in yet and I can save a few souls from depressingly idling on cloud 9 with respect to the platform, I humbly submit:

1. The Amiga, once the watermark of multimedia and Commodore's last hope for a piece of the desktop, no longer has a seat in the consumer marketplace.  The tinkerers have Linux, creative types MacOS X, and the suits Windows.  Forget about the enterprise/server/embedded/game markets, too.  AmigaOS will not bring with it distinguishing characteristics, features, or marketing muscle of any significance.    

2. The current miniscule AmigaOS market demand is fueled by overzealous "old timers", nostalgic for a brand and the emotion it invoked in earlier years, college lads, and borderline infantile internationals who yearn for the revival of their gaming machine.  I was once in camp #1, and I say this in humility.  Look at yourself in the mirror; study the posts on Amiga BBS's.  There's no demographic of value here; just relics and hacker brats.

3. Considering points 1 and 2, no large scale efforts backed with serious capital will be invested in this has-been operating system.  The Amiga is on a reverse snowball to the days of the Homebrew Computer Club, where a tiny and dedicated band of hobbyists fueled a microeconomic market dynamic for a machine the "insiders" know is the best thing on the block -- now, if only the "outsiders" would catch on.  The outsiders aren't paying attention and have no reason to.  Amiga lost.

Use your machines until the IC's blow.  Encase the carcass in a plastic display and walk high knowing you had a piece of computing history, one that helped define an industry although it was never in the cards for the platform to seize it.  

I know you deny all of the above and it may hurt.  Perhaps easiest would be not to admit defeat, but instead enjoy the rest of the ride together before the Amiga is finally allowed to rest in peace alongside her brothers and sisters.

[YourPal]

Typical neocon -- resorts to name calling instead of debating the facts.

[YourPal]

Years of battles in comp.sys.amiga.advocacy prove arguments from the tinkerers and techies won't convince the *market* that the Amiga is worth the silicon its built on!

[YourPal]

From BIG-IRON's profile:

>Interest: Amiga's, Athlon 64's, fast cars,boobies,computer
>games,boobies

I think that proves point #2, category #3.

[YourPal]

Nothing I wrote in my original post was crafted specifically to start a flamewar.  I'm not part of the "redline" or "blueline" -- I don't even know what those are.  The post is an amalgam of my observations accumulated over the period of Amiga history from 1985 to present .  If you don't believe a word of it, or take offense because it challenges your view, I'm glad you disagree with me!  I *hope* AmigaOS gets its due.  But given the facts and history of this platform, can't you see where it's headed?

One of you said "fuck the market".  I don't think everyone here agrees with that viewpoint.  Even little Linux thrives today by filling a need in that market.  Or would you all be happy mirroring the community of C64 users who conduct their trade at 25-people "fests" and 2 person mail-order businesses?  (Ring a bell to those of you lucky enough to have been in this field back in the late 60's early 70's?)  

Usenet != the word.  That's not the point.  (And please don't flatter yourselves by thinking this little BBS is any way different from comp.sys.amiga.*).  As technology enthusiasts, we can argue until the Second Coming about the merits of AmigaOS's way of doing things.  As the boing-ball rises to the top, if it doesn't solve a problem, fill a need, or create demand for itself in the market it will always be a hacker's toy with no respect from consumers.  

Comparing the Amiga to a classic car... that doesn't invalidate my original observations.  To quote a famous Amiga personality, "Applepie and Motherhood".  Automobile restoration reaches a critical mass that's economically viable.  Yet the comparison validates the relegation of the AmigaOS to a hacker and hobbyist endeavor.  SizeOf (automobileConsumers) > SizeOf (classicCarFans) > SizeOf (amigaZealots).

Do you want to see the AmigaOS' legacy continue?  It won't happen as a new platform.  Cutting-edge and clever technology does comprise the OS, however; and, that is why the collective work that is AmigaOS today should be dissected and sold to interested third parties for incorporation into their new technologies.   I'm an advocate of dreams and making them reality.  Success in that requires the experience and logic to know when to let go of one that's had its time so that another may come to fruition.  

I know you're ready to hurl more net-speak insults.  That's just great.  When you click "submit", do keep in mind I loved the Amiga as much as you.  I've got an A1000 right behind me serving as a reminder that elegant beauty can see daylight, but not everything that deserves to live forever does -- virtue, ingenuity, and righteousness notwithstanding.

[YourPal]

I can't be held responsible for how you react to my observations.  Getting "pissed of" is a choice you make, beyond my control.  Some folks here agree with me.