john1233@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Thomas M Johnson) (12/01/87)
Well, I am looking into an Amiga (I'm an old Atari 800 user)
and I have several questions.
I'm sure these have been asked before so all the frequent readers of this
newsgroup are sick of them but I'll ask anyway.
First, about the Amiga 2000's IBM compatiblility. What expansion are cards
are you able to use? Multifunction cards, modems, etc?
How software compatible is the bridgeboard to IBM software and how
fast does it emulate?
Next, and I guess the most asked question, about the multitasking.
How much does it slow the machine down?
Is this possible....
Having a BBS program running while doing other things like writing
a C program?
Is the desktop is ROM or do you have to load it from disk (yech!)
Now onto the Amiga 500......
I've heard it is software compatible but not hardware compatible.
What can't you use with the A500? How well does the multitasking
operate on the 500?
Thanks is advance for any replys,
Tom Johnson
john1233@csd4.milw.wisc.educmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (12/02/87)
[Sorry, wisc.edu seems to be unreachable from here, probably the BITNET filter.] In article <3725@uwmcsd1.UUCP> (Thomas M Johnson) writes: |> First, about the Amiga 2000's IBM compatiblility. What expansion are cards |> are you able to use? Multifunction cards, modems, etc? Any IBM PC card. There are three slots. With some connectors and an 80286 bridge card they can be IBM PC/AT slots. |> How software compatible is the bridgeboard to IBM software and how |> fast does it emulate? I have yet to see something that doesn't work on it, since it really is a clone in the box the speed is the same as a 'real' PC. The only incompatibility that I know of is that the COM2: interrupt is used for the shared memory manager and thus is unavailable to DOS. |> Next, and I guess the most asked question, about the multitasking. |> How much does it slow the machine down? Not at all. When other tasks are running, it depends on what resources you are competing for (disk, CPU, memory, etc) |> Is this possible.... |> Having a BBS program running while doing other things like writing |> a C program? Yes, several people do this. |> Is the desktop is ROM or do you have to load it from disk (yech!) Most everything is in ROM, all you have to do on the disk is set up the environment you like. |> Now onto the Amiga 500...... |> I've heard it is software compatible but not hardware compatible. |> What can't you use with the A500? How well does the multitasking |> operate on the 500? No, slots. So it can't use A2000 expansion cards (unless you buy a third party expansion product). Multitasking works the same, you won't notice it's there. When you use a single tasking machine again you will definitely notice that it is missing. --Chuck McManis uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: cmcmanis ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew I mLDR80 4['"]/e
harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) (12/02/87)
In article <3725@uwmcsd1.UUCP>, john1233@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Thomas M Johnson) writes: > Well, I am looking into an Amiga (I'm an old Atari 800 user) > and I have several questions. > First, about the Amiga 2000's IBM compatiblility. What expansion are cards > are you able to use? Multifunction cards, modems, etc? How much do you want? XT/AT boards OK. I'm in the process of verifying HOW much compared to various clones, looks like the bridgecard scores VERY high here. > How software compatible is the bridgeboard to IBM software and how > fast does it emulate? All the standard tests of IBM clones (like Flight Simulator, etc) pass with flying colors. Some clones don't even pass this acid test. ARGH! Why does CBM call the bridgecard a PC-emulator? Transformer was, but the bridgecard isn't (except monochrome/CGA capability which takes yet another card in an IBM!) The bridgecard runs at the same speed as an XT, the difference is display update and keyboard response, which is dependant on how busy the Amiga side is at the same time if you are into multitasking/multi processing. Also depends on priorities of the PC display to the Amiga window. Not to mention the fact you can't window on a PC like you can on the Amiga! > Next, and I guess the most asked question, about the multitasking. > How much does it slow the machine down? That depends massively on what your doing. The Amiga has probably the lowest multitasking overhead of ANY OS I know of. For CPU intensive tasks, its near an even split. But when you talk about doing BLITS and other forms of DMA, I don't think the Amiga has anything that can be compared to. Although the Amiga's CPU clock may not be an impressive speed, you have to consider the fact that the memory bandwith is double, and doesn't even interfere with the CPU at all. Blits and DMA take almost NO toll on CPU performance, unless you are really beating the display to death. And that really takes some doing. > Is this possible.... > Having a BBS program running while doing other things like writing > a C program? Piece of cake. The Amiga chews gum and walks all the time. Its a given. What impresses me is, playing 4 channel stereo music in real time while blasting windows about. Not a glitch! You should ask about running the IBM and Amiga tasks SIMULTANEOUSLY (as opposed to CONCURRENTLY! Its really PARALLEL processing). > Is the desktop is ROM or do you have to load it from disk (yech!) Desktop is Atari's equivalent to Workbench on the Amiga. I don't load it unless I need it. It's a waste of ROM (and RAM) if you don't need it. > Now onto the Amiga 500...... > I've heard it is software compatible but not hardware compatible. > What can't you use with the A500? How well does the multitasking > operate on the 500? Question: What is the difference between an Amiga? Answer: One leg is the same as the other. > Thanks is advance for any replys, > Tom Johnson Its just an affirmation! I still have a hard time seeing all this! And its called a PC? Isn't this a new class of personal computers? -- Work: Computer Consoles Inc. (CCI), Advanced Development Group (ADG) Irvine, CA (RISCy business! Home of the CCI POWER 6/32) UUCP: uunet!ccicpg!harald
peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva) (12/05/87)
In article <6514@ccicpg.UUCP>, harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) writes: > ... raves about Amiga ... > > Its just an affirmation! I still have a hard time seeing all this! > And its called a PC? Isn't this a new class of personal computers? What it is is a personal workstation. The first. We're all pioneers. It's amazing how few of us have died horrible cybernetic deaths like poor old Mike Meyer. Personal: it costs significantly less (like less than half) than a small car. You can get a 500 with a meg and a monitor for under a mille. Pardon the alliteration. Workstation: totally smooth multitasking, graphics, windowing, etc... -- -- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter -- Disclaimer: These U aren't mere opinions... these are *values*.
harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) (12/09/87)
In article <1225@sugar.UUCP>, peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva) writes: > In article <6514@ccicpg.UUCP>, harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) writes: > > ... raves about Amiga ... Sorry, I do rant. Sometimes I make sense. Flashed they call it. > > Its just an affirmation! I still have a hard time seeing all this! > > And its called a PC? Isn't this a new class of personal computers? Well that was a bit of rhetoric. I don't have a hard time seeing, just believing that the Amiga has been around for 2 years and somebody might wake up to the fact that you get a HELL of a lot of compute power for next to nothing. If you have tons of money, well waste it. > > What it is is a personal workstation. How about powerstation. Everybody makes a "workstation", even Apple and IBM will someday. Soon they will even multi-task. Gee Whiz! Im almost impressed. Don't get me wrong, I respect Apple for the few seconds they tried to win my heart with beating huge blue to death, but in the end, The Song Remains the Same! Sorry Marketroids, you lost! Bigtime. > The first. We're all pioneers. It's amazing how few of us have died horrible > cybernetic deaths like poor old Mike Meyer. Fear not. There will never be an Amiga again. The people have the power now! As for me, burn-out is near, I have CBM to thank for that! I made my decisions long ago. I can handle it. I got what I wanted, and a whole lot more. > Workstation: totally smooth multitasking, graphics, windowing, etc... You are not supposed to use the "s" word, smooth. You might give some slumbering giant a clue! Shame. 8^) And the "I" word. Integrated. And Bamble on. "Led Zep II sing my song" > -- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter > -- Disclaimer: These U aren't mere opinions... these are *values*. -- Work: Computer Consoles Inc. (CCI), Advanced Development Group (ADG) Irvine, CA (RISCy business! Home of the CCI POWER 6/32) UUCP: uunet!ccicpg!harald