Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!purdue!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!netcom!stratus!cloud9!jjmhome!cpoint!jeff
From: jeff@cpoint.UUCP (Jeffrey J. Griglack)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Another 2-bit oppinion on what Commodor should do
Message-ID: <2825@cpoint.UUCP>
Date: 15 Nov 89 13:35:09 GMT
References: <705@crash.cts.com>
Reply-To: jeff@cpoint.UUCP (Jeffrey J. Griglack)
Organization: Clearpoint Research Corp., Hopkinton Mass.
Lines: 47

In article <705@crash.cts.com> wade@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) writes:
>being trapped by its weaknesses.  On that note, I'd like to see a 68040
>machine using a TI-34020 (or whatever is out then), with the TI graphics
>processor replacing the special chips (actually, they should still be included
>along with a compatibility mode).
>coding on my Amiga.  Multi-tasking is addictive :^).  The Amigas graphics are
>lagging, and the new "productivity" modes will do little to alieviate the
>problem.  By switching to the TI graphics co-processors, a future upgrade path
>will be assured.
> 

I agree with you here.  The Amiga needs to do something about its graphics
and bus speed.  It has been almost 5 years since its release and the machines
being shipped today have the same capabilities as the first shipped (okay, 
today's have expansion slots).  If the IBM machines and the clones had done
that, the Amiga would have taken over the market the way some were predicting
back at the start.  The custom graphics chips are and were a good idea, but
they have also held back the rest of the machine.  

I am not sure the old chips should be included.  Including them would add to
the expense of the machine.  Direct fiddling with the custom chips is a damn
shame and was frowned upon from the beginning.  I think its time to bite the
bullet and loose some of the software that takes over the machine and does
direct access to the custom chips.  Maybe one of the Gurus out there could
think of a software way to fool the programs into thinking the custom chips
are still there.  It would slow things down, but on a faster machine, who
cares.

>Yes, I realize this would be painful to many of us, but in the end I'd rather
>buy a new generation Amiga than have to switch to a 486 based machine running
>half-OS (ie: OS/2 :^)).  Many programs would have to be rewritten, but with
>the proper system level work by Commodore this could be made as painless as
>possible.  Publishers would be able to sell a major upgrade, so they shouldn't
>complain too much.
> 
>                                                Multi-Tasking in the wee
>                                                   hours of the night,
> 
>                                                        Wade.
>


-- 
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Now I quess I'll have to tell 'em, that I've got no cerebellum - The Ramones
	Jeff Griglack {decvax, cybbax0, mirror}!frog!cpoint!jeff
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