l40a@CLUTX.BITNET (Michael DeCorte) (03/20/87)
There have been several comments on the net lately about adding this or that to the unix box that atari is planning. While all of the additions that I have seen are very interesting I can not support them. The 68000 box as I understand is supposed to be a cheap, fast unix box that plugs into the back of the ST. The proposed additions contradict this purpose. Each addition adds to the cost of the machine and it will delay it's release. I don't think anyone wants to have to pay more and wait longer for unix on the ST. If a multi-user box is desired then one possible solution would be to create (perhaps by third party) a box with a bunch of rs-232 ports in it. The rs-232 box could be just another thing on the dma-bus. This has the advantage that it would be useful even without the unix box and to make the unix box work with the rs-232 box should involve a DRIVER change not a HARDWARE change. Of course this would cost more than if the unix box had rs-232 ports but not everyone want's a multi-user machine. This was just something that came to me and I have not really thought it out, so it may to be even be possible but the point is there are other ways to add power other than make one really powerfull box. michael decorte l40a@clutx.bitnet