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