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Amiga Update (1996-11-13)
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/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || Amiga Update -News and Rumors
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AMIGA and the Amiga logo are trademarks of Amiga Technologies, GmbH
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961113
F E E T O F C L A Y O N C E A G A I N ? ?
T H E L A T E S T F R O M V I S C O R P
C O L O G N E U P D A T E
C - 6 4 F O L K T A K E N O T E !
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About this issue:
Our first article today is not pleasant. It was posted to the Internet
today and is purportedly from Carl Sassenrath, AmigaOS programmer and
VIScorp associate (formerly?). It describes VIScorp as no more a capable
owner for the Amiga than was Escom. We have no reason to assume this is
not a genuine posting, though we certainly can't comment from our own
knowledge about the charges leveled. We would be very happy to run a
response from VIScorp. We checked the VIScorp WWW site today and Mr.
Sassenrath is in fact no longer listed there.
We actually do have some information from VIScorp today and are running it
as our second item. The tone of the note is in stark contrast to the one
with Mr. Sassenrath's name on it.
This weekend sees the large Amiga show in Cologne, Germany. We have a very
interesting posting from Schatztruhe GmbH. Looks like their booth may be
THE place to visit for those attending.
We hope you enjoy this issue, despite our first item.
Brad Webb, Editor
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S A S S E N R A T H S P E A K S O U T !
Date: 13 Nov 1996 19:50:02 GMT
Many of you have been wondering what's happening with VIScorp,
the Amiga, and why my name is no longer on the vistv web site.
I hope this is not too long-winded for you, but here is a
brief summary of my story:
1. I joined VIScorp about a year ago as a consultant to help
them create new system software for the Amiga. I believed
at that time that they had the ability to take the Amiga
into several new, huge markets around the world. They
made many promises to me in order to get me to join
the project.
2. In March 1996 VIScorp informed me that they planned to buy
Amiga Technologies. The reason was simple: for the vast
quantities of Amigas that they planned, it was cheaper to
buy AT then to pay the royalty. It seemed to me that this
could work, if they could come up with the money.
3. Over the months that followed, I made numerous suggestions
to VIScorp regarding what they needed to do to support and
further improve the Amiga. I even proposed a business plan
centered around the Amiga, as it seemed to me that you CAN
have an ALTERNATE computer for people who don't want PCs.
After all, what would our cars be like if only one company
produced them? The Amiga offered us a choice.
4. VIScorp never responded to my suggestions. Not once.
In fact, they kept me totally in the dark as to what they
were doing and what progress had been made on the AT deal.
I never knew from day to day what was going to happen next.
5. By August I was starting to tire of VIScorp and its unkept
promises to all of us. They were 110 days behind in paying
me, and I was very disappointed in the whole mess that they
had brought on the Amiga community, developers and dealers,
and myself. It had become clear to me that VIScorp was
not competent. I took a couple weeks off and went to
Florida.
6. In September I tried to recruit RJ Mical to join the team.
I put a lot of energy into it, as RJ was skeptical of VIScorp.
I finally succeeded! Then, VIScorp blew him off. RJ and I
couldn't believe it. What were they doing?
7. Finally, I decided to focus 100% on what they had
originally hired me for: to create a TV set-top Amiga.
Perhaps if we could build a good demo, VIScorp could
convince one of its investors to contribute extra cash.
By the end of September, Don, Steve, Jim, and I had finished
a dazzling prototype of such an STB. In my opinion, it
really showed off what the Amiga could do as a STB. The
software for it was entirely written by Jim and I, because
VIScorp had not been paying any of the other contractors.
8. After delivering the prototype, I never heard a word back.
VIScorp was again far behind in payments. What were they
doing? What had gone wrong? What was next?
9. Whatever it was, I didn't want to be part of it any longer.
I've never seen such an idiotic, screwed-up, incompetent
company (and I am saying it mildly). VIScorp was worse
than Commodore, and I never thought that was possible.
I took my name off the web site, vowing not to be a part
of this lunacy.
So what can I say? Please don't flame me for doing this.
I refuse to be part of such a sloppy situation, regardless
of my love for the Amiga. Over the last 10 months I have
heard from many of you, and have sent nearly 1500 personal
email replies to you. All I can say is that I am sorry that
I could not do more for you and our Amiga Computer.
I am unsure what the future holds for the Amiga. Perhaps
VIScorp or some other company will scrape together enough
cash to make the AT purchase. We can only hope.
As for my future, I am going to return to what I do best:
operating systems and languages. You have not heard the
last from me. I can imagine a system much better than the
Amiga.... now to create it. Truely, only time will tell.
Stay in touch my friends.
Sincerely yours,
Carl Sassenrath
Ex-VIScorp OS Guy
carl@sassenrath.com
Permission granted to copy and repost.
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V I S C O R P U P D A T E
Date: 12 Nov 1996 05:52:25 GMT
Sorry for the extra time this update has taken. My personal life has
intervened, as I believe it still has a right to do, and has made keeping
up to date for the past week or so difficult. I'd like to once again
apologize to the members of the ACE user group in the Chicagoland area for
cancelling my appearance at their 10th anniversary celebration last week.
Congratulations to ACE, and indeed to all active Amiga user groups.
Computer '96 in Cologne
-----------------------
Contrary to what I thought, VIScorp will indeed have representation at the
Computer '96 show in Cologne. I will be at the show, spending a good deal
of time at my host's booth, Schatztruhe. I should be at the show most of
Friday and all of Saturday. (Getting these details finalized has also
delayed the release of an update.)
Statement From Bill Buck, CEO of VIScorp.
----------------------------------------
Just as many in the company do, Bill Buck makes it a point to try to
respond to each and every piece of e-mail he gets. However, due to some
failing computers and a lack of available time, he's been unable to get
online for any significant length of time. I spoke with him this Friday
and he wanted me to assure all of the authors of the ~370 messages that
were in his mailbox when last he was able to scan the messages, as well as
the authors of the messages he's received but has not seen since then, that
they will be answered in time.
No, We Haven't Given Up
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As the requisite reassurance that yes, VIScorp continues to be dedicated to
the acquisition of the Amiga technology, read the preceding header. Once
that technology is acquired, we will be able to move forward with its
further development for desktop and set-top applications.
--
Jason Compton jcompton@xnet.com
Communications Manager - Amiga, VIScorp http://www.vistv.com/
Editor-in-Chief, Amiga Report Magazine (847) 741-0689 FAX
I know what I like. And I like what I know.
AR on Aminet - docs/mags/ar???.lha AR Mailing list - Mail me
WWW - http://www.omnipresence.com/Amiga/News/AR, www.cucug.org/ar/ar.html
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S C H A T Z T R U H E A T C O L O G N E
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 07:36:21 CST6CDT
This weekend the worlds largest Amiga show will take place in Cologne,
Germany. The Schatztruhe GmbH will present its full range of Amiga
products and many well known Amiga personalities stay at our booth:
Greg Perry (GPSoftware)
Jonathan Potter (Directory Opus)
Urban Mueller (Aminet)
and last but not least we are very proud to announce that the famous
Jason Compton from VIScorp
will be at our booth (Friday and Saturday).
That's a once in a lifetime chance to meet so many interesting people and
to inform yourself about the future of the Amiga.
As always we do offer special show discounts on many products and every
customer, who buys a product at our booth, will receive a FREE Amiga CD as
a present.
The location of the show is the Cologne Fair, Hall 10.2. The show starts
on Friday 15.11.1996 and lasts until Sunday 17.11.1996. The show opens at
9.00 AM in the morning and is closed at 6.00 PM in the evening.
See you in Cologne!
--
Stefan Ossowskis Schatztruhe Gesellschaft für Software mbH
Veronikastr. 33 - 45131 Essen - Germany
Phone: ++49-201-788778 Fax ++49-201-798447
EMail: stefano@tchest.e.eunet.de WWW: http://www.schatztruhe.de/
Visit our Web site and join our mailing-list.
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Copyright 1996 by Brad Webb. Freely distributable, if not modified.
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