HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gblock@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Gregory R Block)
Subject: Re: Icon default tool paths (was Re: A4000 Specs? Who knows.)
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:16:05 GMT

jprad@faatcrl.UUCP (Jack Radigan) writes:
:   Greg, I think you nailed it there, forced fonts.  As much as I thought
: I liked the idea of font customization, writing an interface to coexist
: with it is more work then the end results are worth.

Agreed.  I had NO idea it would suck so badly.  ;)  I sat down to
write the interface, and said, "This should be easy."  Three hours
later, I was thoroughly disgusted.

Now, don't get me wrong:  It CAN be easy.  If you've got one column of
buttons as your entire GUI.  However, try to do something with
multiple rows and columns using listviews, scrollers, etc...

And you'll be sick in 5 minutes.

:   Granted, the drag bar should be fairly trivial, but you can even get bit
: there due to the unlimited size fonts that the user can throw at it.

Agreed.  Well, you could always use autoadjust, but that'll trash your
window.

:   I guess this is a situation where too much flexibility can be almost as
: bad as not enough... ;-)

Honestly, I DEFINITELY agree.

Greg

--
(: (: (: (: Have you overdosed on smileys today?  Why NOT!?! :) :) :) :)
(:"...High adventure that's beyond compare, they are the Gummi Bears.":)
(:	gblock@csd4.csd.uwm.edu			Gregory R. Block      :)
(: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
From: abs0@coos.dartmouth.edu (Kelvin Leung)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Way to go Commodore! Yeah...right.
Date: 15 Sep 92 00:50:37 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes:

>-- 
>Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Cool Advanced High-End Systems You Can't See Yet)
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> "The Crew That Never Rests"  {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh   BIX: hazy
>             "We're not hitchhiking anymore, we're riding" -Ren Hoek

Mm... nice .sign... it makes me wonder... <grin> :)

Yours Sincerely,
Kelvin

                                            ____________________________
 __________________________________________/ Undergraduate, Class of 94 \___ 
/____________________________________________________________\_____/________\
|  Kelvin    /   Internet: Kelvin.Leung@Dartmouth.edu       ({o   o})       |
|   Leung   /       or     abs0@Coos.Dartmouth.edu        <  #  ^  #  >     | 
|__________/_______________________________________________(vvvvvvvvv)______|
| "Unless someone like you cares a whole |  Do you see a doll? a beast?     |
|  awful lot, nothing is going to get    |                                  |
|  better.  It's not."                   |  There are always more than one  |
|      -- Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)          |  side to any story...            |
 \______________________________________/ \________________________________/ 
                         I want THE AGA chipset!!! :(                               
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: cpca@marlin.jcu.edu.au (Colin Adams)
Subject: Re: A4000 Limitations (for sound)?, video,...
Organization: James Cook University
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 11:09:18 GMT

In article <1992Sep14.092051.27306@utstat.uucp> philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) writes:
>Given the new graphics subsystem, would a VGA bridgeboard now be possible (with
>PC tasks running as Amiga one)?

Yes!  A VGA PC and colour Mac emulator will be possible running as processes
on a native Amiga!  You should be able to swap screens between
a PC, Mac and an Amiga.  The PC might be a little slow, but the 040 should
help.

>Philip McDunnough

-- 
Colin Adams       Honours Student - James Cook University of North Queensland
  "And if I seem a little strange, well that's because I am." - The Smiths
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Amiga RAM
From: lkoop@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU (LaMonte Koop)
Date: 13 Sep 92 15:21:42 -0600
Reply-To: lkoop@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU
Organization: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

In article <1992Sep13.173325.18415@usl.edu>, das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A) writes:
>Hi there.
>
>I have heard many times that the Amiga has both 'chip' ram and 'fast' ram,
>and I get the impression that the FAST RAM is much better than the chip
>ram, but somehow every Amiga HAS to have SOME CHIP RAM.  For reason I don't
>know - that is why I am asking.

   The Amiga seperates its memory into CHIP and FAST RAM for a simple reason.
CHIP RAM is memory directly accessible to the custom chips which are responsible
for graphics/sound, etc.  It is analogous to video memory on PC display cards
in many ways.  However, it does have the advantage that it can also be used by
the system CPU as general purpose memory if desired or needed.
   This last fact is the reason why many people consider FAST memory 'better'
in some respects than CHIP.  In CHIP memory, the CPU must share the memory
access bandwidth on an interleaved cycle basis.  Under normal display
circumstances, this will allow the CPU and custom chips to run at full speed,
but when a great deal of custom chip DMA is in use the CPU will have cycle 
time 'stolen' from it (it will be essentially locked from the CHIP bus until
a free cycle slot is open).  
   The advantage to having FAST memory as well as CHIP memory is that the
custom chips do not have access to such memory (it is outside their addressing
range), and thus to not cause bus contention for the CPU during accesses.  In
this way, on a system with FAST memory, the custom chips can be processing
graphics/sound/etc. information and performing their needed DMA operations
while the CPU continues to operate on program code and data located in FAST
memory, acquiring no bus hold ups/contention from the custom chip DMA.
   And yes, every Amiga must have some CHIP memory.  CHIP memory is required
for the custom chips, and lacking it would be analogous to a PC video card
with no video RAM or memory to operate with.  Graphics and sound data must
be located in CHIP memory on the Amiga to be accessible to the custom chips.

                 ----------------------------------------
           LaMonte Koop -- SCSU Electrical/Computer Engineering
 Internet: lkoop@tigger.stcloud.msus.edu -OR- f00012@kanga.stcloud.msus.edu
              "You mean you want MORE lights on this thing???"
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lkoop@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU (LaMonte Koop)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: AmigaDOS differences-
Date: 13 Sep 92 21:09:45 GMT
Reply-To: lkoop@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU
Organization: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

In article <1992Sep13.173059.18326@usl.edu>, das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A) writes:
>Hi there.
>
>I have heard that some Amiga programs to not work under certain versions
>of the OS.  For example, someone said that he had to boot 1.3 (normally 2.04)
>to play Fairy Tale Adventure.  
>
>Is this a big problem or something?  I am genuinely curious - I haven't
>ever experienced this with DOS programs (but I hear MSDOS 4.01 left too little
>memory for some things), but there is a thing called 'setver' which is supposed
>to correct anomolies.
>
>Isn't there 'setver' for AmigaDOS?  It would seem to make sense the OSs
>after 1.3 since they are supposed to be HD installable.  Am I missing
>something here?  It seems strange that an otherwise homogeneous computer
>such as the Amiga would have to REBOOT a DIFFERENT version of the OS _just_
>to use older type programs, doesn't it?

     There are incompatibilites with newer OS versions and older programs.  
This however has not been the fault of the OS itself.  Rather, the problems
mostly arise from programs written which make use of shortcuts and 'hidden
tricks' which were never officially supported and dangerous in terms of
compatibility from the start.  Many of these errors were caused by programmers
choosing a quicker path rather than using normal coding methods, though some
were caused by innocent errors based on misunderstandings.
    The software engineers at Commodore have spent a great deal of time
in terms of assuring compatibility.  Numerous programs have been tested and
this has even progressed to the point where 'hacks' were added to the OS to
fix broken programs (not problems with the OS).  Note though that Commodore
has stated they will not continue to do this to help programs which break
the rules.
    In terms of something like 'setver', no...such is not really possible
with something like the Amiga's OS.  MS-DOS is a much simpler environment and
easier to do such things with.  AmigaOS is very dynamic and complex on an
interior level.  When entire system structures may change, and programs
are erroneously acting upon them based on old assumptions, there is no real
way to simply run a little utility and have this all work out fine.

                 ----------------------------------------
           LaMonte Koop -- SCSU Electrical/Computer Engineering
 Internet: lkoop@tigger.stcloud.msus.edu -OR- f00012@kanga.stcloud.msus.edu
              "You mean you want MORE lights on this thing???"
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A)
Subject: Dungeon Master Re: Critical mass getting bigger?
Organization: University of Southwestern Louisiana
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 05:57:36 GMT

In article <10667547.175.716086169@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au> 10667547@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (JIMMY FANG) writes:
>In article <1992Sep9.162702.13713@usl.edu> das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A) writes:
>>From: das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A)
>>Subject: Re: Critical mass getting bigger?
>>Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:27:02 GMT
>>In article <10667547.170.716019535@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au> 10667547@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (JIMMY FANG) writes:
>

>>I think that DM and EoB both have their plusses and minuses.  
>>For example, in DM the monsters CHASE YOU.  In EoB sometimes (not always!)
>>they stop after a while.  DM seemed to have more/more interesting puzzles.
>>I think you would agree that the the graphics of EoB surpass DM...ought to
>>since DM is _so_ old.  The lower levels look really keen.
>
>I agree that the graphics are much better in EoB, but I've never bothered 
>playing EoB again, wheras I have played DM and CSB more than once.  The 
>monsters seemed to jump out at you in DM/CSB.  I felt that I was actually 
>running down the corridors, being chased by baddies, trying to peer around 
>the corner of the monitor to see around corners.

Yes, DM did tend tohave that effect.  And I HATED being wakened by monsters!
Argh!

>>Concerning magic, while the EoB magic is that same damn magic system from
>>D&D, you DO get used to it after a while and appreaciate it more than
>>in DM sicne there are so many MORE _useful_ spells.  And scroll.  In
>>DM just about all one EVER used was Fireballs, Poison clouds for slow/
>>cornered monsters, and the anti-elemental spell.  That  was about it.
>>Oh, and healing potions. :-)
>
>I used to play D&D/AD&D and was comfortable with the magic system.  You're 
>so right about the spells in DM/CSB.  CSB was kind of a let down actually.  
>It wasn't much of an improvement over DM, just more tricky.

I played CSB a good bit.  It just got to a point where those damn Death
Knight guys were SO SOO SOOO hard to kill, and there wasn't NEARLY enough
food for my guys to heal up properly to fight.  They were ALWAYS on the verge
of starving.  Even loading down on worm round from the beginning (going to
trip the switch that made more appear) didn't last too long.

And I loved the 'bash'em with the door closing trick'.  :-)

>Jim Fang - Bachelor of Economics (3) / B.E (3) .-_|\        Snail Mail
>InterNet  10667547@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au     \_.-._/       Brentford Square
> E-Mail:  kroddos@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au            o     // Victoria 3131
>          ece950aec3@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au       AMIGA \X/  Australia
--
Dan Stephenson                                           das9674@usl.edu
" BERLIN WALL FALLS.  3 BORDER GUARDS LOSE JOBS.  CLINTON BLAMES BUSH! "
        -George Bush, '92 Republican nomination acceptance speech
From: ahansfor@wpi.wpi.edu (Andrew L. Hansford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Bandwidth, Sound, and DMA
Date: 7 Sep 92 04:47:50 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609-2280


An increase in bandwidth would make 4 voice 16 bit sound easy. (Given
you get a 16 bit DAC).  The problem with increasing the number of
voices given the current four DMA slots is that even with 2X bandwidth
or 4X bandwidth the data would have to be interlaced between channels
and the sample would have to be the same length.

I would like to see 8 voices.  So could we possibly see audio DMA
steal the CPU cycles that immediately follow the normal channels?
Four voices for free and each of the new 4 voices cost one CPU access slot.

Could we possibly see programmable DMA access so that audio DMA could take 1-4
sprite DMAs for extra voices?  Something like set priorities in the
DMA's so that they would each complete in turn of their priority.

One of those schemes could give 8 voice 16 bit output on a 2x
bandwidth machine.  The frequency could be doubled also as long as a
new sound chip had the buffers to store the extra samples.


-- Andrew Hansford
   ahansfor@wpi.wpi.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: matt@gbrmpa.gov.au (Matt)
Subject: Re: Amiga 4000 & HYPE!
Organization: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:43:42 GMT

>In article <1992Sep7.022556.14423@usage.csd.unsw.OZ.AU> 8800529@hydra.maths.unsw.EDU.AU () writes:
>> >> GVP EGS? Well, it does 1600*1280 in 16M colors too...

Just out of interest, I saw Local Bus Video Card prices today :-

	S3 1280x1024x24bit - $310 AUS !!!!!

Of course, you need a local bus motherboard, but they also had a 486/50
LocalBus for about $1500 aus - That's the price of a 2000HD here, next
throw the motherboard in a shoebox, grab a secondhand keyboard/mouse etc.
and you can have a cool Unix Workstation for next to nothing! (386BSD
of course :-))

matt.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: gblock@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Gregory R Block)
Subject: Re: aga chipset for amiga
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 00:00:37 GMT

glens@natinst.com (Glen Sescila) writes:
: 	So you can run Intuition Applications that use the windowing
: system with lots of colors in each applications window maybe?

Another point can be made regarding to this rather weak argument.  The
Amiga, unlike any other system that comes to mind, is based around
multiple screens AND windows.  It's not necessary to put everything
onto the workbench window, and Public Screens have made the system
extremely easy to use.

A better place to put something that would require 256 colors is on
its own screen.  Workbench itself, the most common application, and
reason for having a workbench screen, needs far less than 8 bitplanes.
It does just fine with 4-16.  More importantly, it isn't NECESSARY to
use any more than that.  Because if you have, let's say, a huge DTP
app, it BELONGS on its own screen--large, complex applications deserve
their own real estate so as not to be lost in the windows of others.
Separating based on function can, as well as being more productive, be
extremely wise and helpful.

Greg

--
(: (: (: (: Have you overdosed on smileys today?  Why NOT!?! :) :) :) :)
(: 	"Yeah, if improving the system is screwing the user base,     :)
(:	 you all need to be screwed more often." -Dave Haynie	      :)
(: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
From: raymondu@terapin.com (Raymond Ulibarri)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: PC (OS/2) / Amiga debate -- hopefully a rational debate, an I an ideali
Date: 10 Sep 92 23:44:07 PST
Organization: BBS

> In article <1992Aug27.161036.384@ctr.columbia.edu> >
jerry@connection.prospect.com (Jerry Shekhel) writes:

> BTW, I know that some Amiga's come with AmigaVision, but that thing
> is such a piece of crap that it's useless.

   I hardly agree, Jerry.  Perhaps it's because you haven't seen it used to its
full extent?  I'm sure that's the case.  Why?  Because I _KNOW_ AmigaVision.  I
and my partner create interactive multimedia software using AmigaVision
exclusively, plus support A/V software like DPaintIV, AudioMaster, ADPro, et.
al.

   Scholastic sells an AmigaVision/Laserdisc educational module called
"Struggles for Justice", a history of American minorities and their struggle
for equal rights in America.  The AmigaVision data is contained (in LHArced
format) on 8 disks and the video is on 4 sides of laserdiscs.  If you wanted to
see every little thing that AmigaVision script has, it'd take you days.

   As for what we've created, our best effort was in the form of an interactive
multimedia store catalog.  We created a 20MB demo catalog for AAFES, the Army
and Air Force Exchange System ("P.X.").  This demo, programmed in AmigaVision
(yes, that piece of crap) included CDXL and CDXL-style animation (+-15fps
quarter screen video), digitized graphics and sounds and complete interactive
control.

   Let's say you walked into a store and found a kiosk (Amiga inside running
AmigaVision and our script) inside.  So you're looking for a Coleman propane
lamp?  Use the keyboard and click on the "Search by keyword" button.  You'd go
to a menu where you enter the name to search for.  After searching, you'd
ultimately end up with a screen that contains a picture of the product, pricing
and item codes (like UPC numbers, etc.) and sound, if applicable (like a
talking toy).

   AmigaVision is a tremendously powerful multimedia authoring system.  And
much easier than anything else I have seen or used (you're welcome to point
those out to me if you have experience in AmigaVision and _DO_ know of an
easier and better package).

   In summary, I'm a staunch proponent of AmigaVision.  As soon as we have more
standard Amiga colors, a la AA Chipset, AmigaVision will be even better.


Raymond Ulibarri
Vice President
MultiCon
Multimedia Concepts
(510)261-1001
From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Complete A4000/A600/A570 Press Release
Keywords: AA, Display Modes
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:48:30 GMT
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Sep14.185738.23263@news.iastate.edu> barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett) writes:

>   What's worse is that the Alice chip can address 4M of chip RAM, but the 
>new systems can only use 2M of chip RAM because Commodore did not bother to
>update the Ramsey and Buster chips from the A3000 versions.

YEESH!  ONE MORE TIME, REPEAT AFTER ME:

	- Buster and RAMSEY have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Chip bus.

	- Alice can only address 2MB.  No more.  

I hope that's a simple enough explanation everyone, even MB (I can only assume
at this point he's mentally slow, since this has been clearly explained before).

End of subject.

-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Cool Advanced High-End Systems You Can't See Yet)
 "The Crew That Never Rests"  {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh   BIX: hazy
             "We're not hitchhiking anymore, we're riding" -Ren Hoek
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: copes@cs.curtin.edu.au (Simon Cope)
Subject: Re: A3000T and Mac Quadra pricing
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 06:14:08 GMT

Norman St. John Polevaulter <MBS110@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:

>Well, I finally had a chance to try out the Quadras (mousing around the
>desktop, and running some QuickTime movies.) First impression: Finally,
>a Macintosh that's snappy to use! Windows and menus pop up instantly.
>Why, it's almost like using my old Amiga 500 :-)

Yeah, the Quarda is the first Mac that can draw an icon under the pointer
when dragging it.  The others just draw an outline.  (correct me if I'm wrong,
macers).  They need an 040 to do it.  GP's do come in handy.  :-)

>QuickTime is kinda neat, but be warned that performance goes to hell with
>windows much larger than the teeny ones most of their movies seem to use.
>Well below 1 fps with a large window. When you get down to it, QT's really
>just an anim player with the feature that anims can be pasted (to what end,
>I'm not sure, but the ability's there) into applications that support it.
>Shrug. But it does look cool, playing anims in a window like that.

IVS is about (or have) to release a program to play back full overscan anims
in REALTIME at 25/30 fps off a hard disk.  The demo I saw was on the DCTV demo
tape.  Using a GrandSlam card, 360 Mb Quantum in a A2000 with 3 Megs ram, it
can play back 4 plane DCTV anims at 766x533 res (equiv 24 bit) full screen at
25/30 fps.  The machine only had 3 megs ram, 68000 processor.  On a 360 Mb 
harddisk, you can store ~3 minutes of animation, and play it back continously.
Like watching TV, really.  Makes QuickTime look pretty sad, doesn't it.    

>Input is welcome.

>[Your blood pressure just went up.]       Mark Sachs IS: mbs110@psuvm.psu.edu
>       DISCLAIMER: If it ain't money, Penn State doesn't care about it.
>   "Ladies and gentlemen, I've suffered for my music! Now it's your turn!"

--
copes@cs.curtin.edu.au
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: matt@gbrmpa.gov.au (Matt)
Subject: Re: A4000 - Early Impressions
Organization: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 07:49:35 GMT

In article <1992Sep14.064710.19465@news.iastate.edu> barrett@iastate.edu (Marc N Barrett) writes:
>
>   If Commodore had put a 1280x960 non-interlaced monochrome or limited-color
>mode into the AGA chipset, and had put SCSI on the motherboard, the A4000
>would have made a damn nice low-end machine.

Even if C= had've included these, you'd still be whinging about something
else.

>   As it is, by time you've added enough hardware to the A4000 to make it
>usable as a UNIX workstation (a video card and SCSI card, in addition to the
>rest mentioned above), Commdore's costs for the system make it impossible for
>them to undercut anybody in the low-end UNIX workstation market.

Since when has it been their intention to compete directly with the Unix
market ????

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

matt.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
From: das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A)
Subject: Dungeon Master Re: Critical mass getting bigger?
Organization: University of Southwestern Louisiana
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 01:32:36 GMT

Someone said here that DM had been 'topped' on the Amiga..I assume
you weren't meaning WEye of the Beholder? (Although *I* think it does)

What is it?  Wanna describe it?

--
Dan Stephenson                                           das9674@usl.edu
" BERLIN WALL FALLS.  3 BORDER GUARDS LOSE JOBS.  CLINTON BLAMES BUSH! "
        -George Bush, '92 Republican nomination acceptance speech
Xref: sparky comp.sys.amiga.advocacy:23388 comp.sys.amiga.misc:13577