Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:27763 sci.electronics:5928
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,sci.electronics
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Logic Analyzer Card/Software for the IBM-PC?
Message-ID: <1989Apr22.212337.3305@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <23069@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <3036@copper.MDP.TEK.COM> <10390@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 89 21:23:37 GMT

In article <10390@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> tim@cit-vax.UUCP (Timothy L. Kay) writes:
>Not only is it more expensive, but it probably doesn't have half the
>features [of the PC-based one].  Does the Tektronix logic analyzer have
>
>	o A large, easy-to-read screen?
>
>	o A nice alpha keyboard?

Surely you are not speaking of PC screens and keyboards, which often
qualify for none of those adjectives!  (only half :-))

>There are tremendous advantages in basing products on a standard
>platform.  The manufactuer can take advantage of many of the standard
>features almost for free.

He also gets any standard defects for free, which is not a trivial issue.
Also, either the PC is dedicated to the product's function (in which case
it is overdesigned and possibly overpriced compared to a custom solution)
or it's shared with other functions, which can result in compromises.
-- 
Mars in 1980s:  USSR, 2 tries, |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
2 failures; USA, 0 tries.      | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu