Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!psuvax1!wuarchive!usc!samsung!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!en.ecn.purdue.edu!doctorj From: doctorj@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Jeffrey W Davis) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: Why all of this NeXT talk? Keywords: A3000UX NeXT stop rediculous Message-ID: <1991Feb11.212305.27010@en.ecn.purdue.edu> Date: 11 Feb 91 21:23:05 GMT References: <1991Feb9.083920.27791@en.ecn.purdue.edu> <1991Feb11.025210.24933@sugar.hackercorp.com> Distribution: usa Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network Lines: 63 In article <1991Feb11.025210.24933@sugar.hackercorp.com> peter@sugar.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) writes: >In article <1991Feb9.083920.27791@en.ecn.purdue.edu> doctorj@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Jeffrey W Davis) writes: >> Being an avid Amiga programmer, I know its potential. > >Irrelevent for the UNIX product. I said POTENTIAL here. (I have also programmed Unix) An understanding of the underlying machine gives me this insight to the machine's potential. The changeover to Unix will only be a different realm of system control. Not an entirely new system hardware architecture. I will simply need to apply what I already know to meet the Unix resource structure. > >> Another thing I have seen too much of is the comparison between a >> 68040 based NeXT and a 68030 based A3000/A3000UX. > >These are the machines being offered. WHat do you expect? Irrelevant comparisons are repeatedly being made. Of course the 68040 will run faster than a 68030. Of course a monochrome, slotless system will cost less than a color, slotted system. And the cost of adding a 68040 card will most likely be close to the cost of the 68040 chip. I expect the comparisons to be a little more closely matched to even justify reading them. I am sure that a monochrome A3000UX with no expansion slots would be equvalently priced (or less) than the NeXT slab. But this will probably never exist because the Amiga is designed with color custom chips. Why would Amiga want to back up to monochrome? If you are really hooked on monochrome, that is readily available. Use a large monochrome monitor with one of the currently available monochrome display boards! >Because I want to know why Commodore has spent all this money on UNIX, and what >it's going to buy them. I want to know who is going to be buying the Amiga, and >I want better answers than "Real UNIX" (sure, now consider it substandard), or >"AmigaOS" (why is that a selling point for UNIX machines?), or slots (what are >you going to put in them?), or color (I'd happily give up color for higher >resolution... think how many monochrome STs were sold on that basis?)? AmigaOS is there to maintain the current Amiga users and keep A3000UX users from having to ALSO buy an A3000 to be software compatible with the rest of the Amiga world running under the SAME hardware. The hardware is virtually identical, so WHY NOT use AmigaOS as a selling point. As far as the color goes, I mentioned that above. The slots are to provide access to new capabilities. I realize that for some buying a new machine and selling the old one is not a big deal. Occasionaly eating the depreciation on the machine, which is sometimes substantial. And then buying the new MORE EXPENSIVE model. This sounds like a good deal for the company selling the computers, but expensive for the consumer. The Amiga line is eliminating this need for the completely NEW machine when something else comes out that you may want to add to its capabilites. Hence, the slots for video, CPU, IBM, Zorro I, II, III. They have covered the bases here pretty well. A better question is what CAN'T you put into an Amiga? >Peter da Silva. `-_-' >. *********************************************************** * Jeff Davis * Relax! And get into /// * * doctorj@en.ecn.purdue.edu * the STRESS!!! /// * * * \\\///030 * * * -Gigahertz!- Amiga\XX/ 882 * *********************************************************** -=[ In Stereo Where Available ]=-