From: Aric.Caley@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Reasons for Amiga CD
Date: 26 Dec 92 13:07:00 GMT
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov 17 1992

> Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
> From: barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N. Barrett)
> Message-ID: <Bzu958.DvD@news.iastate.edu>
> Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.misc
> Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
>
> >I think Commodore ought to put a 20 meg floptical on high end Amigas.
>
>   I've suggested that as well.  Floptical drives and CD-ROM drives cost
> about
> the same.  It is a toss-up right now which would be more beneficial in the
> short run.  I think CD-ROM drives would be more beneficial in the long-run,
> at any rate.

I  think  a floptical would be much more usefull.  I have no real desire to
buy CD-ROM software.

> >Which of course the Amiga doesn't have according to you..
>
>   I would prefer 800x600 non-interlaced resolution on all Amigas, including
> the low-end machines.  So would the people at DataMax who developed DataTax.
> They said they would not port their IBM CD-ROM tax-preparation system to
> the Amiga until the non-interlaced resolutions are brought up to at least
> this
> level.

I  have  absolutely no use for such a program, so I don't care what excuses
they  have  for not making an Amiga version.  Why do they care if the Amiga
can't  do  800  x 600 non-interlace?  If its a good, quality program, Amiga
owners will buy it regardless.

> >Why  not?   Just because counting CDTV titles would hurt your argument that
> >the  Amiga  has no CD-ROM support?
>
>   No, because CDTV titles are junk compared to Mac CD-ROM and IBM CD-ROM
> software.  CDTV titles are written for a 1M non-multitasking machine with
> a 4096-color palette, a low-res display and a 16-bit processor.  Whereas Mac

Keep  in mind that CDTV is not supposed to compete with Macs and IBM's, but
rather the extreme low end against the CD-I machines.

> and IBM CD-ROM software (including MPC software) is written for a faster
> system with more memory, a larger palette, and a much higher resolution
> non-interlaced display.
>
>   If the Amiga (not CDTV) is going to make it against Mac CD-ROM and MPC
> systems suchas the Tandy Sensation, it has to do it with Amiga CD-ROM
> software
> on the same level as the CD-ROM software available for the systems that the
> Amiga is competing against.  ***CDTV TITLES WILL NOT CUT IT***.

Its  a  $550  system  for cripe's sake!  Of course its not going to compete
with  Macs  (a  basic  colour  Mac is over $1300) or the tandy Sensation (A
$2000 486 machine!!).  DUH!

All  Commodore  needs  to  do  is  make a "CDTV-II" based on the A1200, and
release  CD-ROM  drives for the rest of the Amigas.  I believe they WILL do
this.

> >Look,  maybe  Amiga people just arent as gung ho about CD-ROM as people are
> >on  other  systems.
>
>   Perhaps I am more visionary than anybody else.  The future is CD-ROM,

BAHAHAH!  NOT.  CD-ROM is hardly visionary.

> period.  If the Amiga does not get its act together with CD-ROM, the most
> powerful chipsets in the world will not help it.

CD-ROM is not THAT important.

> >   There ARE thrid party solutions.
>
>   And what has become of them?  I ask again: how much **AMIGA** (not CDTV)
> CD-ROM software is available?

Not  much.   Maybe  Amiga  owners  just don't CARE!  Maybe they have better
things to spend their money on.

>   If the Amiga had its act together with respect to CD-ROM, you would not
> think so.  You do not want a CD-ROM drive because there is no Amiga CD-ROM
> software available.  If lots of Amiga CD-ROM software was available, of
> the same quality as Mac and MPC CD-ROM software, you would feel otherwise.

Don't  fucking  tell me what I do and do not want and why!!!!  I DON'T WANT
CD-ROM  AS  MUCH  AS I WANT OTHER THINGS.  A larger HD would be *MUCH* more
usefull.   A  faster  CPU would be FAR more important to me.  A 14.4K modem
would make my life MUCH easier with all the telecomunicating I do.  What am
I going to do with a CD-ROM?  Play huge games?  Sure, I wouldnt mind having
an  online  encyclopeadia,  or  a huge dictionary...  but those things just
arent  that important to me - I can make use of conventional technology (IE
BOOKS)  for  that.   About  the only thing I would really like a CD-ROM for
would  be  for,  perhaps,  a  developer disk that contained all the include
files, autodocs, the text of all the manuals with pictures, all the example
code,  and  all  the other assorted stuff like IFF specs and support files,
utilities,  and  PD  packages like ReqTools, Assemblers, C compilers, other
languages,  etc  etc.  Now THAT would be a neat disk.  But I probably still
wouldn't get CD-ROM just for that one disk.

The  point  is,  I  don't  think  that many people really want/need CD-ROM.
Nevertheless, I DO think its fairly important, and Commodore should give us
some   more  options,  AND  I  THINK  THEY  WILL.   They've  already  said,
repeatedly,  at  various  shows, that CD-ROM is important and that they are
working  on  it.   I'm  willing  to wait since I don't have a real need for
CD-ROM  just  yet  anyway.  Would YOU run out and buy a CD-ROM right now if
they  suddenly  did  ALL the things you wanted?  Can you even afford it?  I
can't.

> >I'd  like  to  see  a  CD-ROM  based version of Out Of This World, with AGA
> >graphics and hi-res animation; or another similar type game like the sequel
> >to OOTW or Flashback.
>
>   See?  Now you're getting the idea.  There are more possibilities with
> CD-ROM than without it.

Possibilities.  I would not buy a CD-ROM now.  Maybe in a year.  I am quite
confident  they will get some CD-ROM stuff out there soon, and quite before
I would be able to get one.  I think it will be a year before anyone starts
to really make some awesome software for CD-ROM.  OOTW is awesome right now
on my harddrive.  I don't need or want a CD-ROM right now.

> -!-
> | Marc Barrett -MB-  |  email: barrett@iastate.edu
> -!------------------------------------------------

 -Dances With Coyotes - World's slowest programer-Given that God is infinate-
 -AKA Dances V2.0, Coyote, Critter, Magnet, Major-and  that  the universe is-
 -- Former Net-Lurker - YES, an AMIGA godammit! --also  infinate,  would you-
 --- Still limping along with AmigaOS 1.3  :(  ---like a toasted  tea  cake?-


--- Maximus 2.01wb