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From: jshekhel@feds19.prime.com (Jerry Shekhel )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: "DOS machines" (Was: TT (Who has one?))
Keywords: long
Message-ID: <692@cvbnetPrime.COM>
Date: 25 Jul 90 20:46:18 GMT
References: <1990Jul19.135115.2032@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Jul19.160526.2215@arcsun.arc.ab.ca> <6764@vax1.acs.udel.EDU>
Sender: postnews@cvbnetPrime.COM
Reply-To: jshekhel@feds19.UUCP (Jerry Shekhel )
Organization: Prime Computervision, Bedford MA
Lines: 41

In article <6764@vax1.acs.udel.EDU> don@vax1.udel.edu (Donald R Lloyd) writes:
>
>	Not trying to start a flame war [...]
>
>	DOS machines:  ick.  Unfortunately, they're cheap and popular, and
>will continue to be far into the future (ugh).    
>

I'm not trying to start a flame war either, but why are PC's still called
"DOS machines"?  Why can't you face the fact that Intel-based PC's are no
longer DOS machines, but rather "industry-standard personal computers"
capable of running DOS as well as many other operating systems?  You applaud
Commodore for providing UNIX for the Amiga, so I assume you want to run
UNIX on a personal computer.  UNIX has been available for Intel (286/386/486)
PC's for many years, with many versions available (Xenix, SysVR3, AIX, QNX),
and more about to appear (SysVR4, BSD4.4, Mach).  And still you loathe PC's.

OK, it's true that in their standard configuration, Intel-based PC's have
pitiful sound capabilities when compared with Atari's ST/STE/TT and the
Commodore Amiga.

As far as graphics is concerned, my $92 SuperVGA card provides better graphics
than the upcoming TT -- 800x600 w/256 colors, 1024x768 w/16 colors -- with a
256K-color palette.  A $200 SuperVGA card will do 1024x768 w/256 colors.
Beyond that, of course, there are graphics controllers with dedicated
coprocessors for those who feel the need.

That's the whole point I'm trying to make.  When you buy a PC, you're getting
the industry standard.  That means you can tailor your PC to use ANY graphics
standard, ANY disk interface standard, ANY peripheral interface standard,
ANY network standard, etc., and at this point, it costs less to get a PC
than a comparable Amiga or a TT.

Of course, you just may not like the Intel processor, or it may be something
else about the current architecture of industry-standard computers that just
doesn't agree with you.  That's your opinion, and that's your right.  But
really, none of your animosity ("ugh", "ick", etc.) makes any sense.

Sorry to ramble like this; I'm just trying to understand.

-- Jerry