From: slb1b@cc.usu.edu (Holographic Banana)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: What is so special about Amiga
Date: 3 Sep 92 14:21:06 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

>      Okay, I have sort of asked this question many times before, but
> that was when IBM prices were up in the $4,000 ranges.  Now that IBM
> prices are in the mid- 1,000 to 2,000; all of the original rules (or
> what ever) has changed.  Now, with Aiga finally coming out with the
> A4000 and A3000T with the 040 chip (Oct.), IBM clones already has
> the 486 out and the coming of the 586 this December.  Rumors has it
> that the A3000T with the 040 chip will be priced at around $6,000 
> while the 586 will be in the ranges of $5,000 or less.  So, with
> this major price difference, what advantages does Amiga has?  Video
> Toaster?  Well, IBM already has the Video Blaster and the Video Blaster

The Video Blaster wasn't designed to do what the Toaster can.  I don't see
anybody dumping their Toasters...

> pro is expected sometimes.  As far as I know, Amiga's audio boards
> do not come to par with the sound-blaster.  (the toaster is definitely

Amiga doesn't have an "audio board" -- it BUILT IN! And while it's sound
quality is just as good, you don't tie up the CPU in the mean time.

> better than the video blaster, but at the cost difference of over $1,500;
> I do not think that it could be THAT much better).

You obviously haven't seen a Toaster. Ignorance is bliss. Call for NewTek's
*free* demo tape for starters. 1-800-765-3406  Video Blaster is a joke compared
to the Toaster.

>      Any, I originally wanted to buy the Amiga (primarily due to the
> superior graphics and multimedia ability), but now with IBM prices going
> this low and Amiga prices keep rising (recent discount in June doesn't
> amount to much); what is it that keeps Amiga selling?

Operating system -- clean, efficient. You can do in 1/2 Mb RAM what OS/2 and
Windows can't in 8.

Survivability.  I bought my A500 in 1988. I've got a 286 that was new in 1989.
I've had to junk the 286 because it so *unprintable* SLOW and USELESS.  It's
now a 386SX-25.  Even with 4Mb RAM, it's too slow for the software development
that I'm involved in. GRRRRRRR........   My A500?  Well, I've got 3Mb RAM and a
hard drive now, and it's still perfectly usable.  There is a noticable slowdown
in some functions under KS2.04, but at 7.16MHz it beats the pants off of the
386SX running windows. "Windows isn't a virus, a virus does something!"  I
expect my A500 to be obsolete in oh, maybe another 3 years. By then the 486s of
today will be obsolete.

Cost-effective.
In light of above, and the fact that it takes so many add-ons and CPU power for
a PC to approach (and still not match) my A500, the Amiga is TRUELY
COST-EFFECTIVE.  Lots of $$$$ up front, but once spent, you don't have to fork
out any more cash for years and years to come. The PCs may have a low
advertised price, but LOOK OUT for those nasty HIDDEN costs....

Forward-looking design.  The Amiga was designed right the first time around. I
can easily upgrade my A500 to an '040.  Try that with a PC.  I've seen three
versions of the operating system. Each better than the next.   Look at the
fastest '486 that you can find. What's it running?  An operating system that is
100% 8088-compliant.  What about the wonderful features of the '486?  Forget
them.  MS-DOG are the fetters and chains of the PCs. Windows is simply a DOS
extender, relying on it for accessing hardware.  OS/2 is such a waste of
resources that I don't even consider it funny. If I had 8Mb of memory and
another 100Mb hard drive space and a '030, I would have a speed daemon to make
OS/2 cry.

> P.S.  I have not giving up on Amigas yet, but pressures from IBM
>         users and IBM prices is quickly changing my mind.


"Don't give into peer pressure.... Just DO IT!" -- Patrick Beck



These are my opinions as a long-time user of both PCs and Amigas. I develop
software and work with hardware on both machines.  Sure PCs look cheap, but
remember, you get what you pay for.  The money you fork out for a high-end 586
when they come out will NOT match any Amiga alive.  PCs are rooted in a
terrible processor and a terrible architecture. They realize that and are
trying to add on to their ugly roots to make improvements, but they still have
that skeleton in their closet (read: built into the hardware).

While I desparately need a 486 to develop software for the PCs, my faithful
A500 is still a powerful development platform for the Amiga world, and is the
core of my business.  PCs come and go, but the familiar coloured checkmarks
hold their own.

James


Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc