Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!rg20+ From: rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re:Next Amiga System Message-ID: <8XJuKiy00Wg9ER5Ull@andrew.cmu.edu> Date: 15 Oct 88 19:23:26 GMT Organization: Carnegie Mellon Lines: 125 #define MORE COLUMS 80!=80 /* 80 colum is not alaways 80 colum, would you agree that the following line is 80 col? */ 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789 0 /* Now is the following line 80 column? */ there is a slight problem when one uses a workstation that has proportional fonts this line is the... same size as the above line, do blame Andre/IBM RT not me, however I will try to minimize size! >SUM: again, Rick was in present mode :-), I'm a future man. > -VGA, (on my COMPAQ 386/16 at work) under Windows 3.0 > beta (is beta betta'? :-) makes even poorly written programs > programs run quickly! (I can't say that for my Ami) > -NO FLICKER! (albeit, gemlocks are at a premium for VGA) > means you can use the REAL RESOLUTION of the machine, not >Med-Res! (I find $5 Ray Charles shades are an acceptable kludge :-) Well if we want to talk future, the amiga has the new chip set (which will get rid of that flicker for only an extra $75 {proposed cost of chips, since we have to assume that you already have a multi sync for your VGA} Also, if you wnt to spend large sums of $$$ there is the Headly monitor, (I've seen VGA cards for about $600 +$500 for a monitor so it's not really all that different costwise, although I will grant that the Headly is a special purpose monitor). Also I'de say that the 386/16 not windows 3.0 is what makes the "poorly written" programs run faster, after all I'm sure that BASIC on a cray is faster then the Amiga running C, but that doesn't mean BASIC is faster then C... Not to mention, windows is another Application, so it MUST slow down the system's speed to some degree over just running those "poorly written" programs under DOS... >the 386sx, which has 16 bit data bus, and > 24 bit address bus, and 32 bit registers (sand familya?-) > Speed: 16Mhz Cost: about same as 68k in 'Mass Quantities' :-) In mass quantities anything is cheap, however look at the price of a 286, the lowest price I've seen was about $100 (8Mhz), and from the same company (Jameco) a 68000L8 was about $10. So, I won't hold my breath waiting for the price of the SX to come down to that of the 68K (After all by that time 386 will be obscelete, competing against 68050, 80586 and probabily some incredible RICS processors {880x0???} ). Also by that time there will probabily be an amiga 3000 using a 68030 at 25 or 30 Mhz (We have to try and Top the NeXT machine don't we?). >-Very cheap, (oops! read 'inexpensive' :-) '386 clones shall > appear, and banish all underlings (8086/286) with speed, > VGA Gfx, and fix disk storage. The same (basically) was said about the introduction of the 286 AT, about banishing 8086 technology, but at this point in time there are a lot more XTs floating around, (For instance, here at CMU, a VERY computer oriented University, all the computer clusters have XTs and Mac SEs+ assorted work stations ;->, also here {I'm currently doing a system backup :-( } at Mellon Institute {center for Biology/Chemistry Research/Departements} Of the PC that have been going into labs [replacing to some degree, the incredibly Slooow 750 which I'm backing up] there are several Macs, and 1 XT [not an AT, but an XT],) so I really doubt that the SX chip will make a great difference (especially since Big Blue probabily won't use it, and will continue to back 286es), after all a lot of place either can't afford/don't want to buy new systems every few years. For instance you are using a 16Mhz 386, now I'de say that Microsoft has enough $$$, and is very computer oriented, so why aren't you using a 25Mhz 386? Hummmmm??? > C=Amiga can not sit (or stand:-) in contemplation mode... > 1/2 Meg Gfx/Sound @ 7.14 MHz is vastly superior to PRESENT DAY > IBM/Clone(heads):-) If you are speaking of 16/20/25 Mhz IBM clones, then yes the Amiga has less power, but I can't afford $1500 for a CPU, (No graphics, no hard drive, etc.). Really, I can't even get a 286 clone for what my Amiga cost me, Even If I went with a EGA card and EGA ONLY monitor (which of course screws me when I want to go to VGA....) In the future these machines will be cheaper, but so will the amiga and there will be better machines (what about the 486? What there be 486 Clones????). > -I MUCH prefer the Amiga interface, and love MULTITASKING!!!! > -Good programmers (me included?) can surely port their code > to other systems if proper technique/ediquette is observed. >-A window, is a window, is a window. More developers who jump >on the WINDOWS/PM bandwagen will surely find home with the Amiga. True, you CAN port the code (actually I doubt there is any code that one couldn't port if one was willing to have MEGA kludges) Also, if a window, is a window, then why should everyone follow the MS WINDOWS/PM bandwagon? I've used the Amiga's window interface and it is EXTREEMLY simple. I'm pretty impressed at what intuition is able to do (ie, for a gadget, just fill out a few structures and add toi gadget list and POOF instant gadgets!). I haven't programmed for MS Windows, but I've seen some applications (and on a 6/8 Mhz 286 using EGA they were SLOOOOW), Besides why should people who program for a MS interface port to the amiga when MS won't? >SUM: Hmmmmmm, does this [That I have more software for my > Apple II+ then I'll probabily ever have for my Amiga] say something > 'bout software developers, or Commodores publicity standards? Not really either [Actually Amiga Software Prices are LESS then Apple prices where in the early/mid 80s], what I was trying to get at is that the apple II+ ,although it is a far less powerfull machine then the Amiga has a huge software base (because it's been around) and it STILL gets support (although granted, much of the new software is only for the newer II modles ie IIe/IIc and IIgs). However, the amiga isn't all that old YET, and I believe that we are in the peak time for software developement (Have yo noticed how small the print that Mail Order Co.'s are using, and that they still can't print ALL the titles?) Also many companies are developing a lot of new software for the Amiga (ie Gold Disk's new Draw Program which supports postscript {I happen to be interested in this one myself, even if it will be $200...}) and there is a good amount of PD software around, and there are many new Hard Ware products being produced: {Multitude of HD controllers/ Drives, Processore Acelerator, 680(20/30) & 6888(1/2) boards [if you have the $$$], genlocks, digitizers, etc.} I think that the Amiga's golden age is now, if a few years it'll be declining (assuming that a newer Amiga (3000?) doesn't come along and blow every thing else away again), so enjoy while you can :-) >Sorry if this offends/irritates anyone. I do appreciate ANY >comments concerning my forcasting, and general blubbering. well I hope that this was enough general blubbering and I didn't consider last message to be a real brush fire either... [take o' fence, I'de never take someone's fence....] +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Disclaimer: Me? Post That, impossible I never post anything... | | TypetoYouLater(Everyone); --> "functional Good bye".... | | Rick Golembiewski [ Pronounciation is half the Battle, spelling the other] | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+