From: skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu (Skip Sauls)
Subject: Re: Top 10 reasons why ...
Organization: University of Mississippi, Dept. of Computer Science
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 16:37:14 GMT

In article <1ddt49INNiv1@falcon.natinst.com> glens@natinst.com (Glen Sescila) writes:
>	... the Falcon beats the 1200.  No, really, these important features
>of the Falcon always seem to get 'brushed off' by Amigoids when comparing
>the two machines.  Imagine how much it would cost to add most of these
>features to the 1200 (and then prey that 3rd party software vendors support
>your add-ons).  In fact, most of these can't even be found on the 4000.

The fact is, none of these can be found on the Falcon either because the
Falcon cannot be found.  It is still vaporware, while the A4000 and A1200
are both shipping.  Atari continues to practice its policy of announcing
machines long before anything actually ships.

(stupid ctrl-L's removed)

>	10. MIDI

Wasted on the average user.

>	9. Local Talk

Oh boy, LocalTalk!  Hold me back, I need a Falcon now!  Get a clue, have
you ever used a bunch of Macs on a LocalTalk network?  Slow as molasses.

>	8. CD Codec

I've heard of Codecs, but I don't have any idea what a "CD Codec" is.

>	7. DSP

This was needed as Atari has proven they can't develop a decent sound
chip on their own.

>	6. SCSI 2 (even just SCSI would be nice, don't you know that the
>	   entertainment/multimedia industries are getting into CD-ROM)

Don't worry, the SCSI-II from C= will blow away whatever the Falcon has
to offer.  I'd be surprised if the Falcon could even keep up with the
SCSI-I in my A3000.

>	5. Built in power supply. (a brick again?  jeeez!)

Ugly ST case again, sheesh!  Guess they had two many screwed-up function
key caps to change the design.

>	4. 16 MHz Blitter

A faster version of a crummy blitter is still a crummy blitter.

>	3. Stereo Microphone port built in

Oh yeah, all the serious audiophiles are going to love the silly little
mini-stereo plugs for both input and output.  What a joke.

>	2. 1.4 Meg Floppy (you might be able to add one to the 1200 but
>	   AGA specific software will still come on multiple 880K floppies,
>	   swap-swap-swap.  With AGA graphics, software is gonna get bigger)

Ever heard of a hard drive?  I've got an 880k floppy on my A3000, but I only
have to use it if I'm installing new software.  Of course, having an Ethernet
board in my A3000 helps, something you may have trouble adding to the Falcon.

>	1. 68030

Crippled by a single bus and 24 bit expansion port.  Given those limitations,
Atari would have been better off using a 68EC020 and saving themselves a bit
of money.  Given the sum of its parts, the Falcon is not going to have the
greatest profit margins.  

Since we are playing "top-ten", here are the reasons that the Falcon does
not beat the A1200 or the A4000.

10.  The Falcon is not shipping.
 9.  The A4000 is shipping.
 8.  The A1200 is shipping.
 7.  The Falcon is still vaporware.
 6.  The A4000 is not vaporware.
 5.  The A1200 is not vaporware.
 4.  Atari has no credibility.
 3.  Commodore has some credibility.
 2.  The Falcon is not shipping.
 1.  The Falcon is still vaporware.

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>"Now You're Playing With Power Without The Price!"  Glen Sescila   |||
>                                                                  / | \
>My opinions do not necessarily reflect those of my employer and probably are
>exact opposites.	InterNet: glens@natinst.com
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skip Sauls, A4000 owner in 4-6 business days  :-)
skip@tacky.cs.olemiss.edu


Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy