On 02-Apr-98 10:34:13 D Tansleywrote: >One of the major problems I see with buying Amiga-bits these days, is the >fact that hardly any places actually have anything in stock. I currently >have a copy of Fusion 3.1 on back order with Blittersoft, and a Blizzard >SCSI module on back order with White Knight. >I appreciate the situation these companies are in, but it would be nice >to be able to pay for next day delivery, and actually get it the next day >for a change. I'm going to take this opportunity to not only respond to your post but to write and communicate a solution direction I'll post to a link on my web page "The Plan = TeamWork" David, I think what alot of people are failing to realize is that in more ways than not, the Amiga platform is not only starting over from ground up, but also on new, never before seen, ground. When the Amiga first came out there where few third party Amiga specific companies. As time went by the number of users and third party developers increased proportionately. Then came the Commodore fall and following years of new growth delays which only lead to a shrinking market and many third party companies either jumping ship or going bankrupt. Although we have some survivors in the third party market there is still an unbalance between new growth and these third parties developments. It doesn't help for people to not recognize "powered by Amiga" is in fact new growth, or at least efforts to sustain the current user base (opposed to a declining user base.) Hey, the Amiga is tackeling and beating such "against all odds" problems that no other company has successfully done before. This is the reality of what is happening, the Amiga is going where no other platform has. What this means is that the Amiga is successfully recovering and covering new territory which requires new solutions. Add to this the bigger picture of what is happening across the board in the computer industry. Sales are slowing and likely due to the coming and already begun problems. Lack of man power in dealing with the Y2K problem. (in the last few days reports have been comming from the UK, Canada and the US that directly state or otherwise indicate what I have been saying. The Y2K problem is beyond repair but now only a matter of damage control.) This realization along with some communication advances is causing alot of re-thinking to be going on. People are slowing down to think about different facets of the industry, like changing manufacturing methods and processes to speed up "idea to product time". None of this helps the Amiga market situation, but if anything makes it more of a challenge worth getting thru. Unlike other platforms right now, the Amiga has a very low and shrinking overhead and this gives the Amiga advantages. The Amiga is in a very good financial position to lead the way for *change.* I believe this is the general picture Jeff Schindler was refering to when he said things will get worse before they get better. But they will get better, make no mistake. Back to your concerns: Q: How do we improve what seems to be (by traditional methods) a supply and demand problem? The answer starts by realizing traditional methods no longer work. That it's time to take another look at what is, and without traditional tinted glasses on. To see it anew. With this in mind, it helps alot to realize the human mind is a wonderful and powerful thing if you let it work. In other words, without consciously seeing the solution you must first consciously realize there is a solution, there is always a solution. Otherwise you'll only limit or prevent your mind from letting you see what the solution is. Ok, now that we have removed mental blocks let's take a look at what is. Everyone is of "the first and the last", the body of the consumer, the first to consider and last to receive. However, in order to be a good consumer you must also be a producer of value, generating or earning value you can exchange. Simply put: Combine the concepts of consumer and producer into a product and service. Let's cause cash flow to happen. This product is both a consumer item and an opportunity to earn value. As an opportunity to earn: There is no limit to the amount you may earn. But you must earn it, there is no free lunch. There are different, more specific opportunities within the main opportunity part of the product. I.E. regular monthly consumer purchase - to receive a discount, sales - to earn value. This is the most important opportunity so it is here where the earning amount ceiling must be removed. To do this is to provide the incentive to build a customer, business associate and support organization. This is not the only way to earn but the most important because it supports the others. developer - to earn value from selling thru the consumer part of the product. An exchange of discount to consumer for sales marketing force. Information provider - to earn value from providing information used in the product. i.e. sales litature and product information, training information, educational information, general and specific interest info, etc.. Service provider - i.e. your service is available thru the catolog but at a discount in exchange for sales marketing force. ETC. All these earning positions can offset and surpass the cost of the subscription. As a consumer product: At the very least it is a monthly subscription to informaton. What we have traditionally seen as a magizine but what is becomming the internet. However, at this point in time things are changing, so we need to supply a bridge for change. * All we really need is a base amount of monthly purchase agreement to receive a discount. * The subscription includes a catalog of products and services offered thru the plan at subcriber discount as well as non-subscriber retail. The catalog includes the opportunity to subscribe and earn value. * Consumer feedback is focused to a single point and from this the consumer has a voice heard in directing the big picture of this product and opportunity advancement. First to consider is the consumer so "what do we consumers want at this focal point?" And we are all consumers of this product. As a combined opportunity and product the advantages are: Establishing "cash flow" certainty from subscription. With this we can focus on improving the consumer received products, services and opportunity value. Who is doing this? We subscribers are!! For who? Ourselves!! We the consumer must give to AI value, in exchange for what we will receive from them. (Less Intellectual Property constraints over standards. And focus on evolving standards that have less constraints.) The exchange is this: Team Work between all parties thru a user/consumer marketing force opportunity; in exchange for evolving computer product compatability and versatility. (the incentive in the team work removes control over standards, allowing support of open and free standards to naturally evolve compatability and versatility of computer products). What AI receives is profit from holding, being the focal point of, and operating subscription product and opportunity business. Also receiving profit from any products it produces and makes available thru the subscription as well as, of course, licensing of technology (basic licensing information is included in the initial information product subscription - helping to market licensing). The Organization to be the holder, the focal point and maintainer of these standards is the ICOA. A service provider of which developers subscribe to as an detailed information source and contributor, and consumers are informed of and heard thru the base product subscription. Extra natural benefits from teamwork: Things like non-profit user groups will naturally grow and evolve as focused product support groups. Separate from this will evolve profitable business training and marketing organizations. All these will naturally contribute to new product and standards development direction simply because there is a natural communication structure created thru subscriber, marketing opportunity and other income generating opportunities. All we need to do: To do all of this, we users (all of us consumers, developers, information providers, etc.) must simply work with AI to develop the product catalog, information subscription and earning opportunity. The organization for standards (ICOA) already exist and waiting to function with subscriber focused direction. The difference between the standards and AI licensed technology is of specific technology that simply adhears to the established standards. In summary: By providing a common two way communication focal point, a feedback loop thru a subscription product and earning opportunities, we have teamwork direction and cash flow. The questions: What do we users (all of us) want in product subscription and earning opportunity? And, what are we willing to pay for it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *3 S.E.A.S - Virtual Interaction Configuration (VIC) - VISION OF VISIONS!* *~ ~ ~ Advancing the way we Perceive and Use the Tool of Computers!* Timothy Rue What's DONE in anything we do? Email @ timrue@mindspring.com *AI PK OI IP OP SF IQ ID KE* Web @ http://www.mindspring.com/~timrue/ >INPUT->(Processing)->OUTPUT>v ^<--------<----9----<--------< Search email/name @ http://www.dejanews.com for other puzzle parts/posts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~