> > In my mind, the things that made the Amiga hardware 'special', eg the
> > custom gfx chips, sound chips and device input are now obsolete to an
> > extent. So why not /use/ the cheap hardware, in the same way as Linux
> > does, and get a kick-ass OS to actually utilise the performance of
> > these stupendously fast 100MHz motherboards?
Chris Wiles:
> Exactly. One of the 'concens' of the Amiga market is that the NG Amiga will
> be a 'PC with different OS'. But how to you define a 'PC'? The IRQ problems
> and the OS? These the only parts I don't want ;)
I recently posted an article to alt.flame.ms-windows along the lines of this
discussion. Results of that discussion were mixed, but I think I won it on
points. :-)
Any new platform should surely move away from the 70's designed PC architecture
we currently accept as the norm. What would be the point in Gateway making
another PC with an Amiga badge and an alternative OS? If the PC community
desides it doesn't want to continue with Windows, it's already got Linux as an
alternative. It doesn't need another.
As for the design, too many compromises have had to be made to it since IBM's
original design in the late 70's, just to maintain compatiability with 20 year
old software. Why bother? It just ain't worth it. The computer industry is
capable of so much more, if it could shed the compatibility at any cost, &
Wintel influence millstones from around it's neck.
Gateway & Amiga Inc now has that opportunity. To blow it now by sticking with
that 70's relic that is the PC architecture, would be such a cop out, they'd
deserve to fall flat on their corporate faces. If they did, we'd probably all
go out any buy Mac's instead.
As for the processor - Surely no-one can suggest that the new Amiga should use
a CISC chip, particulary a Pentium? No matter how much dosh Intel chucks at it,
surely the development potential of the Pentium must be reaching the end of its
useful life, whereas the potential of RISC, is still in its infancy.
So whether it's Alpha, PPC, or whatever, Amiga Inc cannot afford to overlook the
obvious advantages that RISC has over the archaic CISC designed Pentium chip.
So Intel? Forget that idea right now!
Rip up the PC blueprints and start with a clean sheet of paper, without all the
technologally limiting compromises. It's the only way for the platform to
make the quantum leap forward from the PC clones, that will be needed for it
to survive. We deserve no less.
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