akcs.bill@point.UUCP (Bill Wolff) (01/20/91)
Well there is a fear that I felt that was coming for the IBM software line. Unlike other computers, IBM doesn't come with standard memory, disk drives, or even video cards. This means no two will very likely to be the same. This creates a problem when writing software. Which in short, one must try to cover all the bases. What inspired this article was after reading Dan Gutman's article titled "User-Hostile." User-Hostile, what is that? That means instead of things getting easier for computer users, they are getting harder. Case in point! Dan mentions the new computer game "King's Quest V" by Sierra Online for example. The new release contains five different versions and this is only for the IBM computers. It appears you can get a EGA, VGA (3.5), VGA (5.25), CD-ROM, and low density disk versions. "In the past we've been able to support all the various hardware configurations of the IBM PC without publishing separate versions," says Sierra president Ken Williams. "This is no longer possible." Dan goes on to mention "It reminds me of a scene in the movie 'Moscow On The Hudson.' Robin Williams played a Russian musician who defects to America and is faced with so many different brands of coffee that he passes out on the supermarket floor. It's not likely that customers will be passing out in computer stores, but the store managers might. They don't want to stock nine versions of every piece of software." I can only guess what the future will bring? What happens to ones software when they upgrade a video or drive unit? Does this mean they have to upgrade the software too? <BW>
johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu (01/21/91)
In article <1991Jan20.173736.23505@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu>, smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes... >akcs.bill@point.UUCP (Bill Wolff) writes: >>Unlike other computers, IBM doesn't come with standard memory, disk >>drives, or even video cards. This means no two will very likely to be the >>same. This creates a problem when writing software. Which in short, one >>must try to cover all the bases. >> >This is a problem not because IBM computers are introducing >incompatible new standards but because the new standards have >to be *backward* compatible. I've been told that the Mac is >a nightmare for incompatible bus standards, so I suppose IBM >users have an advantage in this area. I may be wrong, but I would imagine that more users would prefer to see their SOFTWARE work when they buy a new computer, rather than expecting that, for example, the graphics card from an XT will work in a PS/2. Doesn't the user generally sell an old machine the along with the installed cards, and get new equipment? >People spend $100 on an article of clothing they don't need, or >they take their car into the *dealer* for a $200 checkup, >or they buy $500 dollars of sporting equipment, etc., but >they scream if they have to spend an extra $150 on their >computer. Sheesh. I'm not sure that the "extra $150" is the problem here. The real problem is that the extra investment ends up being incompatible with the next hardware or software upgrade. I find PC users with two incompatible memory upgrades installed in the same computer because they have software that doesn't support extra RAM in the same way. They upgrade the software in order to upgrade the hardware in order to upgrade the software .... ad infinitum. I've owned Mac's and a PC ... and there certainly is no comparison when it comes to the aftermarket dollars required to keep them running. My XT clone cost $1500 in 1984 ... by all accounts a great buy. Running Lotus with graphics then required $250 for a graphics board in 1985. Modeming required $140 for a serial port. Memory chips were cheap enough; the upgrade from 128K to the now staggering 256K cost only $75. Each of the hardware modifications involved an hour or more of disassembly and soldering (for the ram upgrade). I ended up buying new versions of some software packages to run with the new hardware, without really getting any new features. The Mac's I've owned cost a bit more than PC's with similar processor capabilities and disk drive capacity. I assume that the differential was largely due to the fact that I was "forced" to buy two serial ports, a SCSI port and built-in 72dpi graphics. Eventually this paid off; all the peripherals I've purchased have been "plug-and-play". Memory upgrades snapped right in and the system software automatically recognized it. Virtually all of the software I bought in 1986 still works today, despite rather drastic changes/improvements to the OS. "User hostility" doesn't really make a difference to me; I can use DOS about as easily as I can use a Mac, and both operating systems have "pain in the ass" features. But on a $$$ basis, I have to give the edge to the Mac. The bottom line was that it cost more money to make the PC do what I wanted it to do, and I was forced to make decisions with the hardware upgrades that precluded options that came later on down the road. Compatible bus "standards" are nice, but it would be nicer if the stuff that plugged into the slots were compatible with each other. -- Bill (johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu)
chaz@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kestner) (01/21/91)
In article <2798af36-243dcomp.ibmpc@point.UUCP> akcs.bill@point.UUCP (Bill Wolff) writes: >Well there is a fear that I felt that was coming for the IBM software >line. Unlike other computers, IBM doesn't come with standard memory, disk >drives, or even video cards. This means no two will very likely to be the >same. This creates a problem when writing software. Which in short, one >must try to cover all the bases. > >What inspired this article was after reading Dan Gutman's article titled >"User-Hostile." User-Hostile, what is that? That means instead of things >getting easier for computer users, they are getting harder. > >Case in point! Dan mentions the new computer game "King's Quest V" by >Sierra Online for example. The new release contains five different >versions and this is only for the IBM computers. It appears you can get a >EGA, VGA (3.5), VGA (5.25), CD-ROM, and low density disk versions. > >"In the past we've been able to support all the various hardware >configurations of the IBM PC without publishing separate versions," says >Sierra president Ken Williams. "This is no longer possible." > >Dan goes on to mention "It reminds me of a scene in the movie 'Moscow On >The Hudson.' Robin Williams played a Russian musician who defects to >America and is faced with so many different brands of coffee that he >passes out on the supermarket floor. It's not likely that customers will >be passing out in computer stores, but the store managers might. They >don't want to stock nine versions of every piece of software." > >I can only guess what the future will bring? What happens to ones >software when they upgrade a video or drive unit? Does this mean they >have to upgrade the software too? <BW> The reason they say they can't support this, is that they don't want to. Regular EGA modes are subsets of VGA modes, thus VGA displays them too. It's simple (and cheap) to package BOTH 5.25" AND 3.5" disks in the same box. It'd be silly for any software house to attempt to distribute a single product, that is upgradeable, on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM market is still VERY small, and I've never heard of any user of a PC that DIDN'T have a floppy drive in it unless it's a diskless workstation. The guy's comments about "not being able to support" it are utter bullshit.
derek@sun4dts.dts.ine.philips.nl (derek) (01/23/91)
smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes: akcs.bill@point.UUCP (Bill Wolff) writes: >Unlike other computers, IBM doesn't come with standard memory, disk >drives, or even video cards. This means no two will very likely to be the >same. This creates a problem when writing software. Which in short, one >must try to cover all the bases. [stuff deleted]. People should *not* complain about the lack of sound through their stupid little speakers if they're not willing to lay down the extra $150 for a sound board. People spend $100 on an article of clothing they don't need, or they take their car into the *dealer* for a $200 checkup, or they buy $500 dollars of sporting equipment, etc., but they scream if they have to spend an extra $150 on their computer. Sheesh. Ah, but I don't have a slot free to put the sound board. I'd LOVE to have a sound board, but then I'd have to sacrifice my modem or scanner, 2 Meg of extended memory, or hard disk. For far more than $800 or so I understand there's an slot extension, not really economic that. Have YOU got any ideas? S. "Stevie" Smith \ + / <smsmith@hpuxa. \+++++/ " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@ ircc.ohio-state. \ + / {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-) " edu> \ + / BTW, WYSInaWYG \ + / --witty.saying.ARC Best Regards, Derek Carr DEREK@DTS.INE.PHILIPS.NL Philips I&E TQV-5 Eindhoven, The Netherlands Standard Disclaimers apply.
smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) (01/23/91)
derek@sun4dts.dts.ine.philips.nl (derek) writes: > [deletions] > ....I don't have a slot free to put the sound board. I'd LOVE to have >a sound board, but then I'd have to sacrifice my modem or scanner, 2 Meg >of extended memory, or hard disk. For far more than $800 or so I understand >there's an slot extension, not really economic that. > >Have YOU got any ideas? Let's see... I/O Card (Ser/Par) 1 video 1 hard/floppy controller 1 scanner 1 modem 1 memory 1 ____ 6 slots total Am I missing anything? Do you only have six slots? Or did you make the mistake of having a separate controller for your hard and floppy disks, or separate cards for your ser. and par. ports? (or an additional game port?) Why do you have an internal modem?--what are you doing with your ser. port(s)? Could this be poor planning on your part? S. "Stevie" Smith \ + / <smsmith@hpuxa. \+++++/ " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@ ircc.ohio-state. \ + / {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-) " edu> \ + / BTW, WYSInaWYG \ + / --witty.saying.ARC
entally@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (01/23/91)
In article <1991Jan22.210056.684@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu>, smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes: > derek@sun4dts.dts.ine.philips.nl (derek) writes: >> [deletions] >> ....I don't have a slot free to put the sound board. I'd LOVE to have >>a sound board, but then I'd have to sacrifice my modem or scanner, 2 Meg >>of extended memory, or hard disk. For far more than $800 or so I understand >>there's an slot extension, not really economic that. >> I am looking for a slot extension. I think I saw an Ad. somewhere back a year ago (I didn't need an extension by that time,) but I just couldn't find it any more. If anyone knows where I can get one (some of frinds of mine also interested in it), please send me a mail or post on this board. Thanks in advance. > > Am I missing anything? Do you only have six slots? Or did you make > the mistake of having a separate controller for your hard and floppy > disks, or separate cards for your ser. and par. ports? (or an additional > game port?) Why do you have an internal modem?--what are you doing > with your ser. port(s)? > > Could this be poor planning on your part? > I agree, if you are buying a new computer. However, many people want to put their old stuff in use, then running out of slots is a very common problem. I built my first 386 computer when the 386 machine first came out (believe it or not, it still runs perfectly,) and over the past years, I upgraded it little by little (maybe it was a bad idea to do that, but my 386 did helped me through colledge, graduate school, and my first real job ..). And now I have the following, D e v i c e s Slot Required ------------------------------------------------------------ HDD/FDD controller (WD1006V-SR2) .......... 1 Second FDD Controller (CompatiCard).......... 1 32-Bit Memory Expansion Card (8MB) .......... 1 VRAM VGA Card ............................... 1 AT I/O (2P/3S/1G) Card....................... 1 SCSI Interface Card for WORM................. 1 FAX/Modem Card (Internal).................... 1 Internal EPROM Program Adapter............... 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ T o t a l 8 So, I am running out of slots! Since I cannot do without any of the above add-on cards, I have to find a way to install a sound board, an internal tape drive, a video processing card for video camara, an audio processing board for voice synthesizing, an adapter for scanner, an AD/DA converter, and etc.. By the way, all of the serial and parallel ports are used for a mouse, a digitizer, a plotter, a Laser printer, and a Dot-Matrix printer. Maybe I need to buy a new computer (or more) to handle my need, or I need to see my psychiatrist first. Any suggestions or ideas ? Leo MacMillan