From: cs89jmb@brunel.ac.uk (Jason M Banham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: A7000
Date: 12 Oct 92 09:43:12 GMT
Organization: Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

James Bell (jabell@nyx.cs.du.edu) wrote:
: 
: 
: Does anybody know the release date of the new high powered computer
: from Acorn? I would like a change from my current machine, and these
: Acorn machines do sound real interesting. I don't want to go and buy
: one of these machines which were launched a few months ago when everyone
: round here seems to know about these new power machines due out next
: year. Unlike some people I need the 24 bit colour capability which will
: be available with the VIDC20, and the power of the new RISC processor.
: Some people even suggest 64 bit processing is a possibility with this
: A7000 machine. Looking at your FAQ I see that the technology in the
: current machines has been around for six? years, so it must be time
: for something radical from Acorn. How big is the Acorn company? Do
: they have the resources to produce something so amazing as I have
: heard people say? How do people find out these things?
: I hope that you can help me. I do not want to waste my money.
: Sincerely,
: James.

Well there is the main crux of the problem.

Even if Acorn had a beta version of this mythical A7000 they would not be
willing to to blab about it and I suspect that beta-testers would be under so
many N.D.A.s (Non Disclosure Agreement) that it would be impossible to leak a
story.

Such rumours of an imminent release would see sales of the A5000 and possible
A540 decline, after all who wants to be stuck with old technology when they
could have waited a while longer ???

Even so, I too would like a hi-spec machine to replace my A410/1, yet so far
I see nothing to replace it.
The new A3010 (apparently you have to pronounce it A three thousand and ten, 
NOT A 30/10 !),  A3020, A4000 are all very nice but less powerful/expandable
than what I have at the moment.

An A4 would be really nice to have, but for me (and I suspect many students) it
would be a luxury and faced with either an A4 or partly the cost towards a new
super machine, which would you go for?  

The A5000 offers faster memory and that's it!
I picked the SCSI option because I may get enough money to buy some more SCSI
peripherals, something that is limiting on IDE.

The A540 offers 16Mb memory but at approx 350quid per 4Mb board I cannot fork
out that much dosh (I'm a student remember).

I really like Risc OS (v 3.10 is groovy), I like the applications for it and
at this moment I don't think I would swap to another manufacturer *BUT* I
haven't seen a NeXT in action (yeah, I know far too many spondoolies but wait
about a year and hopefully I'll get a job after I graduate).


How about some confirmation that you boffins at Acorn are listening and working
on/considering some of these ideas ???


Jayce.

--

"I may be a shallow guy, but a shallow guy with a great ass!" - Cat, Red Dwarf

Jason "Archangel" Banham                Sequent Computer Systems UK
					Product Support
Internet: aangel@sequent.co.uk
	  cs89jmb@brunel.ac.uk
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