Alastair Scott wrote: > Mark Weaver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > (09/05/2002 11:55) > > >>James Sparenberg wrote: >> >>>Over 10 years on computers.... not always nix (I miss my Amiga *grin*) >>> >>>James >> >>I've been hearing a lot about Amigas and invariably the people always >>say they miss them. What was so special about them that they're so >>sorely missed? I wouldn't know an Amiga computer if I fell over one. > > > They were way ahead of their time and, in some ways, still are: > > - the entire OS fits on an 0.5MB ROM (so booting is instantaneous); > > - extensive use of custom chips to handle graphics, sound etc (no > kludges or compromises over time as the design was 'perfect' to begin > with, and no driver problems as the hardware is well defined); > > - dazzling speed from a 'feeble' 68000 both because of an optimal > division of labour between CPU and custom chips and because (I believe) > some of the OS, at least, was written in assembly language; > > - although not Linux-based the command line was very powerful, far > beyond DOS or similar, and offered things such as scripting languages > (eg REXX) which were unheard of in home computers at the time; > > - some of the things the graphics chip can do, such as dividing a > screen into segments of different resolution and scrolling them > differentially, aren't really possible even nowadays with high-end PC > graphics cards; > > - because of the comprehensiveness of the ROM and its APIs packages > are small (you're struggling to find one over 200-300KB). > > Granted, some things (such as resolutions, colour depths and the > appearance of the user interface) have fallen behind, but these are > relatively easy problems to fix compared with trying to glue together > a bad architecture ... > > Alastair
My GOD! where do I find one of these marvelous machines? I WANT ONE!! they sound perfectly awesome. I can't help but wonder why in the world they're not still produced. What caused their downfall? Mark
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