Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy!miavx1!rlcollins
From: rlcollins@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: re: New Computer?
Message-ID: <3146.276bb7e3@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>
Date: 16 Dec 90 23:07:31 GMT
References: <9012130536.AA19123@hcrlgw.crl.hitachi.co.jp>
Lines: 112

In article <9012130536.AA19123@hcrlgw.crl.hitachi.co.jp>, joe@hcrlgw.crl.hitachi.co.JP (Dwight Joe) writes:
> Motivation:

[Reasons about why a cheap computer system should be made deleted]

> Proposal:
> 
> What I'm venturing is the following proposal for a new
> computer.  First, it should use, within a given price range,
> the most powerful microprocessor available.  Second, the
> total price for a system with CRT (preferably flat-panel),
> disk drive (preferably a micro-floppy drive), and main unit
> should be less than $1000.

Whoa, this sounds a lot like a Atari 1040STe.
 
> Let's keep, in mind, the fact that our target market
> is students.  We've got to keep the price down on everything:
> hardward _and_ software.  So, we'd like our system to be
> as compatible with current systems as possible to ease
> the transition of software packages from those systems to
> our new system.  That means that the operating system should
> be UNIX, MS-DOS, OS/2, or compatible operating systems.
> Don't forget that writing completely new software packages
> for our system will force those packages to be highly priced
> because (1) the installed base of machines will be smaller
> than for a main-stream machine like PC clone and (2) a
> high ransom must be paid to Microsoft to bear the risk for
> writing to that smaller base, in addition to the expense
> of training people to operate on a new platform.

None of these operating systems would be a viable alternative:
1. UNIX   - would never be able to run without a hardrive, which would add 
$300 dollars to the final package, excluding any liscencing fees. You would 
also have to add some memory to the final machine.

2. MS-DOS  - Why don't you buy one of the many laptops out there if you 
want to run this. The Radio Shack 1100FD for only $700. MS-DOS and Deskmate 
in ROM, and protability to boot.

3. OS/2 - for the same reasons as UNIX. 

> Keeping that in mind, we should select a standard
> microprocessor.  The 80486 and 68040 are out of the question.
> They are too expensive.  I recommend the Sparc chip.
> Its specs can be licensed from Sun which has generously
> supported an open architecture.  From those specs, we can
> design a cheap-o  (Don't forget that we are building
> this system for students, most of whom are _poor_) RISC
> processor--no superscalar features and no branch-prediction.
> Heck, we can even use larger feature sizes, like 1.5 micron,
> to increase the yield and further reduce the price.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just use a CPU that is already out there and that 
is really cheap, like a 68000?
 
> Now, piece that together with 1 plain-vanilla 
> 3.5" microfloppy drive, maybe 1 megabyte of memory, a
> keyboard, a UNIX disk, a C (not C++) programming language,
> a MAC Classic-like window system, a 640 X 400 pixel video
> black-and-white (color = too expensive) circuits, and
> plain CRT (preferably flat-panel).  Yeah.  It is very
> plain, but it is very cheap and _VERY_ powerful.  If
> this sounds like a MAC Classic, upgraded to a 
> RISC chip and UNIX, you're right in thinking that.

These specs sound exactly like the Atari 1040STe, with the exception of the 
UNIX operating system. Plus you have a windowing OS much like the Mac or 
GS.
 
> How about it Apple?  Well, actually, how about it Sun (since
> Apple has already committed to the MAC Classic)?
> 
> For $1500, a color system is available.

For under a $1100 you can have a Atari 1040STe with color. Here are the specs:

1040STe
	68000 Running at 8 MHz.
	3 1/2 MS-DOS compatible floppy.
	Graphics:
		640X400 with 2 colors   (Only black and white)
		640X200 with 4 colors   (All colors are out of 4096)
		320X200 with 16 colors 
	Windowing OS.
	Sound:
		Stereo sound capable of play digitized samples at 44.1 KHz 
		in stereo.
	Ports:
		Midi: in and out, Two mouse/joystick ports, monitor port, 
		second floppy port, DMA port, Centronics printer port, 
		RS232 serial port.

	All for $600 dollars brand new. Add $150 for a mono monitor, or 300 
for color, or $450 for a multisync that can display the color and mono 
resolutions.

As for software, you really don't need the real thing, only something that 
can read/write compatable files for the prg at school. A spreadsheet that 
produces Lotus 123 comp worksheets, or a database that creates Dbase IV 
comp files.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ryan 'Gozar' Collins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            o__)\			     rlcollins@miavx1.BITNET
           /     )			      RC1DSANU@miamiu.acs.muohio.edu
          /     /  ____                       R.COLLINS1  (On GEnie)
         /(____/__(_) o)_/
                      /)			[ || ]   Atari Computers,
      "There is no Substitute."                 [ || ]    They're not just
 Vs lbh pna ernq guvf, lbh'er geniryvat        // || \\   for breakfast 
            gbb pybfr!                        //  ||  \\  anymore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yea, right, thats what I said.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~