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Path: utzoo!decvax!tektronix!uw-beaver!uw-june!entropy!dataio!bjorn
From: bjorn@dataioDataio.UUCP (Bjorn Benson)
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga impressions et al
Message-ID: <835@dataioDataio.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 09:23:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: dataioDa.835
Posted: Mon Oct 14 09:23:01 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Oct-85 06:22:23 EDT
Reply-To: bjorn@dataio.UUCP (Bjorn Benson
Distribution: na
Organization: Data I/O Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 33
Keywords: keyboard feel, speed
Xref: tektronix net.micro.amiga:00388 

>a) It is externally a well designed low-profile machine, with space
>underneath for a so-so keyboard - layout is ok, but (subjective) feel is
>mushy.

I have used the Amiga for development (not having a Sun or a PC), and I
find the keyboard to be acceptable.  It feels good and 99% of the keys
are in the right places.  No keys are missing [like the Mac].

>e) The multi-tasking worked nicely...

Yes, and you can even compile in the background! [Take that Atari]
I compile one program in one window and edit in another and neither
process suffers (1 Human bound, 1 Disk bound).

>f) When loading a window with icons, the machine was unexplainably slow,
>with each icon taking about 1 second to appear. Why?

Each window represents a directory.  In the directory are any number of
files.  Any file that gets displayed as an icon has a *.info file to
describe it.  When the WorkBench in building the window, these files are
searched for, opened and read one at a time. Ugh!

My personal opinion is that the windows are nice, and they work well, but
the icon based system is too limiting.  I prefer the CLI interface with
multiple virtual terminals.


I like the Amiga, I have not tried an Atari.  After progressing from RSTS/E
to UNIX 4.2, any computer I own must have a multi-tasking operating system
(not just the capability for one), and some decent windows.

						Wishing for a hard disk,
						    Bjorn Benson