Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!xylogics!bu.edu!polygen!jerry
From: jerry@polygen.uucp (Jerry Sheckel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Apple II / Mac discusson
Message-ID: <910@stewart.UUCP>
Date: 21 Nov 90 19:10:08 GMT
References: <2551702@mtsg.ubc.ca>
Reply-To: jerry@stewart.UUCP (Jerry Shekhel)
Organization: Polygen Corporation, Waltham, MA
Lines: 42

In article <2551702@mtsg.ubc.ca> USERSIG@MTSG.UBC.CA writes:
> 
>Compared to the Mac display, IBM was out to lunch until they brought out
>VGA.  CGA is pathetic.  EGA is better, but still gives you enlongated
>pixels (ie. a circle looks like an oval).
>

True, I was really disappointed with EGA.  The resolution is OK (640x350),
but the color palette used only 2 bits per primary color for a total of 64
different colors.  VGA, however, IMHO, is brilliant.  Beautiful graphics
from super cheap cards.  My friend just bought a VGA card with 1MB video
RAM and resolutions up to 1024x768 w/256 colors, for $165.

>
>VGA is fine, but when you get
>to higher resolutions and bigger screens, the software won't automatically
>use these better capabilities.  you have to get new drivers or new versions
>of programs to support extended VGA or XGA or whatever.
> 

This is becoming a non-issue.  The only driver you really need nowadays
is a Windows driver, and one is included with every VGA card.  All Windows
applications use whatever graphics mode Windows uses.  The other problem
is CAD, and VGA cards usually come with tons of drivers for CAD programs.
This is all going to change, however, as these CAD programs are ported to
Windows and/or OS/2.  As for full-screen games, at least 90% of new games
use the fantastic VGA game mode (320x200 w/256 colors from a palette of
256K colors).  PC graphics have really changed in recent years.  Take a
look at a VGA game (like Wing Commander) and you'll see how far PC's have
gone.  Those of you who remember a game called Stellar 7 should check out
the brand new PC VGA re-release with solid-shaded 3D graphics.

People who dump on PC's these days should really take a second look.
--
+-------------------+----------------------+---------------------------------+
| JERRY J. SHEKHEL  | POLYGEN CORPORATION  | When I was young, I had to walk |
| Drummers do it... | Waltham, MA USA      | to school and back every day -- |
|    ... In rhythm! | (617) 890-2175       | 20 miles, uphill both ways.     |
+-------------------+----------------------+---------------------------------+
|           ...! [ princeton mit-eddie bu sunne ] !polygen!jerry             |
|                            jerry@polygen.com                               |
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