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From: sdowdy@triton.unm.edu (Stephen Dowdy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: A3000UX vs. Sun Sparc
Summary: SLC vs A3000UX.  hard call => difficult times for A3000UX
Keywords: comparison?
Message-ID: <1991Feb19.060748.24724@ariel.unm.edu>
Date: 19 Feb 91 06:07:48 GMT
References: <44277@ut-emx.uucp> <1991Feb17.053119.26764@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <44281@ut-emx.uucp>
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM
Lines: 57

In article <44281@ut-emx.uucp> sjk@ut-emx.uucp (Phil Alvin) writes:
}Ethan Solomita writes:
}> 
}> 	One main difference is that the low end Sparcs have no HD
}> and are unexpandable. They are meant to be added directly onto
}> another network. 
}True, but I believe they all contain a SCSI port allowing for the
}addition of any SCSI drive.  And with something like a University
}License, this disc can be filled with Sun software,  making it a
}standalone.  Thus, I believe a useful comparison would be a 3000UX
}to this type of Sparc configuration.
}
}scot
}sjk@emx.utexas.edu

Also, many 3rd party manufacturers have developed many interesting SCSI
devices, other than just disk and tape.  Serial/Parallel cards, etc, and
i think you might see other things as well (scanners, video stuff).
After all it *is* a bus.

a low end A3000UX with a 1950 or so color monitor (if the X server code
is done in color) is in my opinion about equivalent to a Megapel mono
display (you can have your opinion).  Thus, an SLC with an equivalent
SCSI HD would be a good comparison to an 8MB A3000UX system.  An SLC lists
at $4995 and a 200MB drive can be had for ~$1000.  At  this price, an
"equivalent" A3000UX is not terribly price competitive (i recall something like
$5500 for this config, correct me if i'm wrong...).

I would have liked to see the A3000UX priced more competitively (but then
i'd feel bad about having picked up my A3000 for so much money :-) ).

One thing that weighs in the Amiga's advantage, is again, the end-user
servicing and low-cost maintenance.  It is much cheaper to maintain/upgrade
a "PC" (i hate that term, but the Amiga is a "Personal Computer") than
a big name "workstation" both in Hardware and Software costs.  However,
Commodore really does face a tough challenge with getting their dealerships
to support unix.  Unix is not something that you can bluff your way through
in support, and as i understand, there are quite a number of "incompetent"
dealerships. (from the complaining i've heard, and my own personal experience)

I will say, in terms of performance, i was slightly dismayed, when i got
a demo Sparc2 on my desk, back in November, at the graphics performance "feel".
I thought my little A3000 was much zippier.  However, it wasn't churning X
cycles, and it had only 1/4 the real estate to manage.

I do have a soft spot for the amiga (being involved ith it since early '85)
and i do hope that Commodore does succeed, but it may be a major struggle...

--stephen

$! stephen dowdy {Sun Systems Engineer}
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