Amiga - What If It Were Today....

[Tension]

Wish it did in large numbers. I sold Amiga's from about '89 to '91 in one of the more affluent areas in the Midwest (Chicago burbs). Can't tell you how many people I'd demonstrate the machine to (full Amiga 500 system w/ memory, spare drive and monitor for less than a grand) that would end up purchasing a $3000-$6000 IBM clone anyway. There was hardly any margin in selling Amiga stuff, but those overpriced PeeCee's brought in a cool 6%-8% commission off the top! As an Amiga user and believer since '87, it was REALLY difficult selling both platforms - let me tell you. The few I did sell, most of them ended up coming right straight back to us weeks later. Of course, the customers always knew when you wouldn't be around, despite your 50+ hour work week, so they'd return the Amiga (which I would then lose the already paltry commission on) and purchase a "multi-media" 8088 or 286 for thousands more from someone else. ARRGGHH!   lol

Just about ALL of the best years of my life were wasted on working retail and dealing with the least common denominator. Why is there no support group for us?      :lol:

That about sums the whole thing up.  Commodore's attitude in trying to replicate the C64 sales strategy backfired on them big time.

You didnt stand a chance mate  

[Tension]

The Amiga was introduced at a time when less than 1% of the world's population had use for computers in general. Today, with that percentage much higher and trends taking hold much faster, the Amiga, with technology even marginally comparable to today's standards, would likely flourish.

Think Johnny Depp instead of Andy Warhol and Lady Gaga instead of Debby Harry driving the hype and you might get a feel for what the enthusiasm could be.

I don't think the technology would necessarily have to be better than the competition. New products with a decent introduction tend to do well regardless of real technical merit.

But then again, the geniuses in Commodore's front office would again find a way to squander any success gained, and the Amiga would fizzle after its short rise to fame.

But Jonny Depp and Lady Gaga are kittys.