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From: weiss@mott.seas.ucla.edu (Michael Weiss)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: 32-bits: what's the big deal?
Message-ID: <2808@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 20 May 91 04:37:04 GMT
References: <674696625.0@blkcat.FidoNet>
Sender: news@SEAS.UCLA.EDU
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles
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In article <674696625.0@blkcat.FidoNet> Charlie.Mingo@p4218.f421.n109.z1.FidoNet.Org (Charlie Mingo) writes:
>DISCLAIMER:  I'm not questioning whether Apple is morally or legally obligated
>to give you 32-bits; I'm only asking why you want it.

The reason that we want it is simply this:  we want our machines to remain
viable as long as possible.  Clearly, looking at all past trends, the need
for more RAM will always be there, and will increase as time passes.  Obviously,
then, it is necessary to be able to access well over 16MB of RAM when you buy
the machine.  Well, not necessary, but certainly a deciding factor.

Let me
ask you a question.  Would you want to buy a computer that you knew would be
obsolete next week?  Of course not.  Next year?  Probably still not.  The
fact is, though, that each person has in his own mind how long he expects his
computer to remain "unobsolete".  Finding out that your maximum memory 
capacity is 1/10 of what you thought it was is sort of like suddenly finding
out that your computer has a shorter life-span, which in turn means greater
costs and a lower value.

Do you see what I'm driving at?  It isn't necessarily needed now, but for
certain it will be needed eventually, and it would be really nice to know
that it would be available soon.  That's one of the things that ultimately
killed 8-bit machines.  They couldn't access more than 64K of RAM (without
bank switching).  It will ultimately kill 24-bit machines, too.
--
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-  Michael Weiss  weiss@watson.seas.ucla.edu  |  School of Engineering and  -
-                 izzydp5@oac.ucla.edu        |    Applied Science, UCLA    -
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