Blue Ribbon SoundWorksBlue Ribbon SoundWorks

[To a great deal of public horror, Microsoft recently purchased Blue Ribbon
Soundworks, one of the first companies to pledge continuing support to the
Amiga when Commodore collapsed.  This letter has been making the rounds and
explains the "so long, see you on Windows95" policy implemented for Amiga
products.  -Jason]

    20-Dec-95  16:17:43
Sb: #Blue Ribbon Amiga News!
Fm: Dominick J. Fontana 74766,2154
To: ALL

                       *** TO ALL AMIGA USERS ***

I have spoken to Melissa Jordan Grey, Todor Fay, and Brian Thomas from Blue
Ribbon.  They all asked me to send their regards and to wish everyone a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In case you were unaware, Blue Ribbon was purchased by Microsoft.  As such,
Microsoft is now technically in charge of all Blue Ribbon products and
makes all decisions concerning future software support.  Microsoft has
indicated that they will provide tech support for the Blue Ribbon Windows
products and they will continue to make such products.  I believe that the
Windows tech support may eventually be moved to the Microsoft Forum.
However, they are not providing tech support for the Amiga products, nor
will they continue to make Amiga products.  But, the Blue Ribbon section in
the MIDI C Vendor Forum (GO MIDICVEN) will remain open so that both Amiga
users and Windows users can congregate and support one another.

In order to thank all the Amiga users for their past support, and as a
parting good will gesture to the Amiga community, Blue Ribbon/Microsoft
have decided to make most of Blue Ribbon's Amiga software available to all
CompuServe members FREE OF CHARGE!

Following is a message directly from Brian Thomas, which he asked me to
post for him.  Brian was the online tech support representative in MIDI C
VENDOR Forum for Blue Ribbon for the last year and a half.

 =====================

Dear Amigans,

Hi.  My name is Brian Thomas, the person that has answered many of your
technical and product questions over the last year.  It has been fun
working with all of you.

As many of you may know, Microsoft has purchased Blue Ribbon in hopes of
letting us bring interactive music to the masses of the world.  All of the
Blue Ribbonites are very excited about being given this opportunity.

As a result of the change, I am not able to monitor this CompuServe forum,
and that is one of the reasons recent questions to me have not been
answered.  It is my fault that I did not find a way to check on this, or at
least find someone else to answer the questions in my absence.

The current plans do not include producing any new products for the Amiga,
but something unexpected (and good) happened.  Microsoft decided to allow
us to upload most of the Blue Ribbon Amiga products to be available for
free to CompuServe members.

This will occur soon: Early 1996 (by mid-January, most likely), these
products will be uploaded to CompuServe in the Microsoft forum.  There will
be a message [in MIDI C VENDOR] that lets you know exactly where to go to
get the products.

However, there are some important things to keep in mind.  Not all our
Amiga products are going to be uploaded, and none of the Windows, OS/2, or
Indigo products will be uploaded.  This is not a mistake, and you are not
allowed to upload these products.

Also, you will not be allowed to repost the products to other on-line
services, or Internet sites.  This benefit of free products is initially
going to be allowed only to CompuServe customers.

Finally, none of the programs are shareware or public domain.  You will
have to agree to an end user license agreement to be allowed to download
the products from CompuServe.

The products that will initially be uploaded will be Bars&Pipes
Professional v2.5, SuperJAM!  Amiga v1.1, Pro Studio Tools Kit, Creativity
Tools Kit, Internal Sounds Kit, and Rules for Tools.  These products are
not crippled in any way!  They are FULL products.  Soon to follow will be
PatchMeister.

Accompanying these programs will be an official statement from Melissa
Jordan Grey.

In addition, you'll be given the opportunity to purchase a manual for
SuperJAM!  or Bars&Pipes, and details on how to do that will be posted at
the same time the products are uploaded.

It is highly encouraged that you provide support for each other either on
CompuServe, or other on-line services.  Since the products are going to be
available free, Microsoft won't be able to provide any tech support for the
Amiga products.

That's the best update I can give right now.  If more news arrives, I will
provide it for you.

Feel free to repost this message to other online forums, whether they be
CompuServe or otherwise, as long as you keep the body of this message
intact.

Again, thank you for your support, and enjoy the products!

Brian Thomas The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks



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