| Volume 2, Issue 12 |
Yes.
On the other hand, we also believe we are being realistic. Over the last couple of months, some AM staff members (myself among them) have done some pessimistic-sounding writing. Generally, we go to the trouble of backing up and explaining our ideas with facts.
We have received plenty of feedback, some criticizing us harshly, and some applauding us. To those who go on the offensive, a few ground rules:
Differentiate between news and editorial. We place them in the same part of our magazine (under the assumption that people can tell the difference) because editorials generally deal with news. But some have accused us of spiting the hallowed halls of journalism with our opinions. Folks, pure editorial and pure journalism are not the same thing.
I found it particularly entertaining that one reader referred to my "Amiga R.I.P." opening to last month's issue as "flame bait." That's ridiculous. "Flaming" and "Trolling" occur via Usenet and e-mail, not in a magazine. If I had wanted only to invite criticism, there are better places to do it. Additionally, realize that "Editor's Notes" is the column in which I express my opinions each month. Whether you agree or disagree is your choice, but the fact remains that this department is for my opinions. If you don't want them, skip this column. If you want to disagree, write to "Feedback." But don't try to say I'm passing my opinions off as "journalism."
There is a significant rift growing in the Amiga community. There are very strong opinions on both sides of the matter as to whether Amiga Inc. has revived or killed off the Amiga, and it just so happens that several of us here at AM are of the latter mindset. Several are of the former as well.
Deal with reality. If Amiga Inc. does what they seem to be saying they're going to do, the next Amiga will be an Amiga only in name. They appear to be removing every shred of familiarity. (I don't much care what hardware platform they use at this point; it's the OS that I like, but even that appears to be going to the wayside.) Far be it for me to judge the "morality" of such a decision; all I've been saying is that the Amiga as we know it was officially laid to rest at the World of Amiga in May. The next machine may be great, or it may be horrible; that is irrelevant in this context, because it will be vastly different. I think it's a shame that the Amiga is dead, but that's my opinion.
If you want sugar-coated facts, a magazine is not the place to look. Try www.amiga.com and www.amiga.de for starters.
For those who can't stomach opinions, we'll try to keep supplying interesting reviews, features, and press releases. For everybody else, The Amiga Monitor is what it is, like it or not.
Michael Webb
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
The Amiga Monitor: © 1996-1998, Excelsior Digital Publishing