jimh@hpsadla.HP (Jim Horn) (10/22/87)
. . . . .
A quick question for the group - does anyone have any word on the
80286 bridge board for the 2000? Specifically, it has been discussed
before, but a friend needs an AT compatible machine by summer of next year,
and if he learns that the board would be available by then he'll buy a 2000
now. Otherwise, since he can't afford to buy both, he'll get an AT
compatible instead (why an AT? Specific software not yet available on the
superior machines).
Any word or hints out there (No, no 680x0 vs. 80x86 comments)?
Many thanks!
Jim "I use 'em both and don't want to drop either!" Horn
1212 Valley House Drive {The World}!hplabs!hpspdla!hpsrla!jimh
Rohnert Park, CA 94928-4999 (707) 794-3130
{So many signals, so little bandwidth}harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) (10/23/87)
In article <2300008@hpsadla.HP>, jimh@hpsadla.HP (Jim Horn) writes: > A quick question for the group - does anyone have any word on the > 80286 bridge board for the 2000? Specifically, it has been discussed > before, but a friend needs an AT compatible machine by summer of next year, > and if he learns that the board would be available by then he'll buy a 2000 > now. Otherwise, since he can't afford to buy both, he'll get an AT > compatible instead (why an AT? Specific software not yet available on the > superior machines). I have the same question, except a lot more serious. I need this capability now! I'm being thrusted into using the Acorn chip/developement board. It only works with the IBM pc. But, it only works well with AT. I just got off the horn with Ameristar regarding Ethernet capabilities, and they said their card doesn't work well with talking to the IBM side of the A2000. They said this is due to the fact that I/O to the IBM side so abusive. So I need Ethernet capability on the IBM PC side of the bus. This is too much for my company to swallow! If I could at least get the 80286 bridge card, I could at least defray the cost of adding the Ethernet card! BTW, my company is using the IBM PC, due to the stranglehold of previous management. Why on earth can I not use the clearly superior A2000 solution? The last thing I wan't see on my desk is an IBM AT versus an AMIGA! -- Work: Computer Consoles Inc. (CCI), Advanced Development Group (ADG) Irvine, CA (RISCy business! Home of the CCI POWER 6/32) UUCP: uunet!ccicpg!harald
higgin@cbmvax.UUCP (Paul Higginbottom SALES) (10/23/87)
in article <2300008@hpsadla.HP>, jimh@hpsadla.HP (Jim Horn) says: > A quick question for the group - does anyone have any word on the > 80286 bridge board for the 2000? > Jim "I use 'em both and don't want to drop either!" Horn We will be showing it at Comdex in a couple of weeks, and it should be available in the first quarter of 1988. Sorry I can't be more specific, there's a LOT of testing required for such a product to ensure compatibility. Regards, Paul.
wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) (10/26/87)
Re: the planned 80286 coprocessor card for the {A|B}2000
> We will be showing it at Comdex in a couple of weeks, and it should
> be available in the first quarter of 1988. Sorry I can't be more
> specific, there's a LOT of testing required for such a product to
> ensure compatibility.
I hate to gain say the Amiga, since I like it a lot. However....
I remember looking at the spec sheet for the Genlock I got from
Lisa Siracusa at Commodore when I bought my A1000 in Nov. 1985.
The letter said that the Genlock would be out in 1st quarter of
1986. We didn't see the Genlock until 1st quarter 1987.
As far as the 80286 bridge board goes, I'd keep it in the "I'll
believe it when I see it" category. I sure hope the '286 board
makes it on time-- this'll make the Amiga a good competitor indeed!
Bill
(wtm@enoucom.UUCP)kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) (11/01/87)
In article <741@neoucom.UUCP> wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) writes: >Re: the planned 80286 coprocessor card for the {A|B}2000 [...] >As far as the 80286 bridge board goes, I'd keep it in the "I'll >believe it when I see it" category. I sure hope the '286 board >makes it on time-- this'll make the Amiga a good competitor indeed! After checking out Jerry Pournelle's (for a change sensible) comments in this months Byte column, to the effect that the 80286 is headed the way of the Dodo, ("The 286 is doomed, and within a year, there won't be many systems using it; the 386 will be with us a long time." p235, c1, Byte Nov87) (and note that when Jerry says it, it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy, it happens because he says it will!) it looks like a better wish would be that Commodore forget about the 80286 bridge card, and make an 80386 card instead. Once again, catching up with last generation's hardware isn't going to make many points with the buying public, and doesn't contribute to long term product line viability. (Oppose this good advice to Pournelle's iterated complete lack of understanding of multitasking a couple of lines down in the same column; again he thinks it's _always_ stealing cycles. Sigh. If there is something more dangerous than that much influence coupled with that stubborn an ignorance, I've yet to find it. At least he's finally discovered that there are other programming languages than BASIC! It would be really nice if Commodore dispatched a CATS type for a month's live-in training session at Chaos Manor, to help Jerry and family learn how to make use of multitasking; maybe we could quit hearing about how great Sidekick is after while. ;-) Kent, the (totally weird) man from xanth. Running for president on a pound of caffeine, an ounce of sense, and a program of increased exploration and exploitation of space. Support your (probably non-existent - get busy!) local branch of the Birthright Party: "The birthright of mankind is the stars!" Hey, it's better than dwelling on your stock portfolio; at least here you've got a chance for a laugh or two. ;-) Yum! Eat them plastic chickens, brethren! Call me when I'm elected; 'til then, I'm going to take a nap.
farren@gethen.UUCP (11/01/87)
In article <3130@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >It would be really nice if Commodore dispatched a CATS type >for a month's live-in training session at Chaos Manor, to help Jerry >and family learn how to make use of multitasking; maybe we could quit >hearing about how great Sidekick is after while. ;-) Boy, you must really hate those CATS people to ask Commodore to do something like that to one of 'em. :-) -- ---------------- Michael J. Farren "... if the church put in half the time on covetousness unisoft!gethen!farren that it does on lust, this would be a better world ..." gethen!farren@lll-winken.arpa Garrison Keillor, "Lake Wobegon Days"
jdow@gryphon.CTS.COM (Joanne Dow) (11/04/87)
In article <277@gethen.UUCP> farren@gethen.UUCP (Michael J. Farren) writes: >In article <3130@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >>It would be really nice if Commodore dispatched a CATS type >>for a month's live-in training session at Chaos Manor, to help Jerry >>and family learn how to make use of multitasking; maybe we could quit >>hearing about how great Sidekick is after while. ;-) > >Boy, you must really hate those CATS people to ask Commodore to do >something like that to one of 'em. :-) Um, actually it might be a bit harrowing; but, it'd also be rather interesting as well. Chaos Manor is really something to see. -- <@_@> BIX:jdow INTERNET:jdow@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP:{akgua, hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!jdow Remember - A bird in the hand often leaves a sticky deposit. Perhaps it was better you left it in the bush with the other one.
manes@xanth.UUCP (11/05/87)
In article <3130@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >In article <741@neoucom.UUCP> wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) writes: >>Re: the planned 80286 coprocessor card for the {A|B}2000 >[...] >>As far as the 80286 bridge board goes, I'd keep it in the "I'll >>believe it when I see it" category. I sure hope the '286 board >>makes it on time-- this'll make the Amiga a good competitor indeed! > >After checking out Jerry Pournelle's (for a change sensible) comments >in this months Byte column, to the effect that the 80286 is headed the >way of the Dodo, ("The 286 is doomed, and within a year, there won't >be many systems using it; the 386 will be with us a long time." p235, >c1, Byte Nov87) (and note that when Jerry says it, it becomes a self >fulfilling prophesy, it happens because he says it will!) it looks >like a better wish would be that Commodore forget about the 80286 >bridge card, and make an 80386 card instead. Once again, catching up >with last generation's hardware isn't going to make many points with >the buying public, and doesn't contribute to long term product line >viability. > >(Oppose this good advice to Pournelle's iterated complete lack of >understanding of multitasking a couple of lines down in the same >column; again he thinks it's _always_ stealing cycles. Sigh. If >there is something more dangerous than that much influence coupled >with that stubborn an ignorance, I've yet to find it. At least he's >finally discovered that there are other programming languages than >BASIC! It would be really nice if Commodore dispatched a CATS type >for a month's live-in training session at Chaos Manor, to help Jerry >and family learn how to make use of multitasking; maybe we could quit >hearing about how great Sidekick is after while. ;-) > >Kent, the (totally weird) man from xanth. Gosh, you would submit a friendly CATS person to living with someone who thinks CP/M is useful? How cruel, how cruel indeed.... -mark= Yeah? I love my Amiga, you wanna make somethin' of it?
peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva) (11/07/87)
In article <3187@xanth.UUCP>, manes@xanth.UUCP (Mark Manes) writes: > Gosh, you would submit a friendly CATS person to living with someone > who thinks CP/M is useful? > ... > I love my Amiga, you wanna make somethin' of it? I think CP/M is useful. You wanna make something of it? Or you gonna run a LACE|HAM window in a 64K machine? -- -- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter -- Disclaimer: These U aren't mere opinions... these are *values*.
daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie) (11/10/87)
in article <3130@xanth.UUCP>, kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) says: > > After checking out Jerry Pournelle's (for a change sensible) comments > in this months Byte column, to the effect that the 80286 is headed the > way of the Dodo, ("The 286 is doomed, and within a year, there won't > be many systems using it; the 386 will be with us a long time." p235, > c1, Byte Nov87) .... [wishes that] Commodore forget about the 80286 > bridge card, and make an 80386 card instead. Once again, catching up > with last generation's hardware isn't going to make many points with > the buying public, and doesn't contribute to long term product line > viability. Isn't Jerry _SPECIAL_. What he apparently didn't mention (though I haven't read the article yet) is the main reason why the '286 should be considered doomed. And that's because Intel's planning to release, Real Soon Now, an 80386 guts packed into a 16 bit, pin compatible with the '286, package. So anyone with an 80286 machine buys a new chip and whammo, they've got an 32 bit internal machine with a 16 bit external data bus. Cowabunga! Maybe it's just Deja Vu or something, but I'm sure I've heard of this concept SOMEWHERE before. Of course, just maybe by the time these chips are out, there will be a 16 bit OS to run on these 32 bit chips. > Kent, the (totally weird) man from xanth. The 286 is a "brain-damaged" processor. -Steve Ballmer, Microsoft -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga Usenet: {ihnp4|caip|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh "The B2000 Guy" PLINK : D-DAVE H BIX : hazy "Computers are what happen when you give up sleeping" - Iggy the Cat
jpdres10@usl-pc.UUCP (Green Eric Lee) (11/17/87)
In message <3187@xanth.UUCP>, manes@xanth.UUCP (Mark Manes) says: >In article <3130@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >>In article <741@neoucom.UUCP> wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) writes: >>BASIC! It would be really nice if Commodore dispatched a CATS type >>for a month's live-in training session at Chaos Manor, to help Jerry >>and family learn how to make use of multitasking; maybe we could quit >>hearing about how great Sidekick is after while. ;-) >>Kent, the (totally weird) man from xanth. >Gosh, you would submit a friendly CATS person to living with someone >who thinks CP/M is useful? > >How cruel, how cruel indeed.... Well, CP/M IS useful. In the same sort of way that a Commodore 128 or other of that ilk is useful, of course. I might not be able to use the latest-greatest-gee-whiz-2-megabyte-word- processor on a lowly toy computer, but at least I can DO word processing on it, which is something, at least.... (and yes, I agree that dispatching a CATS person to Chaos Manor would be Cruel and Unusual Punishment :-). -- Eric Green elg@usl.CSNET from BEYOND nowhere: {ihnp4,cbosgd}!killer!elg, P.O. Box 92191, Lafayette, LA 70509 {ut-sally,killer}!usl!elg "there's someone in my head, but it's not me..."