Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!att!mtunj!io!granjon!edsel!packard!cord!nsw
From: nsw@cord.UUCP (N Weinstock)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga & Mindset
Summary: It was pretty nice...
Message-ID: <594@cord.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 88 16:52:29 GMT
References: <7958@cup.portal.com>
Reply-To: nsw@cord.UUCP (59455-N Weinstock)
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner
Lines: 51

In article <7958@cup.portal.com> Doug_B_Erdely@cup.portal.com.UUCP writes:
> [munch munch]
>I was talking to a person I know who was telling me about his Mindset
>computer. How Great it was and all... He said that there where MANY things
>the Mindset could do that the Amiga could not even touch. Now if I am not
>mistaken.. The Mindset is not even made anymore correct?? He said that it
>could multi-task, Stereo sound etc...
>
>I find this ALL VERY UNLIKELY!!! Can anyone tell me exactly just what the
>Mindset specs are.. what features it has etc... Is the company still making
>them.... I am extremely interested...... I think he is full of BULL!! :> :>

Hit 'n' if you could care less about the Mindset, otherwise read on...

Ahh, the good ol' Mindset.  In my own mind this machine was the true precursor
to the Amiga.  I almost bought one, though when the Amiga came out I was glad
I had waited! Here's what I know (based on having shopped them and played with
one when it came out, in 1984 I believe).  If anyone sees glaring mistakes here,
feel free to correct (or ignore) me, some of this is hearsay.

The processor was an 80186, and the system was semi PC-compatible.  It featured
outstanding color graphics, including a blitter.  It came with a 2 button
mouse.  Stereo sound was not standard but could be added as a relatively 
inexpensive option.  The system was arranged much like the Atari Mega STs,
with a main system unit and expansion units which stacked.

Many things about the Mindset may seem familiar to the average Amigoid.  First,
it was built by a former Atari person.  Next, it was aimed at the artist market;
the first program available was called Lumen, and was a fancy mouse driven
color paint program (sound familiar?).  It had a blitter and stereo sound
capability.  It was far ahead of it's contemporaries technology-wise.  It died
a slow death because of a lack of publicity and software (of course this didn't
happen to the Amiga, but it seemed like it might for a while).  After failing
in the general market, Mindset Corporation went after the video market (never
heard much after that).

I saw a demo of game called Vyper, and the 3D graphics were quite impressive,
and very fast.  I don't know if the game was ever actually released.

Miscellaneous:  I wasn't aware that the Mindset multitasked, but it's 
possible.  There is a Mindset in the Museum of Modern Art in NY (it was quite
attractively designed.)  Last I saw, Mindsets were being liquidated for $299.
I very much doubt the company is still in business.

They really had the right idea.  "Missed it by *that* much."

This rambling digression courtesy of...
.- -- .. --. .- .-. ..- .-.. . ... .- -- .. --. .- .-. ..- .-.. . ...
|  Neil Weinstock | ihnp4!cord!nsw   | "I think my cerebellum just  |
|  AT&T Bell Labs | nsw@cord.att.com |      fused." - Calvin        |
.- -- .. --. .- .-. ..- .-.. . ... .- -- .. --. .- .-. ..- .-.. . ...