Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!ig!bionet!agate!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!ucsd!sdcc6!sdcc10!cs163afu
From: cs163afu@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU (Some call me...Tim)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: PC Ditto II -- speed?
Summary: NOT a 286.  AT doesn't equal 286 !!
Message-ID: <103@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU>
Date: 5 May 89 00:17:15 GMT
References: <8905021217.AA08520@nh.cs.wm.edu> <98@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU> <102@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU>
Reply-To: cs163afu@sdcc10.ucsd.edu.UUCP (Some call me...Tim)
Organization: University of California, San Diego
Lines: 53

In article <102@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU> cs163aeo@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU (Professor I.R. Gumby) writes:
>In article <98@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU>, cs163afu@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU (Some call me...Tim) writes:
>> 
>> According to the person at the fair, PC Ditto II is in the "AT"
>> class.
>
>Define AT class machine.  Will PC Ditto II be able to execute 286
>instructions?  Can I put it in protect mode?  Can I run *gasp* OS/2
>with it?  How BIOS compatable is it?  An AT class machine is
>something that not only is up to par with the AT on speed, but also
>has the AT compatability.

The initial release of the IBM PC AT contained a 6Mhz 8086
processor.  It was only later that they upgraded to 8Mhz and still
later the 286 processor.

The PC Ditto II emulator is an 8086 emulator, not a 80286 emulator.
If it were, it would be no problem to include things such as protect
mode, etc.

Most IBM software runs on all model IBMs.  Software that takes
advantage of the 286 (OS/2 etc) is USUALLY expensive (maybe not
universally--that's NOT my point!), and most products are available
in IBM PC XT/AT (non-286!) versions, even if they do support the
extensions.

If you want HEAVY business use out of a computer, a '286 clone would
be a better investment--  the 12Mhz clone clocks in at a relative
16Mhz from the PC XT, whereas PC Ditto II clocks in at 10Mhz.

HOWEVER, most people buying PC Ditto II (I would assume) want an ST
but need to use IBM software.

BESIDES:  I didn't say this--the Avant-Garde representitive did.
And I agree with his appraisal.

>A caveat about emulators that everybody should be warned about is
>this, they are only emulators, the emulator can blow up at ANY time.
>And I'd be a bit weary about a machine with two different memory
>addressing architectures.

My experience with PC Ditto I is that it's about as solid as an IBM
Clone, and more compatible than some.  However, I haven't had
extensive experience with it.

What was that reference about Borland entering the ST market?  Is
this true?  (About two years ago I knew someone who's friend was
"beta testing" Turbo Pascal on the ST, but I haven't heard anything
about it since then.)

------------
Tim Mensch
Internet: tmensch@ucsd.edu