| Aw, shucks...I started out by just replying to the mis-statement
that the "ST has higher resolution graphics than the Amiga", and
I guess I just couldn't get off my pulpit. Actually, I didn't really
mean to 'Rap' the ST, 'cause I think it's a great computer, but
I just couldn't bear to see the Amiga, once again, being compared
totally in the wrong context.
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| It's kinda long to type in...Basically, I read a blurb in EE Times
that, to summarize, said that the Amiga was making inroads into
the Video production market. The article was in general flattering,
but then came the shocker...they claimed (not exact quote) that
the Amiga was suffering in sales due to the "lean and powerful Atari
ST, with it's higher resolution graphics and faster speed". Boom.
Blood pressure went up 10 points.
Look, I think the ST is a swell gadget, but I CAN'T STAND IT when
people repeat Atari's totally deceitful claims for the ST. So,
Amiga in hand, I fired off a rebuttal that just pointed out that
the Amiga has graphic modes that the ST only dreams of. I also
pointed out that the Amiga had consistantly greater speed (at least
in all the comparisons that I have read) than the ST, in spite of
the ST's 11% faster clock speed. This is because the ST, like the
MAC, requires the full attention of the 68000 to bit-map text, which,
on all three machines, are treated just like graphics. So, while
the ST could theoretically calculate 2+2 11% faster than an Amiga,
given the same coding of the problem, the Amiga could blit the answer
to the screen in about a quarter of the time. To a user, this spells
SPEED.
I hate arguing whose computer is better, but I notice a disturbing
propogation of mis-truths about the Amiga that, no doubt, have hurt
sales. Having invested a good deal of money in my Amiga, I wish
to see the computer succeed in the marketplace.
Footnote: Everyone who has gotten a demo of the Amiga from me has
either bought one, or is saving up for one.
Footnote 2: In my letter to EE Times, I drew heavily on the comments
of others. I am not a hardware engineer, nor a programmer. My
opinions are formed from hands-on experience with both computers,
and from a great deal of reading of both Amiga and non-Amiga articles
and technical journals.
Footnote 3: I hope this does not set off another round of complaints
from ST users. EE Times article was simply inconsistent with the
facts.
Footnote 4: I really do love the ST. But I love the Amiga twice
as much.
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