On Sat, Apr 21, 2001 at 11:55:03PM +0200, Patriek Lesparre wrote:
> MSX is more than the MSX hardware. MSX is more than the MSX software. MSX
> is also a philosophy.
What do you mean exactly?
> The one-chip MSX is like 100% MSX in philosophy, 75% MSX in software and
> 50% MSX in hardware. Important thing is, it will be compatible.
>
> I had long discussions with Laurens and Tsujikawa during diner tonight and
> I'm really convinced this one-chip MSX using an ARM9 core is the best thing
> ever. It's truly limitless in possibilities!
Yes, but since you got an ARM9 and FPGA -- why write software for the "old"
system? It would be a waste of cycles to begin with. The possibilities are
endless with a fast CPU and FPGA, so you'll write stuff for that.
And then you end up doing something which is completely incompatible with
the original MSX. It just have well been an Amiga -- it's stuffed with
custom chips. The point is, it's not MSX anymore. It's a completely new
system with the name MSX.
> >any attempt to survive (keep nearly alive) MSX could be a noble one but in
> >2004 it'll be nothing more than a marketing stunt..
>
> MSX as we know it now will remain to be alive as long as people create
> software for it. Even when the one-chip MSX is released people will still
> use and program the 'old architecture'.
There isn't much market for the "old architecture" -- before anyone starts a
not-so-well-thought-through flame war, let me say that _if_ the
"new architecture" is available, you'll use that. The number of active
users of MSX is going down. Tilburg wasn't nearly what it used to be, let's
be honest. So if the new MSX kicks off, it'll quickly surpass the market
for the original MSX.
Maybe not our "scene", but if I'm informed correctly, when Commodore released
the Amiga, they included an C64 emulator which worked quite well. However,
soon enough noone wrote software for the C64, since the Amiga was so much
cooler.
No I'm not an Amiga user at all -- never have been.
Sean
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