Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucbvax!LSUVM.BITNET!$CSD211
From: $CSD211@LSUVM.BITNET (Mark Orr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: re: investing in a II gs
Message-ID: <9009180128.AA00716@apple.com>
Date: 18 Sep 90 01:03:45 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 46


>>The A500 does not have "great graphics". As far as the Amiga's multitasking
>>goes, please note that tasks are not hardware protected from each other. That
>>makes preemptive multitasking next to useless. Try running a simulation only
>>to have it crashed by some other task.
>
>The A500 does have better graphics than the IIgs does (much better, 640 x 400
>with 16 colors), and for multitasking, I'd rather have it and crash than
>not have it at all.
>
>
>Andrew Goldstein aka AppleEnthusiast
>Internet: ag0514@rachel.albany.edu

The A500 has better graphics than the GS, but not because of 400 mode.
If you remember, the Amiga's 400 mode is interlaced (pronounced use-less)
which causes the display to flicker on anything by a slow scan monitor.
Microway produces a device called a "flicker-fixer" which de-interlaces
the 400 mode. Interlaced graphics are quite poor for animation, which is
the Amiga's forte. The Amiga has two custom processor chips for graphics:
one to handle most of the drudgery, one to manage sprites, multi-planar
graphics, etc. Very little software for the Amiga uses 400 mode, most use
the 640x200 screen (which is the same resolution as ours, though much
better for animation).

On the other hand the Atari ST series had 640x400 resolution; but
monochrome only. This wouldn't be bad for the IIgs since it would give
you more room on the desktop, thus improving the usefulness of such progs.
as GraphicWriter III and PublishIT.

A lesson for Apple: Commodore realized the mistake they made by giving
the Amiga a interlaced 400 Mode and have included de-interlacing hardware
on the Amiga 3000 (plus 640x480 minimal VGA. I say minimal since VGA
works with 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768; and VGA cards for the 1024x768
resolution on the PC aren't that expensive: $350 at most)

Rumors in the July '90 Nibble seem to indicate that the GS's graphics
may be augmented with a 400 mode in the future. I certainly hope that
they have the forsight to make that mode NON-INTERLACED. It would be like
watching a train wreck in slow motion for Apple to put a useless video
mode on the GS.

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Mark Orr                   +
$CSD211@LSUVM.SNCC.LSU.EDU +
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