Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!esseye!jdbbs!wybbs!therip!FredMail From: Rod.Fulk@f24.n228.z1.FidoNet.Org (Rod Fulk) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Amiga is better then what??? Message-ID: <677913506.0@therip.FidoNet> Date: 26 Jun 91 04:27:44 GMT Sender: FredMail@p0.f24.n228.z1.FidoNet.Org Lines: 62 Tom, Apparently you have not really used an Atari computer... There are many offerings available on the ST that are not available on any other computer to date. Since atari does not make the ST computer any more that I know of you must compare the capabilities of the STe to that of the amiga. A 1040 Ste compares VERY favorably to an amiga 500. The ONLY thing the amiga 500 has over the atari is the fact that the atari can not do as many colors on the screen at the same time... However there is a 24bit card available for $800 with a coprocessor of some sort for really good graphics... Adding things to the ST come alot cheaper over all then on the amiga and the standard equipment atari sells is of better quality on average. Compare.... An Ste with tos 1.6 and blitter performs pretty well... Compared to an Amiga 500 the amiga only has a slight edge over the Atari.. (Note: for the price no other computer even comes close... ) Compare OS's... The St is built with a much more complete OS then ANY of the amiga OS's.. (The 2.0 doesnt really count at this point since last time I looked it was not available on amiga 500's yet) If you compare the amigas 2.0 to the Mega Ste's 2.x and the TT's 3.X the atari beats it hands down. (Beats it in all areas of ease of use and of pure power...) Of course the amiga does multi task but I have very little use for multi tasking.. (I use a 25 mhz '386 with desqview.. On the BBS multi tasking is nice..) VERY few people I talk to use multi tasking more then ocassionally. As to sound? Well The ST is the only one so far that has the capability of 3d sound. The STe series computers have the capability of using 3 seperate speakers with different sounds out of each.... 2 of those full 8 bit digital.. It is easy to use HD floppies on an ST.. I have yet to see on on an amiga... Since the ST uses standard parts it is easy to get most of the items... Comparing an ST to an Amiga at purely CPU intensive things the Amiga can not be compared very favorably. The amiga has a hand up on the serial port since the ST is limited to 19200 baud... ALL the memory can be used in an ST as compared to the amigas limitation of chip memory... (Note the ST does not waste memory... You must waste memory on an amiga to do double buffered graphics and digital sound at the same time.) Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.. The Standard ST is MUCH better suited to bussiness then an amiga. However the Amiga is better suited to games and higher resolution color work... Start comparing at the TT to amiga 3000 level and the difference is alot less.. The TT can do some graphic modes the amiga would be jelous of and visa versa. The sound systems are for the most part the same.. Differences can be over come by the speed of the processor. If you REALLY push it the amiga can do a few things better in the graphics arena though.. Over all though you have no bussiness stating the ST is no where as good as the amiga.. It is not true.. However Atari USA is missing the boat.... Actually someone shot the boat they were on while they were sipping a toast to what they thought was going on... Then federated almost killed them.. From the current trends I would predict that the Atari will come on very strong in the next five years.. If Atari ever gets over their fatuation of keeping low graphics to keep the price down and offer a multi tasking environment then there will be nothing any amigaite can say against the ST... ;-) (Multi tasking doesnt make a better machine but since most people dont realize they are not gonna need it they think they need it and might lewt it make some sort of an effect on them..) * Origin: The R.I.P. (616)235-2313 [HST] (1:228/24)