GUTEST7@BLEKUL11.BITNET (Tyberghein Jorrit) (05/03/90)
I've seen the Amiga 3000 and I was amazed. This machine is really IT.
You probably already know the hardware specs, but I'm going to tell you
something about the OS. There is just one hardware spec I want to
tell you because there seems to be some confusion. There is only one
interlace mode left (I mean flicker mode, because there are really more
interlace modes). This is the productivity-interlace mode (640*960). ALL
other modes are non interlaced (Even the 1280*512 is non interlaced, but
you really need a good monitor for that mode).
Now for the OS.
Dos:
- Amazing | You remember the 38 (or was it 48) library functions in
the dos.library ? There are now about 250 functions |||
- There are routines for buffered file IO in dos.
- The ffs filesystem is now the default. But it will still recognize
the old filesystem. (I'm going to reformat my disks :-)
Exec:
- There are functions to handle the cache and some other new
functions which I don't remember.
- The guru is still there but there are now recoverable alerts
(these look like green guru's). I don't know what you can do
with them.
- There are now three switch functions instead of two.
This will say probably nothing to most users, but what it means
is that there is probably support for the 68040 (stackframe...)
Graphics:
- There are quiet a lot of new functions including the misteriously
named OpenMonitor() and CloseMonitor().
Intuition:
- Intuition is magnificent.
- The standard filerequester is very nice.
- There are now many tools to help you program with intuition.
(gadtools.library)
- The default topaz font has changed in a positive way.
Other libraries:
- utilities.library, commodities.library, asl.library,
gadtools.library.
- I believe the total number of library functions has doubled |
- The commodities.library is a sort of input.device library.
You can make input event handlers very easy. And the user
can have total control without you ever knowing about it.
- The gadtools.library is very useful. You can very easily make
gadgets, menus, lists,...
Workbench:
- The workbench is now really functional. You can makedir with menus
and you can add tools to the workbench menu bar. You can even
quit the workbench.
There is ofcourse much more you can do.
- The workbench does not really multitask except when you start a
program. In that case you can immediatelly continue working with
the workbench.
- The two depth gadgets are replaced with one toggle-depth gadget (at
the right) and one gadget to toggle the window between full size
and smallest size (very handy).
- The arrows for the workbench windows are now next to each other.
- It is possible to put an icon on the workbench screen. This was
already possible in 1.3, but now you can make this permanent.
You could do this for the most used commands. Even after you reset
the computer this icon remains there (logically, because physically
it is still where it was before)
- The workbench has multiple select like the macintosh (draw a box
round the icons). The old method still works ofcourse.
- Diskicons appear at the left instead of the right. (I imagine they
did this because the workbenchwindow is resizable)
- Icons are beautifull. Workbench automatically puts a 3D border round
the icon. The effect is almost always very good.
- You can put the workbench on a backdrop window (like now) or in a
window (with a closegadget).
- There are some utilities on the workbench disk like sunmouse and
fkeys (to install function keys). They use the commodities.library.
Preferences is greatly enhanced.
- You can define a desktop pattern for the workbench window or screen
and a (different) pattern for all the workbench windows.
- You can use almost every display mode you wish (except HAM)
for the workbench. You can set the number of bitplanes.
- You can install a workbench screen greater than the physical
screen size. In that case you move the workbench screen not only up
and down but also to the left and the right.
If you want so you can set this workbench scrolling to automatic.
- You can change the default amiga-n and amiga-m to other keys if
you want to. Amiga-m is now a screenshuffler (VERY handy).
- You can move an intuitionscreen using the left-amiga left-mouse
button combination.
- You can change the font for icons, text and menu's respectively.
I tried Times/24 for the screen bar and menus and the result
was really spectacular.
- There is now a calender utility in preferences.
- You can install the keymap with preferences.
The CLI:
- At last the cli is usable. I don't think I will need a shell
anymore.
- There are some commands that are builtin. (echo, alias, resident,
if, endif, ...) As a result the c-dir is now relatively empty.
- You can link files (like UNIX). You could for example link a library
file on a disk to the libs: on the harddisk. In that case you need
not copy the library on the harddisk if you are not going to use
the program later.
- NEWCON is now standard.
- The cli uses text windows. These are REALLY great. For example:
Resize your cli window to a rather small size. Type 'dir'. The
directory will probably go out the window and there may be some
lines which won't go on one line. No problem with 2.0. Simply make
the window bigger, and SNAP | there is your directory, completely
reformatted to fit on the new size. (Amazingly handy |)
- The cli's have a builtin snap facility. Simply cut text from one
cli to another (or to the same).
- rexx comes standard on the workbench disk (not in the ROM :-(
I have probably forgotten a whole lot of features but then memory
isn't that good. The Amiga 3000 is surely a fantastic computer with
a fantastic operating system. I think I'm going to buy one. It's
a pity that they are rather expensive in Belgium :-( (I mean compared
to usa, because even a double price would not have been really
expensive for such a beast)
Note that these are not rumours because I have tried and seen them
myselves.
Jorrit Tybergheinmt87692@tut.fi (Mikko Tsokkinen) (05/07/90)
In article <3May1990160650153@BLEKUL11.BITNET> GUTEST7@BLEKUL11.BITNET (Tyberghein Jorrit) writes: [ lots of stuff deleted ] > Exec: > - There are functions to handle the cache and some other new > functions which I don't remember. > - The guru is still there but there are now recoverable alerts > (these look like green guru's). I don't know what you can do > with them. Does the 2.0 still lock up when guru appears, IOW do you still have to travel million miles to your modem-box just to press the mouse-button? Who needs autobooting if it doesn't boot with guru? Same goes with the requesters too or do I still have to hack 'em (& guru)? IMHO guru could have been dumbed but if somebody needs the magic numbers then I suggest a timer that waits lets say 20 sec. and then boots up. If there is a timer, GREAT!!!!! [ lots of stuff deleted ] > Jorrit Tyberghein Mikko -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Mikko Tsokkinen : I'm not a number ... I'm a free man : : Internet mt87692@tut.fi : UUCP tut!mt87692 : Bitnet mt87692@fintut : -----------------------------------------------------------------------