Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!sun-barr!newstop!sun!concertina!fiddler
From: fiddler@concertina.Sun.COM (Steve Hix)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: A rough future for the Amiga??? I think not.
Message-ID: <134298@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: 11 Apr 90 18:19:35 GMT
References: <16192@snow-white.udel.EDU> <1990Apr8.013940.12984@wam.umd.edu> <10765@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Sender: news@sun.Eng.Sun.COM
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In article <10765@cbmvax.commodore.com>, daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes:
> 
> In any Amiga, you can have 6502, 680x0, and blitter going at the same time.
> I'm sure Mac use some kind of CPU in their keyboards these days.  The problem
> with older Macs was that they basically used the CPU to read keyboard and
> mouse at a really low level.  

The original Mac's keyboard had a processor onboard.  The current ADB
keyboards, mice, trackballs, graphic tablest, etc. all have onboard
processors.  (ADB is used by Macs above the Plus and Apple//gs.)

The original mouse was tracked by hardware in the interface, the processor
reading off position/rate information from a couple of registers.  The various
Apple// mice worked the same way (using the same gate designs in their interface
cards.)

Otherwise, yes, they've not used I/O processors as much as they should have.

------------
"Up the airey mountain, down the rushy glen,
   we daren't go a-hunting for fear of little men..."
('cause Fish and Game has taken to hiring axe-carrying dwarves)