Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!cbmvax!daveh
From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: 80286 Bridge Board status?
Message-ID: <2709@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 9-Nov-87 17:39:49 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.2709
Posted: Mon Nov  9 17:39:49 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Nov-87 21:29:53 EST
References: <3130@xanth.UUCP>
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 32

in article <3130@xanth.UUCP>, kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) says:
> 
> After checking out Jerry Pournelle's (for a change sensible) comments
> in this months Byte column, to the effect that the 80286 is headed the
> way of the Dodo, ("The 286 is doomed, and within a year, there won't
> be many systems using it; the 386 will be with us a long time." p235,
> c1, Byte Nov87) .... [wishes that] Commodore forget about the 80286
> bridge card, and make an 80386 card instead.  Once again, catching up
> with last generation's hardware isn't going to make many points with
> the buying public, and doesn't contribute to long term product line
> viability.

Isn't Jerry _SPECIAL_.  What he apparently didn't mention (though I haven't
read the article yet) is the main reason why the '286 should be considered
doomed.  And that's because Intel's planning to release, Real Soon Now, an
80386 guts packed into a 16 bit, pin compatible with the '286, package.  So
anyone with an 80286 machine buys a new chip and whammo, they've got an 32
bit internal machine with a 16 bit external data bus.  Cowabunga!  Maybe it's
just Deja Vu or something, but I'm sure I've heard of this concept SOMEWHERE 
before.  Of course, just maybe by the time these chips are out, there will
be a 16 bit OS to run on these 32 bit chips.

> Kent, the (totally weird) man from xanth.

	The 286 is a "brain-damaged" processor.

			-Steve Ballmer, Microsoft

-- 
Dave Haynie     Commodore-Amiga    Usenet: {ihnp4|caip|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh
   "The B2000 Guy"              PLINK : D-DAVE H             BIX   : hazy
    "Computers are what happen when you give up sleeping" - Iggy the Cat