Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!rpi!kudla From: kudla@rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: What the heck IS "Interactive TV"? (long) Message-ID: Date: 12 Apr 91 13:22:00 GMT References: <1991Apr11.090415.5276@ncsu.edu> <1991Apr11.143222.13728@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <1991Apr12.022130.3180@ncsu.edu> Organization: just say no! Lines: 36 In-Reply-To: kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu's message of 12 Apr 91 02: 21:30 GMT Nntp-Posting-Host: nuge107.its.rpi.edu In article <1991Apr12.022130.3180@ncsu.edu> kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) writes: > Sure CD-I has better specs, and is backed up by major Japanese companies. > So what? The C64 stood up to the same kind of opposition, and won! [enter rare sarcastic mode] Oh great. An argument for pushing mediocrity. "Sure, the Amiga has better specs than the IBMs, but so what? The PC won!" That wasn't the analogy he was making. The C64's competition was first the PC-jr and Apple, which I feel were both about its equivalent (well, maybe the jr. was slightly superior) in terms of pure hardware specs. They were also shloads more expensive, like 2 or 3 times as much. But I think the competition he was talking about were the Japanese "MSX" machines, made by a whole bunch of different manufacturers (I only ever had contact with the Yamaha one but I know about a dozen other companies were involved) but which actually had mediocre specs compared to the c64 - 256x192x16 colors, its processor was a stock Z-80, the sound (except for the Yamaha one which had a little FM synth inside it) was abysmal, it just wasn't terribly exciting and it didn't catch on. And there was *plenty* of software for them upon their introduction. On the other hand, CD-I has at least as impressive hardware specs as CDTV, and will cost about the same. Commodore has a chance to win this one if they put some serious effort and money into marketing this summer, but I also think they should probably cut the list price before Christmas time so they'll have a strong user base, product recognition *and* a price advantage. Hey, look at me! I've turned into a regular armchair market researcher.... Robert Jude Kudla No more bars! No more cages! Just rollerskating, disco music, and the occasional light show....