Article-I.D.: utcs.1986Nov29.125248.15249
Posted: Sat Nov 29 12:52:48 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Nov-86 13:25:40 EST
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services, general purpose UNIX
Lines: 11
Checksum: 33435

I called my local dealer today, and he told me that, as of yesterday,
Computerland doesn't handle Amigas any more.  Not here in Canada, not
in the states; nowhere.

The reason given by headquarters is that the price of the Amiga has
dropped too low.

Does anyone know any more about this?  Can anyone make any sense out
of the reason?

Michael Wagner (wagner@utcs)

Article-I.D.: jhunix.4045
Posted: Sun Nov 30 12:14:26 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Dec-86 03:00:45 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp>
Reply-To: ins_adjb@jhunix.UUCP (Daniel Jay Barrett)
Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ. Computing Ctr.
Lines: 10


	In related news... on my last visit to a General Computer Store,
I was told that they are dropping the "entire Amiga line".  The reason
is that there is "no software available".

	The salesman did not even know that the Amiga is multi-tasking!
When I demonstrated it for him, having multiple windows open, he said
"Well, the Macintosh does that too."  (SHEEEEESH!!!)

  -- Dan

Article-I.D.: topaz.7408
Posted: Mon Dec  1 10:45:59 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Dec-86 20:25:28 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <4045@jhunix.UUCP>
Reply-To: lachac@topaz.UUCP (Gerard Lachac)
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 18

In article <4045@jhunix.UUCP> ins_adjb@jhunix.UUCP (Daniel Jay Barrett) writes:
 > 	The salesman did not even know that the Amiga is multi-tasking!
 > When I demonstrated it for him, having multiple windows open, he said
 > "Well, the Macintosh does that too."  (SHEEEEESH!!!)
 >   -- Dan

	This seems to be the norm in most "business" computer stores I've
been to.  Hell, one place I had to show them where to plug in the mouse on
there new Apple IIgs.  It seems many of these sales people know a couple
of "neat" demos so they can sell to the uneducated buyer.
	A side note:  
		People complain about the electronic/game store selling
computers.  These people hire a lot of the teen crowd, the "hacker" who
actually KNOW what they're talking about...

	Just a thought...

				lachac@topaz.rutgers.edu

Article-I.D.: plx.336
Posted: Tue Dec  2 12:05:51 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 2-Dec-86 22:19:45 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <4045@jhunix.UUCP>
Organization: Plexus Computers; San Jose, CA
Lines: 37

 >  
 >  	In related news... on my last visit to a General Computer Store,
 >  I was told that they are dropping the "entire Amiga line".  The reason
 >  is that there is "no software available".
 >  
 >  	The salesman did not even know that the Amiga is multi-tasking!
 >  When I demonstrated it for him, having multiple windows open, he said
 >  "Well, the Macintosh does that too."  (SHEEEEESH!!!)
 >  
 >    -- Dan


Just goes to show 'ya.  Everybody still think I'm crazy?
The marketplace is not sophisticated enough to appreciate multitasking
and Bit-Blitters etc. They want software.

Wake up Commodore! Port EXCEL and Pagemaker to the Amiga NOW!!



========================================================================
					    _____O_____
  Ed Chaban   				   /___________\
  Plexus Computers Inc.    		   |  _  |  _  |
  Phone: (408) 843-2226			   | |_| | |_| |
  Net: sun!plx!ed			   |  _  |  _  |
   					   | |_| | |_| |
   					   |  _  |  _  |
   					   | |_| | |_| |
       "Have a Jelly Baby?" 		   |     |     |
   		-The Doctor		   |_____|_____|





*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***

Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1056
Posted: Thu Dec  4 19:02:51 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 04:22:51 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 22

In article <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> wagner@utcs.uucp (Michael Wagner) writes:
 > 
 > I called my local dealer today, and he told me that, as of yesterday,
 > Computerland doesn't handle Amigas any more.  Not here in Canada, not
 > in the states; nowhere.
 > 
 > The reason given by headquarters is that the price of the Amiga has
 > dropped too low.
 > 
 > Does anyone know any more about this?  Can anyone make any sense out
 > of the reason?
 > 
 > Michael Wagner (wagner@utcs)

It should be pointed out that Computerland has never carried the Amiga
in the US.  A chain like Computerland tends to keep a pretty narrow
focus, so maybe they just couldn't fit something as radical as the Amiga
into their IBM/clone/Apple view of the world...
-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)

Article-I.D.: ukma.5260
Posted: Thu Dec  4 16:40:51 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 06:10:12 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <4045@jhunix.UUCP> <336@plx.UUCP>
Reply-To: sean@ukma.UUCP (Sean Casey)
Organization: The Leaning Tower of Patterson Office @ The Univ. of KY
Lines: 20

In article <336@plx.UUCP> ed@plx.UUCP (Ed Chaban) writes:
 > Just goes to show 'ya.  Everybody still think I'm crazy?
 > The marketplace is not sophisticated enough to appreciate multitasking
 > and Bit-Blitters etc. They want software.

I think that everyone who owns an Amiga knows it's potential.  Just give
it time.  The Mac didn't have much software when it came out either.  I'm
buying an Amiga, my first personal computer, after 8 years of being intensively
involved with them.  It probably means nothing to most of you, but several
friends of mine are seriously revising their opinions of the machine because
of my decision.  I think you'll see more and more of the packages that run
on the Mac being ported to the Amiga.  With time, this will be the source
for a large base of software for the Amiga.  This, combined with it's low
price, will make sales take off.

Sean
-- 
===========================================================================
Sean Casey      UUCP:  cbosgd!ukma!sean           CSNET:  sean@ms.uky.csnet
		ARPA:  ukma!sean@anl-mcs.arpa    BITNET:  sean@UKMA.BITNET

Article-I.D.: ukecc.862
Posted: Thu Dec  4 03:29:27 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 06:14:32 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp>
Reply-To: kenneth@ukecc.UUCP (Kenneth Herron)
Organization: Univ. of KY Engineering Computing Center
Lines: 19

 > The reason given by headquarters is that the price of the Amiga has
 > dropped too low.
 > 
 > Does anyone know any more about this?  Can anyone make any sense out
 > of the reason?

How about "The profit margin has dropped too low"? or "No high-price
mystique ( = the salesmen have to know what they're talking about)"?

Nahh, probably just means "It isn't IBM-compatible"...
-- 
Kenneth Herron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~ USENET: ...!cbosgd!ukma!ukecc!kenneth				~~
~~ CSNET : kenneth@ecc.engr.uky.csnet					~~
~~These opinions are my own; no individual, college, or other 		~~
~~organization I am associated with has the slightest interest in them. ~~
~~ "What, behind the rabbit?"  "It is the rabbit!"			~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Article-I.D.: utcs.1986Dec5.084151.13901
Posted: Fri Dec  5 08:41:51 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 09:22:12 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Reply-To: wagner@utcs.UUCP (Michael Wagner)
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services, general purpose UNIX
Lines: 13
Checksum: 28240


I'll probably comment some more on this later on, but I thought I'd just
make one comment here.  Computerland is selling off their stock of Amigas
at the 'World of Commodore' show at the International Center here in Toronto.
Show goes on until Sunday.  $1770 or so Canadian for an Amiga, Monitor, Ram
expansion (and perhaps more, I can't remember).  I'm not likely to buy
another Amiga, but it might be a good price for people just looking to get
into Amigas (it's an amazing price compared to what I paid a year ago, but
then, I got a year of use out of it).

More on the show in a later posting (I have to get to work some time today!).
 
Michael Wagner (wagner@utcs)

Article-I.D.: utcs.1986Dec5.084919.14051
Posted: Fri Dec  5 08:49:19 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 09:39:35 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <862@ukecc.UUCP>
Reply-To: wagner@utcs.UUCP (Michael Wagner)
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services, general purpose UNIX
Lines: 7
Checksum: 46076

In article <862@ukecc.UUCP> kenneth@ukecc.UUCP (Kenneth Herron) writes:
 > Nahh, probably just means "It isn't IBM-compatible"...
This is part of what kills me about the whole thing.  The timing is all
wrong.  I just recently saw my first sidecar at a Computerland dealership.
They finally were going to be IBM compatible!

Michael

Article-I.D.: clan.212
Posted: Fri Dec  5 14:32:51 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Dec-86 11:13:29 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <4045@jhunix.UUCP> <336@plx.UUCP>
Reply-To: eugen@clan.UUCP (Eugen Bacic)
Organization: Systems Eng., Carleton Univ., Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 22
Summary: 


I contacted our ComputerLand dealer here in Ottawa and they said that
it wasn't true.  At the moment it seems that the Amiga prices have 
dropped just before Christmas to allow for a big push in sales.  Other
rumors are that the new Amiga is due out after Christmas and will
then occupy the current Amiga's price range thus permanently lowering
the A1000's price. 

The major ComputerLand dealer (I spoke with head of sales) says that
the Amiga is selling fine and that they have "no intention of dropping
the Amiga line."  However, they have "dropped prices to $1995 for the
256k Amiga with monitor to compete with the other retail computer stores
in the Ottawa area."

So, don't believe everything you hear.  Or, do as I did, check into it...

					Eugen Bacic
					Carleton University
		Honeywell CP-6 Mail:	Eugen Bacic @CU
		uucp:			nrcaer!clan!eugen
		bitnet:			EMBacic@Carleton.BitNet
		ean:			eugen@clan

Article-I.D.: sdcc7.834
Posted: Sat Dec  6 02:16:28 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Dec-86 03:29:52 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Reply-To: ee162faq@sdcc7.ucsd.edu.UUCP (JOHN SCHULTZ)
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 5

Computerland *never* (?|!) carried the Amiga in the US?
weird.  i must have been in the twilight zone when I traded 2500
dolares por mi Amiga en La Computadora Lando en La Jolla Ca.

Juan

Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.957
Posted: Wed Dec  3 15:25:01 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Dec-86 20:47:27 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 26

 >  
 >  I called my local dealer today, and he told me that, as of yesterday,
 >  Computerland doesn't handle Amigas any more.  Not here in Canada, not
 >  in the states; nowhere.
 >  
 >  The reason given by headquarters is that the price of the Amiga has
 >  dropped too low.
 >  
 >  Does anyone know any more about this?  Can anyone make any sense out
 >  of the reason?
 >  
 >  Michael Wagner (wagner@utcs)

This reply is purely speculative. I recollect reading somewhere that most
computer stores feel that the price of a computer should be at least
$2000. Apparently this has something to do with the profit margin. A dealer
wants to get at least $x profit per computer sold. I remember when I read the
article I realized that there were a lot of "home computers" in the
less than $1000 range and a lot of "personal computers" in the more than
$2000 range but nothing in the $1000 to $2000 range.  K-Mart handles the
cheapies and computer stores handle the more expensive ones. There don't
seem to be any retail stores geared for the middle range. I felt this was
a shame since the $1000 to $2000 range seemed about the right price
range for a decent computer. Perhaps marketing types understand this better.

     Fred Dickey

Article-I.D.: jade.1830
Posted: Fri Dec  5 02:41:46 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Dec-86 20:39:02 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@jade.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: chapman@eris.BERKELEY.EDU (Brent Chapman)
Organization: UNIXversity of California at Berkeley
Lines: 22

In article <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
 > It should be pointed out that Computerland has never carried the Amiga
 > in the US.  A chain like Computerland tends to keep a pretty narrow
 > focus, so maybe they just couldn't fit something as radical as the Amiga
 > into their IBM/clone/Apple view of the world...

I'm sorry, but you're definitely wrong.  Perhaps Computerland _as_a_chain_
has never officially carried the Amiga, but individual Computerland stores
certainly have (does anyone know if the stores are centrally owned, or
franchised, or a combination, or what?).  I was looking at the Amiga
in the Lafayette (CA) Computerland one day while waiting to pick up one of
our PC's they were repairing, back before I had my own, and chuckling 
because I knew I was going to get mine for a significantly lower price
from another source (Winner's Circle, in Berkeley).


Brent

--
Brent Chapman

chapman@eris.berkeley.edu	or	ucbvax!eris!chapman

Article-I.D.: amdahl.4504
Posted: Mon Dec  8 12:16:35 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Dec-86 22:10:58 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Organization: Amdahl Corporation,  Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Lines: 23

 >  It should be pointed out that Computerland has never carried the Amiga
 >  in the US.
 > 
 >  George Robbins

Uh, sorry George ... the Computerland franchises here in Silicon Valley
have been selling Amigas since their introduction.  That's where I got
mine in late October of 1985.  I imagine the decision to carry Amigas
(or not) is left up to the franchise holders, or some such.

BTW, recently, a local (non-chain) dealer that was carrying Amigas, STs,
Macs, and PCs/PClones *has* decided to drop STs!

/kim

-- 
UUCP:  {sun,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,ihnp4,seismo,oliveb}!amdahl!kim
DDD:   408-746-8462
USPS:  Amdahl Corp.  M/S 249,  1250 E. Arques Av,  Sunnyvale, CA 94086
CIS:   76535,25

[  Any thoughts or opinions which may or may not have been expressed  ]
[  herein are my own.  They are not necessarily those of my employer. ]

Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1086
Posted: Wed Dec 10 05:58:32 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Dec-86 11:49:57 EST
References: <1986Nov29.125248.15249@utcs.uucp> <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> <1830@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Sender: news@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 28

In article <1830@jade.BERKELEY.EDU> chapman@eris.BERKELEY.EDU (Brent Chapman) writes:
 > In article <1056@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
 >> It should be pointed out that Computerland has never carried the Amiga
 >> in the US.
 > 
 > I'm sorry, but you're definitely wrong.  Perhaps Computerland _as_a_chain_
 > has never officially carried the Amiga, but individual Computerland stores
 > certainly have (does anyone know if the stores are centrally owned, or
 > franchised, or a combination, or what?).
 > 
 > Brent

Boy, Did I walk into this one...

Yes, I really meant that Computerland as a whole has never carried the Amiga
in the US.  Individual franchises have some discretion to carry what they wish,
however they aren't able to take advantage of the national purchasing power of
the chain.

This, combined with the high overhead, franchise fees and whatnot, make it
diffuclt to offer competitive retail prices.  Personally, I don't have much
use for a computer store that doesn't keep evening hours...(your timezones and
computerlands may differ $-).

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)