Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!ames!haven.umd.edu!uvaarpa!vger.nsu.edu!manes From: manes@vger.nsu.edu ((Mark D. Manes), Norfolk State University) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: The Amiga's Future Message-ID: <1050.284c0e95@vger.nsu.edu> Date: 4 Jun 91 22:05:09 EDT References: <1991Jun4.003619.3661@news.iastate.edu> <1991Jun4.023950.11286@ncsu.edu> <16577@darkstar.ucsc.edu> Lines: 96 In article <16577@darkstar.ucsc.edu>, galpin@bill.ucsc.edu (Daniel Abram Galpin) writes: > [Brilliant and wonderful things about the A3000 deleted!] > > The Amiga needs better printer support with built-in full Postscript support, > scalable font technology, and a more dynamic printer driver system. The Mac > System 7.0 and MS Windows 3.1 BOTH have TrueType and support TrueImage. The Will the Compugraphic font technology due? That is supposed to come out for the Amiga soon and from Commodore. > [Great things about TEX deleted] > > The Amiga just doesn't have enough processor power to handle many of the newer > applications (and games..) There is no real midstream Amiga.. The A2000 just > doesn't cut it anymore. How about an Amiga 500 that can run at 14Mhz with some > small amount of cache memory, with a socket for a 68881 math co-processor and > a bit more RAM expandability on board? The Amiga market is too sharply > divided, with the high-end Amiga 3000 including just about everything and the > 500's and 2000's including nothing. For most users, the 2000 is just not > enough power anymore. How about a "segmented" system that allows users to add > on options simply (as cartridges or something)? Video-enhancer here... RAM > here... co-processor here... PC emulator here, etc... How about a built in > SCSI interface on a low-cost Amiga, or an all-in-one low cost solution such as > an Amiga 500 with a built in MIDI interface, SCSI interface, 68881 socket, and > 8 megs of possible expansion on the motherboard, combined with a > speed-switchable 68000? These kinds of options are available to Macintosh and > PC people, and I cannot understand why C= is ignoring the pre-built Mid-Range > market. I think Commodore does need to release a revised 'new-look' A2000 series machine and drive the prices of the A500 even lower than it is. I think that they need to walk a fine line. If Commodore put a SCSI interface on every Amiga computer it surely would hurt the third party hardware manu- facturers. We don't need fewer of these folks! > > Commodore should embrace one of the graphics expansion options for the Amiga, > such as the Colorburst or HAM-E, and offer Workbench support. Both of these > solutions are admittedly "hacks," but that hasn't stopped Commodore before > (witness the A2024 monitor). How about a simple graphics device, or at least a > Commodore graphics specification? If Commodore really wants to push > Multimedia, give Amiga the power it needs to at LEAST rival LOW END Mac II or > VGA graphics. > > An Amiga enhancement such as HAM-E or Colorburst would also work with CD-TV, > and enable it to have better graphics realism as well... the "Graphics > Enhancement Cartridge" from Commodore... All of these 'problems' are the potential dollar producing problems for the developers. It would really sink all of the third party graphic solution developers if Commodore adopted one of them. Pray they don't do this. I think Commodore needs to continue to press forward in the development of device independant graphics. Then perhaps release a 24 bit graphics solution of their own based on this revised system software, or better yet a new set of custom chips. > > Commodore should make CD-ROM available to ALL Amiga owners as soon as > possible. A relatively low cost CD-ROM peripheral for the Amiga would be an > excellent selling point. Agreed! There is only one CD-ROM being produced by a third party for the Amiga, and it is priced way too high. I think Commodore needs to release an external CD-ROM drive for all Amiga computers with a SCSI. > > Finally, Commodore should do something similar to what it has done with CD-TV > -- have a software division that can support the Amiga in areas where there is > little software being produced. CATS is for all developers, not just CD-TV developers. > > I guess it is time to step down from the pedistal. I love the Amiga and want > it to continue, and feel that many of these options represent the BEST chance > for the Amiga to survive and thrive far into the 90's. > > - Dan Galpin > galpin@ucscb.ucsc.edu > galpin@cats.ucsc.edu > " Amiga - the computer sold before its time... which is why it still isn't > well-aged. " -mark= +--------+ ================================================== | \/ | Mark D. Manes "The Most lopsided deal since ..." | /\ \/ | manes@vger.nsu.edu | / | (804) 683-2532 "Make up your own mind! - AMIGA" +--------+ ================================================== "I protest Captain! I am not a merry man!" - Lt. Worf