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From: manes@vger.nsu.edu ((Mark D. Manes), Norfolk State University)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: (Video) Hardware Idiots ?
Message-ID: <1066.285499e1@vger.nsu.edu>
Date: 11 Jun 91 13:37:36 GMT
References: <1991Jun3.202114.4029@newserve.cc.binghamton.edu> <1991Jun3.225024.13052@marlin.jcu.edu.au> <1991Jun4.210724.1246@newserve.cc.binghamton.edu> <1991Jun7.091455.10355@rulway.LeidenUniv.nl> <1991Jun8.085839.3556@news.iastate.edu> <1991Jun8.191231
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In article <1991Jun10.103543.22097@news.iastate.edu>, taab5@isuvax.iastate.edu (Marc Barrett) writes:
> In article <1991Jun9.060440.29078@leland.Stanford.EDU>, bard@jessica.stanford.edu (David Hopper) writes:
>    My definition of a hack is a device that accomplishes something in
> a kludgy manner.  With the A2024, Commodore chose to fix the Amiga's 
> resolution problem at the destination instead of the source -- a
> true kludge.  With the Display Enhancer, Commodore decided to fix
> the flicker problem on the chipset output instead of in the chipset
> itself -- another true kludge.  The other video products try to
> overcome the Amiga's color problems with more kludges.
> 
>    There is one other kludge that I forgot to mention: Commodore's
> new high-density floppy drive.  If the chipset is so adequate, then
> why did Commodore have to hack up floppy drives (slowing down the
> drive motors) in order to get them to work?  That is a kludge in
> the first degree. 
> 
>    In all of these resolution, flicker, color, and floppy drive
> hacks, the problems are not fixed where they should be fixed --
> at the source.

Marc is right in this regard folks.  At least in the statement that
these things are 'hacks'.  The question is:  What makes these hacks so 
terrible?   And how are these hacks different than what appeared on
the other platforms?  For example:  A hack on the Amiga is considered
'bad' where they are considered 'innovation' on the other platforms.

I grant that Commodore should be working on a new chipset, and 
a DIG, but traditionaly these hacks on all platforms have been the
bread and butter of the third party developers.  In defense of
Commodore, it seems rather a given that both DIG and a new chipset
are in the works.  Just a matter of time.

I am greatful that there is enough marketshare to justify the 
existance of these hacks.  

For those who want to take my comments in comp.sys.amiga.programmer
about Commodore releasing source code and apply those arguments to
this posting, don't bother.  I feel that there are major differences
in operating system hacks vs. hardware hacks.

> 
>>Dave Hopper      |MUYOM!/// Anthro Creep | NeXT Campus Consultant at Stanford
>   -------------------------------------------------------------
>  / Marc Barrett  -MB- | BITNET:   XGR39@ISUVAX.BITNET        /   

 -mark=
     
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 | \/     |   Mark D. Manes   "The Most lopsided deal since ..."
 | /\  \/ |   manes@vger.nsu.edu                                        
 |     /  |   (804) 683-2532    "Make up your own mind! - AMIGA"
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