[Coco] Nick's Survey results

[Nickolas Marentes]

The survey so far isn't a raging success with only 6 responses so far. I
guess it's still early to call but I am getting some data about the current
CoCo market and community.

The results so far are of no surprise. Here is my summary, adding in some of
my own personal observations from the list.

My purpose for the survey is to ascertain the viability of me spending the
next 6-12 months of my precious little spare time to develop another CoCo3
game. I like developing games for the CoCo but the enjoyment falls a bit
flat if there are few people to appreciate the effort.

I see the CoCo community as a mature group of adults who are past the games
stage and primarily interested in communicating with one another and are
fond of OS9.

While there are over 100 users on this list, the number of "active users"
appears far less, probably 20-25 with the majority taking a "back seat
observers post". Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

As for active developers of saleable/commercial level products, this number
falls even further with people such as Mark Marlett and Curtis Boyle as the
main ones that I can see at this point. Again, correct me if I'm wrong.



I have a few questions to ask.



1) Has anyone developed a new (and better!) gui for OS-9?

It's probably a bit late to suggest this but I feel OS-9 really needs an
injection of user friendliness that may attract other less OS-9 centric
people to OS-9. I know I've tried 3 times in my lifetime and each time I
threw it across the room in discust with it's unfriendliness, slowness and
bugginess. This was in the early days of CoCo OS-9 when there were bug lists
for OS-9 spanning several pages. I understand the Nitros9 is far better but
has anything been developed to utilize this added power of Nitros9?

2) It seems to me that what the CoCo needs a central website that all CoCo
users can look at to keep up with what's going on in the CoCo world. Back in
the "good-old-days" we had the CoCo magazines as a way of keeping up to
date. Later, there was ???? (forgot his name) website that was kept
up-to-date with CoCo developments. Now it seems all that is lost. Apart from
this CoCoList (thanks Dennis!) We need a site were we can look and see what
products are in development by others, read up on the latest CoCo news and
going on's (Fests etc).

3) Anyone interested in a good pinball game for the CoCo? What about an
arcade perfect version of Defender? A new CoCo3 update of Zaxxon, like Z'89
only faster and extended gameplay?

4) And lastly, has anyone been able to find out more info about this
mystical 256 color mode of the GIME? Does it or does it not exist? I'm still
looking for the author of the book, "Super Extended Color Basic Unravelled".
Does anyone know where I can contact someone from Spectral Associates? These
guys worked closely with Radio Shack during those CoCo3 development days and
may have some answers.



Ok, off my soap box now before the tomatoes start to fly!

Nickolas Marentes