NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/sys/amiga/misc-part1/8240

Internet Message Format | 1996-08-05 | 9.1 KB

Path: sdrc.com!sgiis4!crkuntz
From: [e-mail] (Shane Kuntz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.datacomm,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy,comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.networking
Subject: Re: New Press Release!
Date: 14 Mar 1996 23:28:12 GMT
Organization: SDRC
Sender: crkuntz@sgiis4 (Shane Kuntz)
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <4iaa2c$[e-mail]>
References: <4i52rf$[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sgiis4.sdrc.com

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Reg Martin) writes:
|> Shane Kuntz ([e-mail]) wrote:
|> : In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Reg Martin) writes:
|> : |> Yes, the PPC can run NT, but that doesn't mean that it can run all (any?)
|> : |> x86 DOS/Windows software.  That is why I asked about the Pentium emulation.
|> : |> I've heard a lot of different answers on that question, and I would
|> : |> genuinely like to know the truth... I don't think that you can go downtown,
|> : |> pick up a copy of Magic Carpet and expect it to run under NT on your PPC.
|> : |> Somebody correct me if you know I'm wrong...
|> :
|> :     I'll have to dig up the article on NT/PPC.  Hopefully no one has ripped
|> :   off the mag from the company library!  :)
|>
|> Somehow I didn't think you had an answer for this, since you seemed to
|> think that that IS the way it works.  I'm almost certain that it ain't...
|>
   Where did you getr your information?  Why aren't you certain?
   It "IS the way it works" and then "I'm almost certain"??  While I'm finding
   the article I read why don't you find your source as well.

|> : |> :    Why would a PPC be so hard to find?
|> : |>
|> : |> Have YOU ever seen one?  The only PPC machines I've ever seen are
|> : |> PowerMacs.  Pentiums OTOH, are everywhere you look, and are so cheap
|> : |> that they are practically being given away in CrackerJack boxes...
|> :
|> :     PowerMacs don't count?  :)   Since NT has been ported to PPC I think they
|> :    will be used to some extent.  Especially if they get a nice multiprocessor
|> :    setup with 620/630.   But who knows.
|>
|> No PowerMacs don't count.  They're only able to run MacOS. (Linux is on
|> its way, but they won't run NT etc...)
|>
    The last time I looked they had a PPC in them.  Count em.
    Why wouldn't they be able to run NT?  Where did you read this? (not a flame
    a request for your info source)

|> : |> Okay, then don't get *over*excited. :)  I just have a feeling that you're
|> : |> setting yourself up for a let-down...
|> :
|> : Perhaps.  Even if AT doesn't come through  I think Phase5 will.  A let-down?
|> : With all the above I've mentioned it would be just another drop in the bucket.
|>
|> And that wouldn't be a let down?  Even if Phase5 DOES come through, they
|> can only do so much...
|>
    everyone can "only do so much".  They delivered the 060 before everyone else
  did and I will bet that they deliver the PPC board as well.  Wagers?

|> : |> I'm sure that a bulk of the serious apps will survive too...  However,
|> : |> there is a LOT more to most Amiga owners software collection than
|> : |> "serious apps".  Considering the small amount of "serious apps" the
|> : |> Amiga has, it would barely be worthwhile to emulate if that was all
|> :
|> :    I guess that depends on the definition of "serious" and "small amount".  :)
|> :
|> :   Personally,  I've found everything I need and of good quality.
|>
|> Then why do you care if the PowerAmiga can run other OSs?  Hmmm? :)
|>
   Common sense.  Which is better a machine that runs only Unix, a machine that
  runs only NT, a machine that runs only MacOs, or a machine that runs *ALL*
  of them?    *I* will most likely not run other Oses on a PowerAmiga to a
  great extent but it's nice to know that one would be able to.

|> : |> you were going to get...  Just because the Mac was able to do it doesn't
|> : |> mean that the Amiga will.  Mac software in general is a helluva lot more
|> : |> abstracted from the hardware than Amiga software.
|> :
|> :      Since the Mac was successful in porting 68K code to PPC,  AT can use
|> :     their knowledge (if a deal is struck) to help them port.
|> :      I agree that Mac software will make the transition better than Amiga
|> :    software unless the port has an excellent emulation mode.
|>
|> Well, the 68k isn't going to be the hard part here...  Even if the port
|> DOES have an "excellent" emulation mode, it won't have a "miraculous"
|> emulation mode...
|>
    Oh,  you've seen it then?  :)

|> : |> Hmm...  I'd even be impressed if they got Scala or Lightwave to run.
|> : |> My point is that we have no way of knowing what the PPC machines are
|> : |> going to be, so IMO they don't really have much of a place in a serious
|> : |> argument just yet...  Ideally they should stay out of the discussion
|> : |> until they are actually available, but I think at the very least you're
|> : |> going to need something more substantial than hopes and dreams about
|> : |> the PowerAmigas in order to advocate them.
|> :
|> :    If you can get everyone else that speaks of prerelease material to quit
|> :   I will gladly oblige.  How many posts did I see for prerelease Win95?  MANY.
|> :   Copland? truckloads.  other vapor,etc?  a slew.
|> :   I don't need anything more substantial than the announcement from AT and
|> :   the board from Phase5 to talk about PPC.  Advocate?  not yet..
|>
|> People KNEW something about Win95 and people even know a bit about Copeland.
|> Nobody knows much about the PowerAmigas other than a few tidbits about
|> hardware.  ie 604 & PCI.  Whoopee.  I doubt AT even know what to expect
|> from the PowerAmigas yet...
|>
    From what I've seen there are quite a few people that don't know jack and
   still post about Vapor..  How bout Gershwin?   I've heard plenty about that.
   I'll continue to post about new Amiga projects just as everyone else posts
   about their platform projects.. vapor or not.

|> : |> Granted they've done everything that they said they would (so far), but
|> : |> IMO they havn't said or done enough, and some of what they said and
|> : |> did, they did wrong IMO...  You can hardly compare the Win95 hooplah to
|> : |> the PowerAmiga hooplah.  I don't think that there was ever any question
|> : |> that a company like MicroSoft would come through eventually.  AmigaTech
|> : |> just isn't in that same situation though...
|> :
|> :     Wow.. you're comparing MS to AT?  Definately not the same situation.
|>
|> Uhhh... No.  I didn't.  I was giving you shit for comparing MS to AT. :)
|> Read it again.  Slowly. :)

   Looks to me that you did..  "You can hardly compare the Win95 hooplah to the
   PowerAmiga hooplah."  That looks like a comparison of marketing between AT
   and MS to me.   You did say "You can hardly..." but obviously that's only
   used to state that MS's "hooplah" was so much greater than At's.

   Too bad you didn't include my  paragraph preceding yours in order to see
   if you really were just giving me "shit".  Oh well..  cie la vie.

|>
|> :    I don't think we'd have seen a lot of Win95 hoopla if they stopped making
|> :   X86 machines for a couple of years and MS bought the broken bones of a
|> :   liquidated company 2 years before Win95's release.  :)
|>
|> I know.  That's what I said...
|>
     Well ok then.

|> :    I think AT has done a remarkable job so far.  They've put machines back on
|> :   the shelf within 6 months of purchasing C=, developed an internet package,
|> :   made plans/development for the jump to a new chip, revamping the 1200 with
|> :   a bit more horsepower/expandibility,  had press releases and showed up at
|> :   many conventions.
|> :
|> :   How much more would you have them do in the year that they have actually
|> :   owned the rights to C=????
|> :
|> :    Just the mess C= left behind had to take quite some time to sort through!
|>
|> They've done some impressive things, maybe even some remarkable things,
|> but nothing remarkable enough to give people a good reason to buy
|> Amigas again.  IMO they're acting too slowly, and their prices are just
|> nutty.  I can't say that I'm overly impressed with the new "Walker"

    Have you even seen the package?   used it?   Very nice cut down though..

   "Walker".. how clever.

|> (or whatever it's called) yet either.  I'm certain I won't be impressed
|> with it by the time it comes out in September...

   The "Surfer" package is available.

|> I don't care how much work AT has put into their new company.  If they
|> can't produce a good computer, then I'm not going to buy from them.
|> They can come up with whatever excuse they want, valid or invalid,
|> but that doesn't change the fact that they don't sell something
|> worth buying...

     I agree.  If the PowerAmiga turns out to be an overpriced piece of shit
   I will wholeheartedly agree with you.

     On the other hand,  I'm willing to give them some time to mop up the mess,
  get production going, bring down costs,  start development where it left off
  two years ago, etc..

     Either way it turns out I'll always be an Amiga user.  I just may or may
  not be a PowerAmiga user.

- Shane

|>
|> Reg Martin