Do you regret ever getting rid of your Amiga?

[Pentad]

Nope. By the time my college years were winding down so was Commodore. By late '93 it was clear Commodore was going to die. AGA was too little too late. Software was dwindling. Microsoft and Apple had won. I had a decked out 4000 (Emplant, Spectrum, 21" Sony Monitor) and I knew if I didn't sell it then it would depreciate with the demise of Commodore. So I sold it all and jumped into the Powerbook line (then into Windows 95).

I loved Commodore. I really did. My first computer was the C64, I upgrade to the C128 and then jumped into the Amiga line. I had the most fun with Commodore computers. They were so far ahead of their time and the users did some amazing things with them. Damn Commodore management.

By 1993 I had to look to my future and the Amiga seemed like a dead end. The world had voted and the Amiga lost. I remember seeing the Windows 95 betas (Chicago) in '93 and thinking it would take the world by storm.

I only regret Commodore management and marketing could not have leveraged the power of the Amiga.

-P

[Pentad]

@Pentad

You were excited by the launch of Windows 95!!! I mean if you were used to Windows 3.1 then fair enough but you knew about the Amiga. I mean I don't remember PeeCees being at all useable until Windows 98 at least and they were still very ropey until XP IMHO.

Windows 95 was the engine of change that Microsoft both wanted and needed. It also sparked a huge movement in computers from the mid 90's on. I'm not saying that Windows 95 was perfect but it was that first step on a road map that you could see was going to bring some really exciting things.

As much as I love the Amiga and AmigaOS, Windows 95 and AmigaOS had much in common. Both of their GUIs ran on top of DOS. Both supported plug n play driver support though the Amiga did support it better. In fairness, the Amiga (like Mac) only had a few models to support so it is much easier on the OS. Microsoft had the much more difficult task of supporting IDIC when it came to hardware. Was it perfect? No. Admirable? Yes, I think so. Good enough? Yes, for most people.

Owning an Amiga did leap frog me in technology so I was aware of multitasking, plug n play, and many of the features that Windows 95 borrowed from other systems.  Of course, Windows 95 could blue screen at the drop of a hat due to a misbehaving application but so could AmigaOS. While Windows 95's software selection grew exponentially the Amiga's had been dwindling to a few applications and import games.

I guess the biggest attraction was Commodore and the Amiga were fading away and Microsoft was willing to put Windows 95 out there, support it, refine it, and continue to make it better. Which they did as you point out. Windows 95 (A/B/C) just got better, Nashville was in beta shortly after the Windows 95 release, which turned into 98, then 98se, 2000, which pinnacled into XP. Windows ME was the oddball. Terrible.

Along the way we got better CPUs, 3D video card add-ons which became the main video card. An amazing set of games, utilities, and a whole host of software for the Internet. Personally, I love FPS so Doom, Doom II, Quake, Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Half-Life, Mech Warrior, and many more were experiences I will always treasure.

I really do love Commodore and the Amiga but I don't regret jumping ship. For me, Commodore and the Amiga defined the 80's. They just could not compete in the 90s.

To each his (or her) own though.  I have nothing but respect for the Amiga fans who have remained on the platform long after Commodore died.

-P