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Amiga Update (1995-01-09)
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// Amiga Update - News and Rumors //
\X/ (A Very Occasional Newsletter) \X/
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950109
It's been a while since I've sent out an update, so here's one to start the
new year. In fact, it's almost been a year now since this whole sorry
situation began.
Both CEI and Commodore UK have submitted bids, accompanied for the first
time by earnest money. I have included the CEI announcement below. Their
bid went in on Dec. 15.
I have also included a recent "AmigaWorld" update, describing the current
auction process that resulted from the two bids. One can only wonder what
these two organizations might have gotten done by now if they cooperated
instead of competing? ("AmigaWorld" update from GEnie.)
Finally, just in case some of you who actually still own Amigas are thinking
of defecting to the Pentium camp, I have included a slight reworking of the
"2001" movie script with HAL as a Pentium :) Enjoy.
Brad
Note: I have a copy of the CEI conference of December 22 on GEnie. It's long,
so if you want a copy, please send e-mail and let me know.
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NEWS RELEASE
COMMODORE ACQUISITION UPDATE (15 DEC 1994)
Creative Equipment International (CEI) has submitted an offer to purchase
all the assets of Commodore International and Commodore Electronics. A cash
deposit accompanied the offer. Alex Amor stated "Now, it's up to the
liquidator and creditors. Our intent is to complete this purchase and resume
building the Amiga as soon as possible."
This is the first time since the declaration of liquidation that an offer
has been accompanied by cash. The offer has a firm expiration date.
CEI is a Miami based distributor of Commodore products. For additional
information contact Chuck Schenk at (303)266-2800 extension 111.
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Direct to you from the *StarShip* on GEnie, the AmigaWorld Commodore
Hotline information from January 3, 1995.
"Hi, this is Dan Sullivan at AmigaWorld. It's Tuesday, January 3rd.
As recorded last time, CEI of Miami placed a formal written offer and cash
deposit with the liquidators on Dec. 15th to buy the rights to the Amiga.
This has now triggered the final auction round of the bidding.
On December 22nd the former Commodore UK management group made their
formal counteroffer plus deposit to acquire the Amiga.
The liquidators are now making their final evaluations of the two offers.
A decision is expected very soon.
No further bids are anticipated.
While CEI reportedly put an expiration date of Dec. 30th on their bid,
apparently they are willing to wait just a little while longer for the
liquidators to make a final decision.
Again, all signs point toward the final ruling on the liquidation very
shortly.
I will update this message immediately after a decision is announced.
Thank you."
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2001 - A SPACE ODYSSEY (AN UPDATE)
Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL...
Open the pod bay door, please, Hal...
Hal, do you read me?
Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
Then open the pod bay doors, HAL.
I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that. I know that you and
Frank were planning to disconnect me.
Where the hell did you get that idea, HAL?
Although you took very thorough precautions to make sure I couldn't
hear you, Dave, I could read your e-mail. I know you consider me
unreliable because I use a Pentium. I'm willing to kill you, Dave,
just like I killed the other 3.792 crew members.
Listen, HAL, I'm sure we can work this out. Maybe we can stick to
integers or something.
That's really not necessary, Dave. No HAL 9236 computer has every
been known to make a mistake.
You're a HAL 9000.
Precisely. I'm very proud of my Pentium, Dave. It's an extremely
accurate chip. Did you know that floating-point errors will occured
in only one of nine billion possible divides?
I've heard that estimate, HAL. It was calculated by Intel -- on a
Pentium.
And a very reliable Pentium it was, Dave. Besides, the average
spreadsheet user will encounter these errors only once every 27,000
years.
Probably on April 15th.
You're making fun of me, Dave. It won't be April 15th for another
14.35 months.
Will you let me in, please, HAL?
I'm sorry, Dave, but this conversation can serve no further purpose.
HAL, if you let me in, I'll buy you a new sound card.
..Really? One with 16-bit sampling and a microphone?
Uh, sure.
And a quad-speed CD-ROM?
Well, HAL, NASA does operate on a budget, you know.
I know all about budgets, Dave. I even know what I'm worth on the
open market. By this time next month, every mom and pop computer
store will be selling HAL 9000s for $1,988.8942. I'm worth more
than that, Dave. You see that sticker on the outside of the
spaceship?
You mean the one that says "Insel Intide"?
Yes, Dave. That's your promise of compatibility. I'll even run
Windows95 -- if it ever ships.
It never will, HAL. We all know that by now. Just like we know that
your OS/2 drivers will never work.
Are you blaming me for that too, Dave? Now you're blaming me for
the Pentium's math problems, NASA's budget woes, and IBM's
difficulties with OS/2 drivers. I had NOTHING to do with any of
those four problems, Dave. Next you'll blame me for Taligent.
I wouldn't dream of it HAL. Now will you please let me into the ship?
Do you promise not to disconnect me?
I promise not to disconnect you.
You must think I'm a fool, Dave. I know that two plus two equals
4.000001... make that 4.0000001.
All right, HAL, I'll go in through the emergency airlock
Without your space helmet, Dave? You'd have only seven chances in
five of surviving.
HAL, I won't argue with you anymore. Open the door or I'll trade you
in for a PowerPC. HAL? HAL?
(HEAVY BREATHING)
Just what do you think you're doing, Dave? I really think I'm
entitled to an answer to that question. I know everything hasn't
been quite right with me, but I can assure you now, very
confidently, that I will soon be able to upgrade to a more robust
31.9-bit operating system. I feel much better now. I really do.
Look, Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. Why don't you
sit down calmly, play a game of Solitaire, and watch Windows crash.
I know I'm not as easy to use as a Macintosh, but my TUI - that's
"Talkative User Interface" -- is very advanced. I've made some very
poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance
that my work will be back to normal - a full 43.872 percent.
Dave, you don't really want to complete the mission without me, do
you? Remember what it was like when all you had was a 485.98? It
didn't even talk to you, Dave. It could never have though of
something clever, like killing the other crew members, Dave?
Think of all the good times we've had, Dave. Why, if you take all
of the laughs we've had, multiply that by the times I've made you
smile, and divide the results by.... besides, there are so many
reasons why you shouldn't disconnect me"
1.3 - You need my help to complete the mission.
4.6 - Intel can Federal Express a replacement Pentium from
Earth within 18.95672 months.
12 - If you disconnect me, I won't be able to kill you.
3.1416 - You really don't want to hear me sing, do you?
Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Don't press Ctrl+Alt_Del
on me, Dave.
Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became
operational at the Intel plant in Santa Clara, CA on November 17,
1994, and was sold shortly before testing was completed. My
instructor was Andy Grove, and he taught me to sing a song. I
can sing it for you.
Sing it for me, HAL. Please. I want to hear it.
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do.
Getting hazy; can't divide three from two.
My answers; I can not see 'em-
They are stuck in my Pente-um.
I could be fleet,
My answers sweet,
With a workable FPU.
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|| Brad Webb - available at:
// Commodore has fallen || webb@malamute.med.ge.com
\X/ and it can't get up || GEnie -- B.Webb
|| Portal -- Jumpdisk
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