Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!van-bc!root
From: bhenning@bhami.vnet.van-bc.UUCP (Bill Henning)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Multi-tasking
Message-ID: <1646@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 25 Dec 87 19:55:15 GMT
Sender: root@van-bc.UUCP
Lines: 73


   With  regards  to  the  multi-tasking vs.  accessories discussion - I have
refrained  from  posting  on  this  topic so far, but I can no longer resist.
While  Dave Meile's comments in <3280@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu> are a response to an
article  <7413@sunybcs.UUCP> by Joseph M.  Piazza, some of his comments apply
to other people/sites, ad I wish to address some of them.

> your school sell Macintoshes and IBM computers to students and faculty?
> Does it sell Amigas?  Why not, if a multi-tasking microcomputer is such
> hot stuff?

   Many  schools  (the one I am attending included) sell IBM's, Mac's, and do
not  sell  Amiga's  (at  this  time).   Generally,  this  is due to the large
discounts  offered by IBM and Apple.  At other times, the people in charge of
the  microcomputer  centers happen to be long-time IBM-PC and Mac user's, and
have  the  typical attitudes fostered by owner's of those machines.  At other
times,  even  if there are people on the staff of the microcomputer store who
like,  nay, even own Amiga's, they cannot convince management to carry it "we
already  carry  Mac's and PC's - who would want anything else?  Besides, they
do  not have enough software, etc.".  Please note that practically all of the
computer  science  departaments computers are multi-tasking...  Sun's, VAXen,
etc., and the mainframes are also multi-tasking.  If you can manage to hold a
Mac  or  PC person through a GOOD and thorough demo of an Amiga, they usually
come  away  amazed  at  what  this little box can do - and seriously consider
buying one.

> Does your Amiga run HyperCard, Joseph?  Will your 68020 processor (I assume
> all Amiga owners own the "latest" processor for their machines) run Lotus
> 1-2-3?  Is the Amiga being bought in Fortune 50 companies?  What does this
> say about upper-management's desire to provide multi-tasking in the office
> environment?

   While  Joseph's  Amiga  may not run HyperCard, until very recently neither
did  the  Mac!  Something like HyperCard is likely to come out for the Amiga,
if  Dave  Small  (sp?)  does  not  beat  everyone  to  the punch with his Mac
emulator!   If  an  Amiga  owner were so inclined, there are several programs
that  are  Lotus 1-2-3 compatible to the n'th degree.  I am certain that some
Amiga's  are  being  bought  by  Fortune  50  companies  -  or at least their
employee's, and if the employee's buy them, and start loudly wondering around
the  office why the Mac's, PC's etc.  cannot do what their Amiga at home does
far better at a fraction of the price?  I do not currently have a 68020 in my
machine  -  but  I  probably  have one in the future, as I hate waiting for a
computer to finish doing what its busy at - that reminds me - some time ago I
was  working  on  a  Mac,  with  a  LazerWriter (nice printer) and whenever a
document  was  printing I had plenty of time to go to the caffeteria...  - on
my Amiga I NEVER have to wait for a printout to finish, nor a compile, nor my
news  feed  -  I  just  push  the  window (or screen) to the back and keep on
working.   Incidentally - what does upper-management's desire have to do with
anything?   They  (generally)  do not know what multi-tasking is!  If they do
not know what something is, how can they "desire" to provide it?

> Some people.  Send replies via email.  I may even read 'em.

   I  am sending this via the net, as I am not flaming anyone or anything - I
am just answering a "load of embarassing questions" in such a manner that you
may read them.

   The  above  was  not  meant  as  kindling to a new flame war, and before I
forget MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR to net.folks...

                                                                  ...Bill


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