Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!rutgers!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!hubcap!ddyer From: ddyer@hubcap.clemson.edu (Doug) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: A3000UX competition Keywords: Unix A3000 A3000UX NeXT Message-ID: <12003@hubcap.clemson.edu> Date: 2 Dec 90 01:33:41 GMT References: <453@mathlab.math.ufl.EDU> <93075@aerospace.AERO.ORG> <86470@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> Organization: Clemson University, Clemson, SC Lines: 131 mitroo@flounder.cis.ohio-state.edu (varun mitroo) writes: >In a previous article, Robert Huebner writes a series of idiotic comments: >> Of course, we all know "NeXT Guru" is synonymous with "Computer Geek" >He sound like a geek himself. He do? >Of course. I am writing this on a SPARCstation SLC - one of hundreds here >at OSU that are set up with X-Windows or NeWS. All the instructional >computer science classes are using X-Windows, including the graphics classes. >Of course, since we are not using Open Look, we are all hopelessly trailing >the pack, as Mr. Huebner wisely states. Of course. No, he is right. Open Look is now what Sun wants you to use. >> user upgraade. I'd rather purchase it with 4Meg so I can get the best >> price on the memory. If the memory comes installed you're sure to pay >> more than market value (look at the recent debate re:A3000-25/50 and 25/100) >4 megs is obviously not enough. Naturally, everybody is going to want to >go through the trouble of getting mail-order memory. Why doesn't Commodore >just sell it with enough memory without putting a mark-up on the memory? No, I'd rather see the memory as an option. The a3000 can be configured many ways to suit your needs (budget). Of course, I'd like to see them given away :) >> Also the A3000 has a fast hard disk (especially when compared to the >> dreaded floptical drive) which make an excellent swap space. (Does the >What does he have against NeXT? Almost nobody uses a NeXT optical drive for >swap space. They all have hard drives. The optical drive is not slow, esp. >when compared to a floppy. Running a NeXT with only an optical drive is >very possible. I have a cube with 12megs ram and only optical, and I have >far better performance than my Amiga with 2 floppies. Amazing. A 12meg machine with an optical drive faster than a disk drive really did that? He is refering to ZorroIII bus specs. I don't think anyone would use a floptical for swap space either, but he is refering to the 4 megs here. >> Granted, this is at additonal cost (Better multisync monitor + card price) >> but I expect it to be less expensive than the NeXT color option. Of course >Again, what does he have against NeXT? You can get a NeXTstation color with >68040, 12 megs RAM, 105 meg hard drive, 16" sony color monitor for $5700 edu. >(due in early 1991). If amiga is selling their cheapest '030 Unix system for >$4000, how can you possibly get a ~$2000 color monitor (such as the one with >NeXT) and the A2410 card and still be cheaper? (Amiga has 8 megs RAM less and >no ethernet) Well, sounds nice (apart from no bus). We won't know what the a3000ux really means until the release. There is no point getting religous on it. Commodore (I am sure) is taking into consideration the other CISC workstations. Also, non-educational pricing is very important. There is an increasing business market for unix (sysV4 will be VERY popular). >> What so special about the bundled software? Half of it is PD or developer- >> oriented stuff (so is every NeXT buyer a NeXT developer?) and the other >The bundled software includes a word processor, mathematica, a librarian >program, a good text editor, a dictionary, a thesaurus, an excellent >programming environment (Interface Builder), and lots of really interesting >developer software such as a ray tracer. A complete version of Tex, emacs, >vi, etc. is also included. Version 1.0 also includes lisp and a database >program (Sybase) that is unbundled in 2.0. Sounds real nice. Again, no one really knows what C= will bundle with it until it is out the door. >> |> want it that bad? Instead of (a) keeping your Amiga to do Amiga >> |> things, and (b) getting a workstation to do workstation things? That > - That's what I'm doing - >> I wouldn't call it backward compatability. I think AmigaDOS has more to >> offer than most UNIX/X applications. Especially in graphics and video >> areas. A machine that only runs X-Windows/UNIX would be a real bore. >Mr. Huebner obviously has no need to run unix. He likes AmigaDos, and is >sore that when Commodore is trying to market the amiga as a unix machine, >it is outmatched by workstations such as SUNs and NeXTs in terms of price >and performance. I like it too. And I also like Open Look. So I can have both (and a memory or disk upgrade helps both worlds:) a pool of resources). Byte did mention that the A3000ux outperformed the NeXT. They forgot to mention which NeXT, though. Having Amiga software such as AmigaVision and Imagine will become invaluable soon. >This point had already been discussed by Mr. Huebner earlier. 4 megs is not >enough to run X-Windows. Of course, Mr. Huebner has no need for X-windows >and he won't have a need for more than 4 megs. More than enough for AmigaDos, >though. Plenty for AmigaDos:) Also discussed earlier. Chill out. >Mr Huebner, Try being objective. Suns are very good computers. They are fast, >networkable, and are good at running windowed unix. The NeXT is similar, >but not as fast, and it is geared more towards a personal computer market. >There are impressive claims about the new NeXTstations, but that remains to >be seen. My gut feeling is that an A3000 with an 040 option will really hit home (talk about a link between personal computer and workstation) >Before making claims about computers, try sitting down at one and really >seeing what can be done with it. Sit down with Improv on a NeXT. I think >you might be impressed - I was. When Amiga officially releases a unix >amiga, we'll see. Maybe commodore has something in store to match the strong >bids from other companies in the very competitive workstation market. I hope >so. I had a demo of the NeXT, I liked it. I ended up buying an A3000 for various reasons. Byte thought the Amiga very competitive. If C= has brains (and suddenly they do, I mean they beat EVERYONE to sysv4 (except Sun Im not sure of), stuck a 1000*800*4 mode in the chip set (isnt that new?) and have somewhere in that closet a new graphics board. If they play the "bundled software" and "disk space" game right they will earn what they have wanted for years. SO wise to stop chasing DOS compatiblilty and grab unix. 1991 sounds like a wild ride. CTDV? SYSV4? TOASTER? AMIGAVISION? DISNEY? OS2? ECS? Hang on! -- ---------------------------------//------------------------------------- Doug Dyer Clemson University // "Splunge!" - MP ddyer@hubcap.clemson.edu \\ // -----------------------------\X/----------------------------------------