Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!news.funet.fi!hydra!hylka!jalkio
From: jalkio@cc.helsinki.fi
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga vs NeXT
Message-ID: <3965.273871dd@cc.helsinki.fi>
Date: 7 Nov 90 20:43:09 GMT
References: <405@shrike.AUSTIN.LOCKHEED.COM> <1990Oct31.175023.2697@cbnewsl.att.com> <11287@hubcap.clemson.edu> <3950.273719ff@cc.helsinki.fi> <11416@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Organization: University of Helsinki
Lines: 89

In article <11416@hubcap.clemson.edu>, ddyer@hubcap.clemson.edu (Doug) writes:
> jalkio@cc.helsinki.fi writes:
> 
>>In article <11287@hubcap.clemson.edu>, ddyer@hubcap.clemson.edu (Doug) writes:
>>> 	One thing you might consider is that the A3000 has many chips
>>> to aid the CPU's task, so a CPU measurement might not be that accurate.
>>> The NeXT has things like that too, doesn't it?
>>> 
>>Yup. Like Motorola DSP56001 digital signal processor (25Mhz, 10MIPS,
>>24-bit, two internal 56-bit accumulators) with which you can output
>>16-bit 44.1 kHz STEREO sound without slowing the machine down
>>noticeably. You can also use that chip for many other purposes, like
>>computation.
> 
>>NeXT also has a 12-channel custom VLSI I/O processor.
> 
> 
> Well, thats all?  The sound chip in Amiga is not as good, but it is capable
> of stereo.  Other than that there are MANY chips on the motherboard.  I 
> was more or less interested in any graphics chips that are standard equipped.

Hmm. The Amiga soundchip is next to nothing for me, because it can't
produce professional quality sound. (I make computer music.) And for me,
the NeXT DSP is more valuable than the Amiga's "special" chips together.
Sure, the Amiga's blitter is absent from the NeXT, but if I need
decent color graphics, I require Iris standard graphics a'la NeXTDimension
(but I don't need color graphics, so I will buy a mono NeXTstation).

If you want not-so-expensive color graphics, the A3000 could be a good
buy. But you only need color graphics for pictures, animation and games.
I personally prefer a grey-scale GUI to a color GUI.

> 
> 	I purchased the A3000 over the NeXT for a couple of reasons. First
> being the low overhead GUI (it provides true multitasking and doesnt
> demand enormous resources to stay alive).  That disk space will be all mine.
> Applications will be less expensive and IMHO just as good.
> 	Your NeXT is good for DTP, but I want DTV and that can demand a lot
> of resources that the OS would otherwise absorb.  Amigavision is infinitly
> more intriguing to me than LOTUS or WORDPERFECT.

There should (at least very soon) be a program called "Renderman" for
NeXTs, which I believe will be VEERY powerful graphic/animation program.

> 	As for your future software developers.  I am curious, would developers
> bother to write a wordprocessor, or spreadsheet or math app?  Would they mind
> being stuck with objective-C? 

What does this mean? The best spreadsheet ever made (Improv) is only
available for NeXT. You can get Mathematica bundled. There is WP5.0 for
NeXT. Or did you mean that since such good programs are already
available, there would be no good reason to write other good software?!?

How come should the be stuck with objective-C? There are several
different languages for the NeXT.

> 
> 	The A3000 is well worth the money I paid, and is more suited to my
> desires than the NeXT.  In fact, if there is ANY pc that has no trouble holding
> its own, strangely its the A3000.  The NeXT is a threat to MAC (DTP) and
> well, IBM doesnt have much to offer at this price.

You keep talking about NeXT as a plain DTP machine. (I read it between
the lines.) What is the reason for this?
> 
> 	All in all, the A3000 and NeXT I say complement eachother quite well.
> Both have the best looking OS in the business ( Amiga edges on top :) ) and
> both present true multitasking even at the hardware level, yet they are aimed
> at different markets.

IMHO, the only thing that Amiga2000 is better choice than NeXT for is
not-so-expensive animation work. (And if you want really good graphics,
NeXT is hard to beat.)

> 
> 	I would like to see the A3000 given away, but...  Anyway, these are
> just IMHO's.  Enjoy your new machine, God I will.
> 
> Bye guys
> 
> -- 
> ---------------------------------//-------------------------------------
> Doug Dyer  Clemson University   //      "Splunge!"  -  MP 
> ddyer@hubcap.clemson.edu    \\ //          
> -----------------------------\X/----------------------------------------

Yup, I will.

					Jouni