State of the Amiga, 2007

[stopthegop]

Granted yes there are things that only a Miggy can do like say boot into PAL mode, allow you to change chipsets (OCS, ECS and AGA from the boot menu), actual true multi-tasking and being able to run without WB loading. Not to mention be able to reach down and shut it off without worrying about going to the menu and going to shutdown and waiting 2 yrs for the computer to turn off. The Miggy definatly is in a class all its own and unlike a PC doesnt waste its precious resources. And oh yeah I love the Dpaint series, i have done tons of anims on it.

Amigas have value.  PCs are just next year's garbage.

[stopthegop]

DPaint was heads and shoulders above all else,

I've heard a chorus of people say Dpaint was the best, etc...  So there seems to be somewhat of a consensus in that regard.  What I haven't heard is similarly unanimous praise of any single "current" alternative product.  I think the odds are better of being struck by lightning than seeing two people in the same room declaring "Illustrator rocks!"  I suspect this is because Illustrator is massive, filled to the gills with clever but useless functions, and requires a user manual the size of 'Ana Karenina' and 'War and Peace' put together (only with more complexity).  Gee, that sounds like "fun"...  No thanks, I'll stick with Dpaint.      

however, these days there are far better alternatives

Such as?

It may be simple and fast, but it only becomes and advantage when it can offer the same functionality and flexibility as current apps.

Dpaint is simple, fast. And fun -- fun because it is simple and fast.  Its also "functional" in that it works exactly as advertised.  It is also extremely flexible, thanks largely to Arexx and the modular design of the Amiga operating system.  It is as functional and flexible as one's imagination.  I think juxtaposing "current" apps with increased flexibility is a common mistake.

[stopthegop]

Everyone who posts here is stating an opinion, but my opinion -- simply because it differs from yours -- is trolling?  Thats fine, you're entitled to your opinion.  Or was that trolling?  Hard to say since we all have opinions.  I guess trolling is done by those whose opinions you don't like?  

To answer your question:  It bugs me when I see computers (or technology in general) described in subjective terms   as unassailable truth, especially when the subjective term(s) is juxtaposed with an actual fact so it appears the entire statement is also a fact, when it is actually nothing more than an opinion.  For example:

"There are better and modern alternatives".  
-True Part = "Modern"
-Subjective Part = "Better"
-Objective Intent:  Modern = Better.  

"There are...better alternatives...with...current apps."
-True Part: "Current"
-Subjective Part: "Better Alternatives"
-Objective Intent: Current = Better Alternative.

I'm well aware what Photoshop and The Gimp can do.  My point is that 95% of what it can do, most people don't do.  All that extra functionality just gets in the way and actually slows down the 5% of functions that most people do use.  The same is true for most if not all "current" commercial apps. MS Office is the ultimate showcase of useless functionality.  

Another aspect of "modern" computing that I simply detest is obsolescence by design.  I don't know about you but I really object to the idea of spending 2 grand on a computer with an expiration date like a carton of eggs.  How can you not be pissed off by that obnoxious behavior?  What if the chemical properties of gasoline changed every couple of months and only brand new cars could run on the new gas, forcing people with older cars to "upgrade" their cars whether they could afford it or not?  
 

[stopthegop]

How would you edit the 8 to 12 MP raw image that most serious photographers use today?

Good photographers don't "edit" their pictures.  Its cheating.  Besides, really serious photograhers use both analog as well as digital cameras.  For expediency, digital rules.  For artistic perfection, nothing beats a great analog camera.  Or hybrid in this case.  

How would you make a Flash presentation?

Use a peecee.  Assuming, of course, that I wanted to make a Flash Irritation (err, I mean 'presentation').  

 

[stopthegop]

what you are doing is no different from what medium and large format photographers do in their darkrooms, difference is you're dealing with a negative thats made up of 1's and 0's.

Thats true.  But there's a major skill differential between the dark room editor and his photoshop counterpart. Making a convincing edit in a darkroom is like a Black Art.  IMO, Photographs done this way have intrinsic value because they are "handmade" by someone who is tremendously skilled and  has clearly mastered his craft. Being a skilled darkroom tech was once a fairly exclusive club. Photoshop has bestowed this power to any 3 year old.  Whether thats a good or bad thing is polymical because its not going away.  Don't get me wrong.. I love my digital camera and have lots of fun with editing apps (ImageFX, Photoshop, whatever..). I agree these are very powerful tools.  Still, there's something very alluring about traditional photography that is simply absent with digital media.   I just can't bring myself to call a digital photograph (even a very good one) "Art".      

[stopthegop]

@Mallete:

lol.  Too funny.  I have my little nephew doing the same.  A whiz on the A1200 I bought him, he's totally fascinated by it. Will be funny to see his reaction when he starts kindergarden and they plop him down in front of a Windoze box.. Like you said, "WTF is this piece of sh1t??!"      haha  

[stopthegop]

Pitiful, yep..  No doubt about that.  Many of our bloat-denying brethren would argue the "p" stands for Parsimonious.