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From: m0154@tnc.UUCP (GUY GARNETT)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: True Multitasking
Message-ID: <694@tnc.UUCP>
Date: 30 Jan 91 21:26:37 GMT
References: <42598@nigel.ee.udel.edu> <678@tnc.UUCP> <1991Jan27.100824.6629@marlin.jcu.edu.au> <1991Jan28.220234.29712@NCoast.ORG>
Reply-To: m0154@tnc.UUCP (GUY GARNETT)
Organization: The Next Challenge, Fairfax, Va.
Lines: 32


>>When a 1 line C program can bring down the system......
>        Gee, I guess this also includes Unix, Xenix, MS-DOS, and the
>Mac too, right?

How about a 2-line FORTRAN program crashing an IBM 3083?  I've done
it; every operating system has its weakness, you simply have to try
harder with some than with others.

If you take some care and pride in your work, you can write decent,
maintainable and reliable code on the Amiga, or on any other system,
for that matter.  If you don't learn (or don't bother to learn) the
difference between right and wrong programming practices, then you
will have a difficult time writing good, relaible, and efficent code
on any machine.

In the very beginning (now I'm talking about v1.0 and v1.1) the Amiga
was a hard machine to program for.  The learning curve was steep,
there was likely to be nobody around who knew the answers to your
questions, and the documentation was spotty, or incomplete.

Now, its a different ballgame.  I would compare the Amiga programming
environment quite favorablly to those available on other personal
computers with GUI's.  Yes, the learning curve is still steep, but no
worse (and in many cases better than) other GUI systems.  There is
good documentation, reliable tools, and expert advice available.

No, you can't program it the same way you program on an IBM PC or a
mainframe, but then again, the Amiga is not an IBM PC or a mainframe. 
For which I am very glad.

Wildstar