NOTE: I seem to have run into an interesting problem in the writing and editing of this document. Three or four times I have edited and made corrections but the "intuitive" tools (application) I was using to do so doesn't understand that save means to save all changes, as in current state. But rather it's selective about what corrections it saves. This is an interesting problem because it is reflective of what this document is about. I'm not a stupid end user who doesn't know how to use the tools, but an intelligent end user that recognizes faulty software and programmer error. An end user who wonders: why should I report such a problem that should never have happened in the first place? With this said, know that I switch tools to add this note and I am leaving the errors in.

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Simple Solutions for complex sounding problems:

The computer industry is facing the evolution of major problems. Nobody really wants to admit it but this denial is not going to stop what is going to happen with absolute certainty. The problem is simply unstoppable due to it size, complexity and current industry incentive.

Overall the problem amounts to non-productive expenses vs. profit potential. When it hits the 50/50 point, and it's beginning to now, businesses using computers will re-evaluate the value of computers and determine that it's profit potential is null or less. But it won't stop here, it'll continue towards generating a drain for business, like a trap. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The year 2000 computer date problem (actually it's 2001, fiscal year ending) is only a small blasting cap. But one that will, without question, cause the majority to wake up and re-evaluate the non-productive vs. profit potential issue. What they will find is that the computer industry, overall, is costing them more than it is worth. The 50/50 point is happening parrallel to the Y2K problem. There is more to this issue than the "experts" can comprehend and there is a identifiable reason why they cannot comprehend the full reality of it. No matter, after it happens they will try to explain themselves but won't be able to.

The simple solution is to first identify the element causing the negitive influence. It's been identified as the built-in incentive of how Intellectual Property is wrongly used as currency. Incentive built-in via. how IP is legally dealt with. It's ownership and control of. This current incentive has caused major mental blocks of those in the industry due to the past financial success of it's application. But this current incentive is wrong. It promotes the application of easy and safe techniques of dishonesty in it's drive to obtain and control IP, and inherently it is limited as the growing problems are verifying with absolute certainty. The general attitude of those in the industry, given the current incentive, can be summed up by saying: The end user must never be told they have any intelligence because we don't want them to know it is they who supply us with the solutions we make claim to, and sell back to them. An attitude totally biased against providing any genuine recognition and reward given to the end users but often providing a little, but limited, illusion of recognition.

The problem with this attitude of the industry is that it has caused industry short-sightedness and the resulting failure of the industry to see the corner they have created for themselves. As mention elsewhere, it's simple physics.

The simple solutions I've been trying to communicate for so time include:

Harware solution - The need to provide better consumer choice in system parts.components as well as investment and upgrade price (user oriented modular packaging and connectivity).

Marketing solution - The need to provide the consumer with the ability to make a real difference in many areas of the computer industry while being honestly recognized and properly rewarded for doing so (user marketing plan).

Software solution - The need to dump "re-inventing the wheel" in order to more quickly produce higher quality software. This also includes providing the end users with such tools that will both allow them to easily learn general programming concepts and make use of this knowledge. The industry simply does not have anywhere near the needed manpower to continue the illusion of end users being stupid. That is if the industry has any real hope of resolving the problems they have created. (Such tools as the VIC objective presents).

The technicalities of the solutions are easy, especially comparied to the human element of resistance due the current built-in faulty IP incentive.

More than once I have set out to write more in the way of details regarding these solutions, but just as now I can't seem to write them out. However, it's not that I don't know or don't have the ability to do so, because I do know and have the talent to do so.

The problem is: I'm an end user. Given the hard reality of the industry attitude towards end users, as mentioned above as well as plenty of personal experience, what more can I expect than, at best, the caricature mockery of my efforts that I've seen plenty of?

As mentioned above, simple solutions start by first identifing the element responsible for the negitivity and resulting growth of non-productive waste in and being generated by the computer industry.

My knowing what this element is, and I do know it's IP mis-handeling, is not enough. Remember, I'm just a "dumb end user" and with this, realize the absolute hypocritically blindness of the industry has not the ability to fully comprehend the genuine and needed solutions.

So, how am I to really communicate simple solution details, when I know full well that caricature mockery will be applied to turn simple solutions into some overly complex sounding things, and further distorted to remove any genuine recognition and reward many end users have earned a right to?

FIRST THING FIRST! IP MIS-HANDELING IS THE KEY PRIORITY PROBLEM TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND HONESTLY SEE!!! Nobody can or will do it for you!

The Amiga, in many ways, is a very good position to be the leader of the needed changes. But the same problem exist even here.

Timothy Rue