Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!rutgers!sunybcs!boulder!hao!noao!arizona!malibo From: malibo@arizona.edu (Rob McConeghy) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Mandala System, VERY VIVID, Macro Pappa Read This. Message-ID: <3198@megaron.arizona.edu> Date: 15 Dec 87 00:58:16 GMT References: <8712132054.AA04823@jade.berkeley.edu> Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson Lines: 34 Summary: rip-off pricing policies In article <8712132054.AA04823@jade.berkeley.edu>, MOLNARRM@UREGINA1.BITNET (Dennis Robert Gorrie) writes: > icons. I know a custom digitizer would be expensive, but not that much, as > well I did not believe that the software should be that sophisticated. So, I > asked them why they were asking $35,000 (U.S. Funds) for the system. They said > their target was professional type entertainment, performers, and rock groups. > For these groups, money was no consideration, and $35,000 was a drop in the > bucket.... Talk about run-away capitalism! Why dont they just lease the system for 10% of the gate at any rock concert it is used at. For use in a professional video, I would suggest a one time fee of 50,000 plus 5% of the royalties, if any. > The developers of the system did say they were considering a cheaper consumer > version. > > Whatever the components or cost of the Mandala system may be, the > demonstration they performed, called VERY VIVID, was exactly that. It sticks > in my mind as the most amazing, profound, and enjoyable demostration of the > Amiga's sound and graphics power, that I have EVER seen. I do agree that Mandala is pretty neat as toys go. It was shown at The Ami-Expo in New York in October and was very popular. I expect that they'll be at the Ami-Expo in Los Angeles and Chicago too. So all you folks who can't shake $35,000 out of the old piggy bank to have one of your own might try catching it there. Any rock-group stupid enough to fork over that kind of money for something that Leo could probably hack together in a weekend and distribute for free (software only of course, you will need a little extra hardware but nothing that isn't already available for a lot less than $2000) deserves to end its days in the 1/2 price bin at K-Mart or as a special offer from K-Tel Records. Come to think of it most rock groups will end up there anyway.