Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!helios!mtecv2!al158305
From: al158305@mtecv2.mty.itesm.mx (Gustavo Cordova Avila)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Amiga vs. Mac -- convince me...
Message-ID: <3046@mtecv2.mty.itesm.mx>
Date: 12 Mar 91 00:52:13 GMT
References: <1991Mar11.161412.14449@math.lsa.umich.edu>
Organization: ITESM. Campus Monterrey
Lines: 102

jeremy@math.lsa.umich.edu (Jeremy Teitelbaum) writes:

>learn something about computers.)  I essentially rely on TeX,
>Maple, and Emacs  at work.   I would also like to be able

Those three run on the amiga, so you'll be able to do your work
at home too :)

>to do some financial stuff on my home system -- like print checks,
>do my taxes, etc.

There's also some progs that'll do exactly that which you'r
looking for, you should buy some amiga mags and do some reading,
just a suggestion.

>Since I'm talking to Amiga fanatics here, let me tell you my reservations
>about the Amiga (since the amiga system is probably cheaper...)

>1.  Will Commodore survive in the US?

I really believe so, it's just starting to look good right now :)

>2.  If the system breaks, can I get it fixed?

Can't help you here. I have an A1000 ( *real* old ) that hasen't
given me a *single* problem in about... 5 years, almost. Well,
ok, so the delete (not backspace) key jumped out, but I can get
to glueing it back in :)

>3.  Is my selection of "canned" software too limited?  I've
>followed the recent discussion about Amiga wordprocessors, for
>example, with some concern; Although I use TeX, my wife and kids
>are happy with something like Microsoft Word for letters and school
>papers.

I think you should look at ProWrite 3 or Excellence 2 for this.
ProWrite 3 is supposedly as easy to use as (bleargh) macwrite,
or something like that. And Excellence has built in postscript
output support.

>4.  Is the Amiga a hacker's machine, which needs a lot of fiddling
>to get it to do stuff?  I spend many hours at work administering a
>substantial UNIX network; I don't need a computer at home that has
>to be tinkered with endlessly.  

I really don't know, but a lot of people have amigas as usenet sites..
I'm looking forward to doing mine like that too.

>5.  What is the overall hardware quality like?  Do the keyboards,
>mice, etc.  hold up over time?

>And of course anything else you might want to tell me.

Well... I like mine a lot, even if it only has 512k (ok, ok,
I'm already thinking of upgrading :)

>Just to prevent my own flame destruction, let me make the following
>stipulations about the Amiga:

>1.  In terms of hardware specifications, it is a better buy than the Mac.

yup!

>2.  I agree that it has a very sophisticated architecture for a PC and that,
>particularly for color graphics, it has better performance than the Mac.

I'd like to see a 24 color bit chipset out though.. but what do you
want for the price? :)

>3.  Most importantly to me, it is a relatively open system in comparison
>with the Mac.

YEAH! And include the NeXT station in the closed box list. :p

>4.  Apple Computer is a parasite which should be boycotted because of
>its anti-competitive lawsuits and its secrecy about its system design
>(actually, this point means a lot to me as I have a lot of sympathy with
>the FSF, and if you can convince me that Amiga is the way to go you will
>help my conscience considerably...)

Well, in case you want to know, there's *tons* of good quality
free and shareware software out there. I'm starting to use a pascal
compiler, and there's 2 or 3 C compilers too. The niceness of the machine
really built a nice environment around it (talking about people).

Besides, where can you get 1.9 Mb/sec transfer rates with a mac or a pc? :)

>I await your advice....


>Jeremy Teitelbaum
>Math Dept.
>U. of Illinois -- Chicago
>Chicago, IL 60680
>312-996-2371

Gustavo Cordova
-- 
| From Mexico!  Majoring in Electronics Systems Engineering, |
| ITESM presents to you: Gustavo Cordova Avila!!!            |
| And then I woke up :) +------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+