From my perspective they didn't release anything outside of the C64 that actually warrented the attention they got. I know a lot of companies release rebandred PC's but they don't deviate wildly in price from the original manufacturers price. When they released the Mio everyone knew that they were just asking far too much for a machine that was been sold for half the price, in some cases, elsewhere and coming to EOL. Even the rebadged cases were wildly expensive compared to what you could actually purchase them for. The c64x was the only unique product they had.

When you play in the commodity PC market you have to be competative enough to keep up with other companies or indipendent retailers. Most indipendent PC stores, the kind that are run by one guy and his family, are already pushing the margins between affordability and making a profit. I know because I have worked for places like this in the past. However CUSA's pries where too much. If this was down to licensing I don't know but even so it didn't make them financially viable to a lot of people. I mean why spend over $1000 on a Atom based computer when you can get an i7 desktop. Or even a really good laptop. Hell you could even buy a Mac.

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@tommywright

Quote:

Yeah but it's different for the community leaders... guys like Trevor and Barry have to behave at different standards... not get involved in petty argument stuff. Even if they are personally attacked. They should know that people are looking to get a rise out of them any way they can and they should be above that.

The problem was that Barry was getting involved in petty arguments, he was starting them.

After companies like iWin, anyone coming onto an Amiga site gets put through the grinder and receives a background check that puts the FBI/CIA to shame. Anyone remember how Dennis was welcomed on the original Minimig thread?

Barry's problem was that instead of coming out and saying "hey, I'm just an average guy, running a small business making custom PCs", he tried to pass himself off as the new Dell/HP/Apple. It wasn't helped by his constant transparent lies. Even though he kept getting caught out, he still kept on lying and just got more and more angry whenever someone pointed them out.

Looking back on the "factory" one, that was just insane. We all know now (hell, we knew back then) that it wasn't "his factory" and we sure as hell know that those tens of thousands of motherboards were not "his" and were not on their way to Florida. And yet his excuse was that his "agent in China" sent him the picture and he "didn't know it wasn't his factory". Not actually owning a factory should have made it obvious that it wasn't "his", and not ordering tens of thousands of motherboards should have made it painfully obvious that those weren't "his" either. Couple that with someone who apparently couldn't even recognize what his own motherboards look like didn't give anyone a warm, fuzzy feeling.

He wasn't helped by his "unofficial staff" either. Dammy constantly starting new threads promising the Moon were just asking to get torn apart, and yet that's what we (and other sites) got, over and over until the C-USA threads were put out of sight.

It wasn't personal, it just how normal people treat compulsive liars. All companies hype themselves up. People do it on CVs too. However C-USA crossed the mark big style and just kept on running.

They had ample opportunities to say "I'm sorry" and try and start again, but "sorry" didn't appear to be a word in their dictionary mainly because they weren't sorry about lying, they were just pissed that they kept being caught out.

They were treated no worse than anybody else and you just have to read threads on the X1000 or OS4 Netbook to see that nobody gets cut any slack.

Considering the size of our market and our small numbers we do seem to take what has now become a "hobby" way too seriously. That doesn't mean that we deserve to be lied to or taken in by a con-man. I say that as someone who owns an Amiga Inc voucher.

We're very kind to those who don't promise the Earth and who post factual updates. Take the FPGA Arcade for example, it is way overdue from the original estimates but we know it is a limited operation which is being worked on part-time by just a couple of people.

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@CritAnime

Yep, the whole idea of the market they were in was that you would supply something that the big companies don't at a cheap price. In the PC market that means buying in bulk to get a big discount and then selling at a retail price. The margins as you say are small and you can probably make more cash by bundling extended warrantees or by customizing the components to order.

What seemed to become apparent was that they didn't actually have the ability to buy in bulk. They appeared to wait for several orders to come in, place an order for that many machines at the same price Joe Bloggs could order them for and them mark the final sales price up through the roof.

No wonder they weren't pushing OEM Windows, because that would have added another $100-$140 to the price as they would have to buy them at retail too and have to provide the support.

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@Darrin

Spot on. Its only those that knew him personally or were let into "secret" plans or who feel patriotic bulging in the under pant area who have a problem with your admirable summary. With a bit more distance and a read through of his interviews again they may put dented pride and interest to one side and be a little more objective about it.

Or not.

@Clapper


As someone who did know Barry I would say that you are on crack. I didn't have an issue with him even before I knew him personally. I will say I do have an issue with hypocrites.

The same things being said about Barry could be said about Hyperion, Ben Hermans, Bill Buck even Trevor. However most people choose not to make those same comments about them? Why is that? Maybe it's because we in this community feel we are entitled to have a say as to what happens to the oh so glorious name of a dead platform.

Barry came along and went a completely different route many disagreed with him. Some agreed but the end of the day does it matter what we think? No, what matters is whoever puts up the money can do what they want with it.

I for one hope that acer finds the paperwork somewhere in their dungeons to end the whole mess.

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@Darrin

Quote:

He wasn't helped by his "unofficial staff" either. Dammy constantly starting new threads promising the Moon were just asking to get torn apart, and yet that's what we (and other sites) got, over and over until the C-USA threads were put out of sight.

You've said this time and time again and it's been proven that it wasn't Dammy starting those threads it was YOU and YOUR buddies over on amiga.org. Sure Dammy was outspoken but don't distort the facts to try and prove your point.

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@terminills

Yeah thanks for the crack comment. I listed several possibilities and maybe you are a new category but you fit one perfectly.

I too think Hermans Buck and all are fairly crap people. Don't assume too much about me.

Altman deserves to be remembered for all his facets good and bad, the fact that other are unpleasant also does not excuse him.

Last edited by Clapper on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:34 PM.

@terminills

I don't recall Hyperion or Trevor telling us about $30m advertising budgets, factories in China, Linux being OS5, or sending me nastygrams in the mail.

Bill Buck certainly got treated worse than Barry did despite the fact that he pushed the manufacture of several motherboards. Bill Buck and I went at it on several occasions, but at least he buried the hatchet in the end.

Shame you seem to hold everyone else to a higher standard than C-USA.

Barry's route wasn't the problem. It was his lies and his unprofessional attitude. His pet henchmen didn't help either. You might say that you have no problems with him, but I've got some PMs from him that tell a different story and so do a lot of other people..

Does it matter what we think? I'd say it does if we're meant to be the customer. Sure he can put up the money and do what he wants, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it.

At the end of the day it could have been a completely different story. The big question is, were the lies and threats all Barry's idea, or was he just getting the worst advice in the word from so-called "friends"?

You say you knew Barry, so you might know the answer. Was someone else the problem?

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@terminills

Quote:

You've said this time and time again and it's been proven that it wasn't Dammy starting those threads it was YOU and YOUR buddies over on amiga.org. Sure Dammy was outspoken but don't distort the facts to try and prove your point.

Now who is on drugs? Looks like you have a very selective memory.

I haven't distorted anything. I see you're just continuing the same pattern of lies. Dammy started threads and Dammy made announcements for C-USA. Fact.

Last edited by Darrin on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:45 PM.

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@Clapper

Exactly. I think terminills sees what he wants to see because he was that close to things.

I'm sure Barry had his good side with his friends, but all of us have faults and it doesn't excuse them.

Last edited by Darrin on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:46 PM.
Last edited by Darrin on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:43 PM.

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@Darrin

http://www.amiga.org/forums/tags.php?tag=commodoreusa


again HOW many of those threads did Dammy start?


I counted 1 or 2. Thanks for playing. ;)


I'll even expand the list a little for you.


linky

Last edited by terminills on 22-Mar-2013 at 07:58 PM.
Last edited by terminills on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:56 PM.
Last edited by terminills on 22-Mar-2013 at 06:53 PM.

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@terminills

That's threads "commodoreusa", not other variations and doesn't include announcement in threads already existing. How about "threads started by dammy".

Thanks for playing.

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@Darrin



Quote:

Bill Buck certainly got treated worse than Barry did despite the fact that he pushed the manufacture of several motherboards. Bill Buck and I went at it on several occasions, but at least he buried the hatchet in the end.

You are correct he did he left this community and is doing better for it.

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@terminills

Yep, I think he and his wife did much better when they decided to concentrate on the industrial market. Personally, I hope they're both doing well.

(Search for all threads by Dammy and check the titles... I just did )

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@Darrin/terminills

As much fun as it is to dig up the past, no one can even read what you're saying. The layout is destroyed on many browsers due to the bad link.
Please embed it.

#6

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@number6

Which posts? The only links I've used are using the "quote" function and they display OK using IE.

Let me know which ones are causing problems and I'll edit them.

Thanks.

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@Darrin

Already fixed by terminills. It was post #71. replaced by "linky".

#6

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@terminills

Quote:

You've said this time and time again and it's been proven that it wasn't Dammy starting those threads it was YOU and YOUR buddies over on amiga.org. Sure Dammy was outspoken but don't distort the facts to try and prove your point.

Hmmm ... so C-USA did no market trolling (Call it aggressive marketing) at all?
Surely, we must have all imagined it.

And AROS development promises, A1200 dream case,
Workbench V, $20 000 Amigas for pros etc. they all happened.

Wnat did they used to tell us?

You have to let go to take off?

Now they have been gone, or taken off.

So maybe could move to Amigahistory (if it gets updated) or Free Amiga website
as Amiga Inc OffShoot venture.

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@vox
WTF does that have to do with what you quoted? Oh wait nothing... ...snipped my mod...

Lay off the personal attacks please

Regards,

Darrin

Last edited by Darrin on 25-Mar-2013 at 05:26 PM.
Last edited by Darrin on 25-Mar-2013 at 05:26 PM.

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@terminills

Quote:

terminills wrote: again HOW many of those threads did Dammy start? I counted 1 or 2. Thanks for playing. ;) I'll even expand the list a little for you.

Sorry mate but your counting skills are sorely lacking on this one...

Here's a wee list of those more than 2 CUSA threads started by Dammy on A.org... you can put your foot firmly back in your mouth again...

C= Trade Mark Has A New Daddy

Commodore Amiga Mini

Update

More C64x Pics at Commodore USA Customination Facility in Ft. Lauderdale

Sneak Peek Of New Vic Plus and Vic Pro

CommodoreUSA Begins Shipment of C64x and VIC Slim

Photos of VIC Slim Production

Even More Photos From C=USA

CUSA COS 1.0 Amiga

C64x's Pre-Production Video

1982

Images of C64x Mold

I aint very good at counting but even I managed to count past two (try removing yer socks, it works for me)...

Last edited by Franko on 25-Mar-2013 at 04:39 PM.

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