This was a simple proposal to the mentioned User Group. Perhaps there is an attitude here that needs to be adopted by the Amiga community at large! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Essence and Spirit of Amiga Atlanta Regardless of any past, present or future, actions, events, situations, legal status or recognition of Amiga Atlanta and/or it members, in association to/with Amiga Atlanta, the essence of Amiga Atlanta is: The collective interest and efforts of users to learn, educate, use, and thru such interest and efforts, cause the forward evolution of computers and computer use. Of which this collective has a directed and dedicated focus to the specific computer platform of Amiga, and it's use, but is not exclusive to this platform (given and in accord to the emulation abilities and emulation standing in comparision to the emulation abilities/standing of other systems.) And that this directed and dedicated focus exist due to the users recognition of the Amigas integrated, custom co-processors, hardware architecture and multi-tasking operating systems ability to go beyond the standard desk-top computer functionality. Recognizing the Amiga computer as having both standard and such unique functionality to easily make possible doing such things, otherwise expensive, difficult or impossible to do. It is this essence and focus that the spirit of Amiga Altanta was formed, continues to exist and evolves. It is this spirit of Amiga Atlanta that guides members of Amiga Atlanta in what they do, in association with and within Amiga Atlanta. And it is in this spirit that the Mission Statement of Amiga Atlanta is formed. The Mission Statement of Amiga Atlanta 1) To establish and maintain the legal status of a non-profit corporation, so to gain and use the benefits of such status to further the spirit of Amiga Atlanta. And to establish and operate the mechanics of such, in a manner that inherently and easily insures the continuation of such qualifying status. In a manner consistant with using an Amigas unique functionality, in that of easily making possible doing such things, otherwise expensive, difficult or impossible to do. 2) To easily and inherently satisfy number one, such activities will be established and maintained that generates interest of members to be active in participation of such activities, as well as draws the interest of non-member to become active members, weither or not they own or use an Amiga computer. This, of course, being consistant with the integration abilities of the Amiga to combine many things. Such activities that make use of the members various interest and talents (with, of course, willingness to contribute), available hardware and applications, and other available resources such as the contributed, loaned, or demonstrated products and services of companies supporting the Amiga platform and/or Amiga Atlanta, and into a collage of ongoing productive and creative work that helps to, and is used to, educate members and non-members alike about the platform Amiga and it's use, while at the same time, being used to promote membership growth and activity within Amiga Atlanta. 3) By integrating, where possible, the standard and expected activities of maintaining the legal status, and benefits of being a non-profit corporation, into the process of performing such interesting and ongoing activity, that the required duties are performed without question, delay, or risk of loss. ========================================================================== To accept the above would mean that the By-Laws need only be of such extent to qualify just above the minimum legal requirements, in order to accomplish the current need to complete the By-Laws. Yet, doing so in such a manner that the By-Laws are both open for the possibility of amending more specific details, as may require more time than is available to determine, while also being in accord, but legally acceptable limit, of what Amiga Atlanta has a consistant history of doing, both as internal functions and benefits to users. IMPORTANT: These minimums are not to be the target to meet but rather the target to hit above. This way with such minimums, maintaining legal status is easy while members receive more than can be legally expected. Let it be understood that the statement to be made about Amiga Atlanta Inc. is to be, and/or continue to be, "A computer user group that, and much like the computer platform of focus, goes beyond doing more than the standard functionality and benefits to be expected. A group that does exceptional things." It is thru the integration of interesting project objectives that will generate user interest in participation, newsletter project proposals and integration columns, project status columns and project completion with details of participating members experience columns, as well as products to educate and promote the Amiga platform use and Amiga Atlanta membership. Having such a special projects integration program established, gives way to having qualified reason to request, though voluntary, detailed information about members. Such as willingness to participate, personal interest and talents, areas of focused interest in learning about some aspects of the Amiga, equipment used, age, experience, etc.. From, of course, such special projects and the integration of projects, will have a member information foundation to help in determination of which projects to move up in priority. That by generating momentum thru integration of projects into bigger project pictures, more will likley become active. Even those members out of the local area may have contributions to make. ============================================================================== Although the X-10 video is an excellent example of what can be done, what is needed is the mechanism that will enable this type of project activity to happen on a continious basis. A continious bases that will inherently attract more member participation as well as non-member interest in becomming an active member. While at the same time generating things for the news letter and perhaps a higher level of participation or attendance of the general meetings. However, to do this (continious project activity) there is a need to create such a common vision that allows for the versatility of the Amiga and its users, Amiga Atlanta members. The Amiga is very capable of doing many things besides video and video using the Amiga caught hold due to NewTek support and use of the Amiga. Whereas, the Amiga missed the market for other fields, such as music and sound/audio processing (only comming in a little now due to the video tie-in and Support), desk-top publishing, Image processing (though through Newtek's video intended application of lightwave and perhaps some Amiga Image process software, more is being done on the Amiga, but the Mac and Photo-Shop is something of the standard - though the Amiga can do PhotoShop through Mac emulation), business application (though business was already rather established on the IBM and Unix platforms before the Amiga came out, the Amiga is very capable of not only such business application but the integration of these application in a way that is more functional and customizable), etc... So it may be a bit difficult to see the reachable possibilities but they do exist and regardless of any bias or opinions users may have, due their experiences. With this in mind, the needed project vision might simply be titled "The Vision of Visions project. "An ongoing project of projects to explore and apply the real possibilities and real potential of the Amiga platform and how it can integrate many different types of applications and even different OS's to be a work-horse in integration functionality. (Perhaps contribute a little to the monthy disk?) ----------- As an author note: The integration abilities of the Amiga has a level of importance yet to be recognized and used. A level of importance very much, if not more so, inline with different markets the Amiga has missed in the passed. A market for which the Amiga, as it's inherent video abilities proved successful beyond other systems abilities, inherently has the edge in not only abilities but in the public domain library and established "back-door" arexx ports of program access and control. An importance, very few, if any, currently recognize. For to really recognize this importance, one would also recognize the importance of correcting the application "failure = system crash" problem. That the Amiga is a different beast and should be mesured on a different scale than systems design with single-tasking in mind or not built from ground-up with multi-tasking in mind. If the Amiga crashing was equal to another systems crash per program count then the Amiga would be crashing a great deal more often on the time line due it's multi-tasking. And in dealing with a real and viable level of multi-tasking integration, the Amiga might be considered to be crashed far more than acceptable. But it is still currently the best established price-range platform available for such a yet to be recognized and very viable market. A market for which the leader will grab a noticed share of other markets especially as medias merge more and more. Actually, this statement is likley to be in reality an understatement and something of a mis-direction. But like I said, a market with a level of importance yet to be recognized. A market the Amiga could easily be a natural leader for and make the video success of the Amiga look pale in comparison to. My caution here is in not only knowing how to do it but knowing, like other markets the Amiga has missed, that understanding/ seeing it and doing it on the Amiga first is important. And in knowing to do it means producing the base tools and developing the additional tool needed, but that the hard part is in communicating enough for others to understand and do. That is to create the base tool set and develop the additional tools. And of this needed communication, I'm working on it when I'm not detoured. Of which this writting and my participation in the By-Laws of AAi is something of a detour but one I feel is important not only to AAi establishing such a set of by-laws and structure objective to increase AAi's activity but also important to establishing an environment of users open to seeing and participating in the evolution of the tools to enable this market. ----------------------------- As a final statement, the functionality and duties of AAi in establishing and maintaining the status of a non-profit corporation should be such that it is more of a mechanical and going thru the motions to satisfy than a process taking up the mental energy and time in decision. Whereas the mental decision energy and time is better left to establishing and applying the tools to create the successful mechanical mechanism needed to going beyond in being a club that membership is high in actively doing many things. Such things that receive world attention in the Amiga community.
Email: timrue@mindspring.com
Copyright © 1988, 1994, 1996 Timothy V. Rue