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From: yc58@mrcu (MRC Library)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Amiga/NeXt/Mac - don't forget the Archimedes
Summary: Archimedes best on price/performance?
Message-ID: <954@mrcu>
Date: 7 Jun 91 12:33:15 GMT
Reply-To: yc58@uk.co.gec-mrc (MRC Library)
Organization: GEC-Marconi Research Centre, Great Baddow, UK
Lines: 47

Sender:Brian Debenham
Followup-To:

This newsgroup has been full of messages saying that the Amiga/NeXt/Mac is
better than the NeXt/Mac/Amiga.  A machine that really ought not be forgotten
is the Acorn Archimedes, which incidentally had a model A3000 before
Commodore.

They are built around Acorn's ARM processor (Acorn RISC machine), recently
bought into by Apple, and use a non-preemptive multi-tasking operating
system called RISCOS. They are *VERY* fast, especially with the ARM3
processor fitted, which has a built-in cache. Outline fonts are standard -
no waiting for system 7 - and a very cost-effective DTP system can be
put together; one producer of an magazine, admittedly an Archimedes-covering
mag., recently switched production from Macs to the Arc and reckons a 3-fold
increase in productivity. 
 
File handling is consistent between applications - files are saved by dragging 
an icon in a save-box to a filer window for the directory to save to, or if
the file already exists clicking on the OK button will save to its current
directory, or it can be dragged to a different directory if desired. Double-
clicking on a data file will load the application that created it.  Applications
install along an icon-bar at the foot of the screen and are activated by
clicking on, or by double-clicking on an existing data-file, or by dragging
a data-file to their icon.  Data can be saved from one application to another
by simply dragging the icon in the save-box to another application; either
an open window or to the application's icon on the icon-bar.  I save a 
selection of fields from my database straight into an open DTP document.

Between 2M and 16M RAM can be fitted depending on model; hard drives use
either ST506, SCSI or IDE (just becoming available).  Floppies are double-
density; but it is thought the next OS release (October?) will support the new
4M floppies. The current OS is in 1M ROM - the next version will almost
certainly be bigger.

PC emulation, totally in software, is available; no hardware PC coprocessor
is available, but the S/W emulation is good enough for most purposes, and with
an ARM3 is about PC-AT speed. The current version of the emulator takes over 
the whole machine and only emulates CGA; a new version due "any day now" 
multitasks in a destop window and emulates EGA, without much speed loss. 

All this and more (8-track stereo sound, MIDI available, 256 colours onscreen,
very fast direct-drive laser printers inc. 600 dpi) for from 699 pounds UK.
See comp.sys.acorn for more info. and loads more Arc users.

Brian

PS Note that nowhere in the above have I put any gratuitous insults to other
machines or their users; but I was sorely tempted!