Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!mcnc!ecsvax!urjlew From: urjlew@ecsvax.UUCP (Rostyk Lewyckyj) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Amiga futures Message-ID: <4342@ecsvax.UUCP> Date: 20 Dec 87 23:02:20 GMT Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service Lines: 56 Keywords: 68020, C3000, mixed cpu/system machines Recently Dave Haynie posted that C= would RSN make a 68020 add-on board for the B2000. Seeing as this is a C= and not a third party development, it would seem that it wouldn't take much for them to replace the 68000 cpu section of the B2000 motherboard by the circuitry used on this 68020 board. So how soon can we expect it to be done and see a 68020 based Amiga? For us consumers, this should be cheaper than having to buy a B2000 system + this add-on cpu card. Also the system should be simpler without the complica tions of partitioning and interfacing the logic of who does what. If not then why not? Would it be a marketing decision to hold back till the market is saturated with B2000s before introducing a 68020 motherboard. Perhaps we can get replies from someone in hardware development, someone from software, and perhaps even an official marketeer? Corroborating oppinions from net experts not affiliated with C= are also solicited. Remember the path from the A1000 to the B2000: A1000 Transformer + promises of accelerator became promises of sidecar (a bright idea to glue a P10 onto the A1000) ended up as B2000 and Janus. Time-frame for this was Nov. 85 till Oct. 87. And now we have: Promises of an 80286 Janus, rumors of 386 cards (on PC 8 bit bus?), promises of 68020 cpu card. Projected expectation 8-) 68020 based C3000 without coprocessor socket, with one serial and one parallel port, 1280x400 color capability but very minimal video accessible ram (1 meg?), 3 busses: Amiga, IBM AT 16 bit, and Nu bus for Mac peripherals. Timeframe Sept. 89. As a final item for all of you to think on. Recall the various attempts to mix various different hardwares and programming systems in the same box, and their fate. As examples I offer: z80 cards and cpm for the Apple ][. (almost successful) 68000 cards for Apple ][. z80 cards and cpm for IBM PC: Baby blue etc. 68000 cards for IBM PC: Sri tec etc. NS32032 cards for IBM PC: Z8000 card for IBM PC: Byte, Ciarca circuit cellar IBMs own 68000 based IBM 370 cards for the PC. Apricot? BBC? machine with hardware pipe? Franklin 2000? (their machine after the Apple ][ clone) Basys 9 (British?, French?) Can anyone offer a machine/system of this type that has become even a modest success? ----------------------------------------------- Reply-To: Rostyslaw Jarema Lewyckyj urjlew@ecsvax.UUCP , urjlew@tucc.bitnet or urjlew@tucc.tucc.edu (ARPA,SURA,NSF etc. internet) tel. (919)-962-9107