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From: ejp@icd.ab.com (Ed Prochak)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: Piracy and Software
Message-ID: <1564@abvax.UUCP>
Date: 24 Jul 90 20:03:59 GMT
References: <1990Jul16.221811.7115@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Jul16.222043.7094@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <5105@uwm.edu> <1990Jul18.150659.30066@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <5187@uwm.edu>
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In article <5187@uwm.edu>, jgreco@archimedes.math.uwm.edu (Joe Greco) writes:
> In comp.sys.cbm article
<1990Jul18.150659.30066@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>,
wlj1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Wayne L Jebian) wrote:

> 
> What really kills a machine?  Obsolescense.  The 64 was designed with a disk
> interface that was obsolete when it was introduced.  8 bit micros are
> actually becoming difficult to find.  Look at prices.  I paid perhaps $1400
> for my initial setup of 64, 1540, and 1525.  Nowadays, you can get a clone
> with HD and minimal VGA for that price.  I can build a pc532 for around that
> price.
> 
> A perfect example is my Commodore calculator.  In the '70's, it was a nice
> calculator.  In the '90's, they integrate twice the functionality into a
> wristwatch at half the price.  What brought about the demise of this model
> of calculator?  Software piracy?  No.  Better technology and other
> improvements.
> 
> I'm as favorable towards Commodore as the next fellow.  Perhaps more so.  I
> learned most of what I know about computing on them.  Knowledge which has
> served me well.  But it is my opinion that the 64 was a wonder machine in
> the early 80's, and unfortunately it is just outdated in the early 90's.
> 
> ... Joe
> 
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Joe Greco - University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee - Department of Mathematics

From the little I have seen of PC clones, the only advantage is the
large storage of the hard drive. In quite a few graphics applications
the 64 can still beat a clone. That's because of the graphics hardware
built into the 64. Granted, games have been the main applications
really using this strength of the 64, but some of these are really
amazing.

Generally, I am of the opinion that the hardware advances have been
so great so fast, that much of what is "technologically" obsolete is
still useful. My reason is that developers moved onto newer platforms
before the previous platform was fully exploited.

I will keep my 64 for a while yet.

Edward J. Prochak   Voice: work-(216)646-4663  home-(216)349-1821
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