DEB110@psuvm.psu.edu (Doug Bischoff) (12/01/90)
Okay, NOW I'm upset.
First time I'll ever write to a magazine and it's to tell them that they
goofed in a big way.
In the same issue where they preview the Amiga 3000UX and say that it can
out-Unix a NeXT, MAC II, and 386 PC, they do a huge cover-story series on the
state of Computer Graphics today.
Over half of the articles are dedicated to Ray-Tracing and photo-realism,
while the rest are dedicated to Compression and HDTV compatability.
Allow me to quote:
"All this wonderful color talk may seem like a moot point if you use a
PC compatible machine. Workstation-quality graphics have moved to the
Macintosh..."
*NOT!!!*
Okay, I'll admit it. 32 bit color looks nice. But I believe that someon
pointed out that the eye can't even DISTINGUISH colors more than 16.8 million
(24 bit) so all that extra color is OVERKILL. Yes, the extra headroom is very
nice, and I'm not knocking that.
The word AMIGA or COMMODORE does not make a single appearance in this
entire series of articles. Not once. I checked.
Now for an example:
How much does a Pixar Graphics machine cost? About $50,000? I can't
say for sure, but that's my guess. Please correct me if I'm wrong (as
if I have to ask on this network, as someone already pointed out).
They did a nifty 6 panel layout of graphics designed on a Pixar machine
of the 6 steps, I can do the first 5 on a framebuffered Amiga using
Turbo Silver (or Imagine would probably be easier :-) ) and the last
one would just take a bit of tricky object designing.
These were all done on the Pixar, and showed a progression that was
basically:
Wire Frame
Solid Shading
Edge Smoothing
Shading/Shadows (Ray trace) with Light sources
Texture Mapping
Reflections and directional Light sources
Even in the "comprehensive" end section detailing "all" the available
graphics engines there was NO MENTION of the AMIGA or COMMODORE!
I'm rather upset (obviously). I'm seriously considering reproducing the
panels and sending them in with my letter, perhaps on disk in 24 bit files so
they can render them and see the screen shots.
I was under the impression that BYTE gave fair coverage to the AMIGA!!!
Comments, criticisms, voices raised in support? All welcome. (Even *sigh
flames)
/---------------------------------------------------------------------\
| -Doug Bischoff- | *** *** ====--\ | "It's so neat to |
| -DEB110 @ PSUVM- | * *** * ==|<>\___ | see an AMIGA say |
| -The Black Ring- | *** *** |______\ | "Welcome to |
| --- "Wheels" --- | *** O O | Macintosh"" |
| Corwyn Blakwolfe | T.R.I. ------------- | ---- AMIGA ---- |
\---------------------------------------------------------------------/lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (12/02/90)
In <90334.135228DEB110@psuvm.psu.edu>, DEB110@psuvm.psu.edu (Doug Bischoff) writes: > I was under the impression that BYTE gave fair coverage to the AMIGA!!! Haahaahaaahaaahahahaaaha! Best joke I've seen for months. You should post it to rec.humor.funny -larry -- The only things to survive a nuclear war will be cockroaches and IBM PCs. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (12/05/90)
DEB110@psuvm.psu.edu (Doug Bischoff) writes: | Okay, I'll admit it. 32 bit color looks nice. But I believe that someon |pointed out that the eye can't even DISTINGUISH colors more than 16.8 million |(24 bit) so all that extra color is OVERKILL. Yes, the extra headroom is very |nice, and I'm not knocking that. 32 bit color doesn't give you more colors than 24 bit does. the extra bits are used for special FX. such as transparency, etc. [hey, now that there are several 24 bit cards out there for the Amiga, how come we haven't heard any praises from MB? Is he working on his strategies to clammer for 32 bit boards now?] ob whine:I WANNA 256 bit Video card! For under $100!!! ;-) -- John Sparks |D.I.S.K. Public Access Unix System| Multi-User Games, Email sparks@corpane.UUCP |PH: (502) 968-DISK 24Hrs/2400BPS | Usenet, Chatting, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-|7 line Multi-User system. | Downloads & more. A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of----Ogden Nash
dvljhg@cs.umu.se (J|rgen Holmberg) (12/08/90)
In article <3930@corpane.UUCP> sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) writes: >DEB110@psuvm.psu.edu (Doug Bischoff) writes: > > > >| Okay, I'll admit it. 32 bit color looks nice. But I believe that someon >|pointed out that the eye can't even DISTINGUISH colors more than 16.8 million >|(24 bit) so all that extra color is OVERKILL. Yes, the extra headroom is very >|nice, and I'm not knocking that. > >32 bit color doesn't give you more colors than 24 bit does. the extra bits are >used for special FX. such as transparency, etc. > >[hey, now that there are several 24 bit cards out there for the Amiga, how >come we haven't heard any praises from MB? Is he working on his strategies >to clammer for 32 bit boards now?] > >ob whine:I WANNA 256 bit Video card! For under $100!!! ;-) > > Isn't there a 32 bit board called Harlequin out there? Or is that just here in europe? Jorgen -- ******************************************************************************* email dvljhg@cs.umu.se - other ways to communicate are a waste of time. Everything I say is always true, just apply it to the right reality. "Credo, quia absurdum est."
bsyme@cs.strath.ac.uk (Brian J Syme IE88) (12/15/90)
In article <1990Dec8.130147.20197@cs.umu.se> dvljhg@cs.umu.se (J|rgen Holmberg) writes: > >Isn't there a 32 bit board called Harlequin out there? Or is that just here in >europe? > >Jorgen There certainly is, I just had a look at one today. Very nice output, optional 32/24 bit ['extra' eight bits are used for alpha "antialias"/fade.] Max res (as well as I can remember) is something around 1000x768 [not exactly] and design is interesting. (software designed for it can be usable without the board.) If you want more info, mail me and I'll pass on details. It is available outside Europe, not sure what demo arrangements are. -- <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <> Brian Syme <> Why make things difficult, when with just a <> <> bsyme@cs.strath.ac.uk <> little more effort you could make them <> <> <> impossible. <> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>