From: gblock@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Gregory R Block)
Subject: Re: Atari Falcon Discount Supermachine  Re: Sydnes is gone?!!
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 06:42:10 GMT

jyoung@nyx.cs.du.edu (Jeff Young) writes:
: Many software like Pagestream is already running on Falcons!!!

Wow.  That's amazing.  You've got this really ancient version of
Pagestream running, that's awesome.

: Here's the specs on the Atari Falcon 030:
: 
:   CPU:  Motorola 68030 running at 16 Mhz
:   32-bit Bus

It's a good start.  They're already ahead of Apple.  ;)

:   Optional 68881 or 68882 FPU

Note:  It comes with neither.  Does it have a socket for it?
Probably.  Let's hope so.

:   RAM: 1,4, or 14 megs

How is THIS accomplished.  That's one HELL of a jump, 1->4->14.

:   Standard Atari Cartridge Port
:   Motorola 56001 DSP chip

(Not an awesome DSP... and no mention of how it's controlled.)

: Expansion Bus:
: 
:   Internal direct processor slot for 386SX PC emulation, or other 
:   coprocessor

That's the expansion bus???  You'd think they'd use a real bus
specification and not some "internal direct processor slot".  The
processor slot on the Amiga is for exactly what it sounds like it's
for, a new processor...  Suddenly theirs is a general-purpose bus?

Anyone wanna bet it looks like an AT bus?  ;)

: Graphics:
: 
:   Super VGA graphics: 640x480 with 256 colors
:   True color 16 bit mode allowing a display of up to 65,536 colors
:   Accepts external video sync signal to allow high quality genlocking
:   Overlay mode for easy video titling and special effects
:   Overscan on TV's and ST Color monitors
:   262,144 possible colors

Nothing about overscan is mentioned, no details on overlay.  Nothing
on the quality of the video, lets hope it at least matches the outputs
of an Amiga on a scope.  (The Amiga has one of the cleanest signals around)

:   hardware-assisted horizontal fine scrolling
:   BLiTTER graphics co-processor

This, IMHO, is tacky.  Their "blitter" does nothing but bitblt's,
might as well be an S3.  Absolutely no competition for the Amiga's
Blitter (they should have stuck with the "Bimmer" notation, bit
manipulator is a more correct description)

: Sound features:
: 
:   Eight 16 bit audio DMA record and playback channels
:   Stereo 16 bit digital DMA input
:   Stereo 16 bit DMA audio output

How does this wash?  8 16-bit audio record/playback channels and only
stereo 16-bit output?  Sounds like they're playing with your minds by
covering up the features.  I wish specifics were mentioned.

:   SDMA sound/DMA Coprocessor

Yup.  Sounds like it's OS-only access to the DSP, definitely a waste
of resources.  The 56001 is more than a cheap audio controller.

: Standard Ports
: 
:   SCSI II port with DMA

Again, no mention of whether the SCSI-II has fast or wide
implementations.  (That CANNOT be inferred by stating "SCSI-II")

:   High speed LocalTalk  compatible  LAN

Well, now we know the type.  Now how's the software support for
invisible access, like AppleTalk protocol is envisioned to work?

:   Connector for analog RGB color (ST or VGA) or composite video
:   RS232C serial port
:   Bidirectional parallel port

No mention of type.  If they'll mention RS232C for the serial, then
they probably would have mentioned RS232C or Centronics if it was
compatible with either.  Translation:  It's another custom jobbie.

:   MIDI IN/MIDI OUT

Again, we'd hope.

:   Stereo microphone input, miniature stereo plug
:   Stereo audio out, miniature stereo plug

These should have been RCA jacks, as any audiophile could tell you.

:   Two joystick connectors
:   Two enhanced digital/analog controller/light pen connectors

Separate.  Great.  Two "hack joysticks", and two "real joystick"
ports.

: Data Storage
: 
:   1.44 Mbyte floppy disk drive
:   Optional internal IDE Hard Disk

Pointless if they've got SCSI-II on the back.  Kind of a waste of DMA,
isn't it?

: System software
: 
:   Pre-emptive Multitasking with memory potection (MultiTOS)

Good.  Resource tracking?

:   Inter process communication

No method specified.  Pointer-pass?  Copy message?  Big difference in
speed.  Then, of course, people wonder if it's got some system-wide
form of an IPC/script language like REXX is for OS/2 and AmigaOS.

:   NewDesk desktop and eXtensible control panel

Says little.  Sounds like a better metaphor than the GEM desktop, and
I've never been partial to the "control panel" gimmick.

:   Multiple window user interface;  number of windows limited 
:   only by memory or software in use.

It's about time, isn't it?  (Curiosity:  Why would it be limited by
"software in use"?  That the software doesn't open any more, or
because if it's an old ST-compatible program that it can't open any
more than 4 because the OS is running that task in ST-compatibility
mode, thinking that it doesn't know it can open more?)

: Extensive testing with the Falcon has already been done on 
:    existing software.  We are very pleased with the high degree of 
:    compatibility.  For instance, PowerNet, a increasingly popular 
:    LocalTalk networking solution works fine with no modifications.  

Does that mean you'll have no built-in software for LAN use?  Kind of
dumb to add network support and then not give you the software to use
it, doesn't it?

:    Calamus SL, PageStream, WordFlair II, Cubase 3.0, STalker 3.0, 
:    STeno, Arabesque, and many other well written applications will 
:    work perfectly.

Calamus is a nice package, I must say.  But it will be in dire need of
a Falcon-specific version.

: Any bundled software with the Falcon?
: 
:    Yes, there will be a number of things packaged with the Atari 
:    Falcon030.  There will be a couple of games written especially 
:    for the Atari Falcon030...LandMines, and a BreakOut kind of 
:    game.  We will also have a Rolodex type of application called 
:    Cal/Apt, a calculator application called ProCalc, and a Talking 
:    Clock desk accessory.

Wow.  That's just awesome.  You know, there's about 10x that shipped
with 2.0 for the Amiga.  That is REALLY sad.  An address-keeper, a
rolodex, a clock, and Breakout MCMLXXVII, as if there haven't been
enough BreakOut games invented.

:    With plugging in optional third party coprocessor boards, you 
:    will be able to run PC type software, and maybe even MacIntosh 
:    software.  ga

And if it had been done right, it would have a real bus with more than
one slot that you could have put it into instead, thereby avoiding
opening your case each time you need to run something for the Mac or
PC.  If you're going to do emulation, don't force the user into one
emulator like that.

: .Sam>
:    Yes, there are several direct to disk recording systems under 
:    development.  And we expect at least a few of them to be 
:    debuted next week at the Atari Duesseldorf Messe.

Sounds like non-arbitrated DSP use.

: .Sam>
:    MultiTOS will indeed work with a 68040 platform.  On the first 
:    question regarding developers, there are too many to mention 
:    now.   And yes, some that were not working on our system are 
:    now.  Such as NeXT developers because of the DSP 56000 which 
:    opens the world to really exciting software.

At least they wrote their code right this time.  And the DSP would
open a lot of doors.  Would, if done right.  They still haven't
convinced me that they have.

What happens when you run 2 DSP-using programs?  Or try to play a
sound while the DSP is recording something direct-to-disk by an
application?

:    Yes, there is a true expansion bus.  It is a direct processor 
:    slot with all of the necessary goodies...interupts, etc. 
:    768x480 in overscan is the highest standard rez.

A "direct processor slot" is not a true expansion bus.  Even Apple
got that one right, those technological, architectural geniuses.

Greg

--
(: (: (: (: Have you overdosed on smileys today?  Why NOT!?! :) :) :) :) :)
(:	  "Flesh-pressing:  It's not just for politics anymore."         :)
(:	gblock@csd4.csd.uwm.edu			Gregory R. Block         :)
(: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy