Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    Re .0:                                     
    
>   My brother is considering the purchase of a system to develop software
>   for school use.  He is considering an Apple IIGS (at the school
>   discount) and the Amiga (model flexible).
    
    The sad fact is that various versions of the Apple II are FIRMLY
    entrenched in elementary education.  The IIgs is the final entry in the
    family and provides the kind of graphics and sound support that
    educators SHOULD HAVE had years ago.  Somehow both the Atari 800 and
    C=64/128 missed the education boat in the U.S., though Commodore has
    made reasonable inroads in Canada and elsewhere.
    
    The "rising star" in elementary education seems to be the IBM PC and
    clones.  IBM has decided to become a major player in this market and
    has the resources to make it happen.  The Macintosh has become quite
    popular in the secondary education arena, but the huge additional cost
    for COLOR and stereo sound prices the Mac II out of the elementary market.
    
    Commodore is attempting to place the Amiga (which is cheaper than a
    IIgs and FAR more capable, but must overcome the sheer volume of
    existing Apple II software to gain credibility) in the market, also. 
    The Amiga's audio and video capablities HAVE made it the system of
    choice for the few multi-media programs in secondary schools.
    
>   I would like to get information for him concerning what different
>   systems the Amiga can emulate (IBM PC, Apple MAC, Apple IIGS, etc.). 
>   What hardware is required for each and how good is the emulation.  I am
>   guessing (as I don't know much about either machine) that the Apple
>   IIGS  cannot emulate other hardware.
    
    NOBODY emulates the Apple IIgs, so that's not an issue.  The Amiga (all
    models) can emulate the Apple Macintosh using a product called AMAX
    with the 128K Macintosh ROMs installed and using a Macintosh diskette
    drive.  The Amiga 2000 can accept one of two "BridgeBoard" options to
    allow full emulation of an IBM PC-XT or AT.
    
>   Darwin is considering the Apple IIGS because of the number of Apples in
>   use in the school systems.  Any recommendations or alternatives would
>   be much appreciated.
    
    If he wants to have some fun while hedging his bets, an Amiga 2000 with
    a BridgeBoard would let him make one investment and produce software
    for both the IBM PC and the Amiga.  (You HAVE to see an Amiga with a
    window open for an MS-DOS application while it's doing Amiga things in
    its other windows!)  Addition of AMAX would let him do Macintosh
    software also, for less than $500 more.
    
    The only stone left uncovered is the Apple IIgs market, which I believe
    will dry up in the next few years.  This is one of those rare cases
    where it's actually good that IBM is in the market.  With the cost of
    "PC clones" plummeting, schools can no longer overlook them.  That
    provides an opening for REAL competition that has been absent for
    several years now.  The Apple II is obsolete.  As it dies off, it will
    be replaced by more cost-effective systems, of which the three most
    likely candidates are covered by the configuration above.

    
    One of my favorite pastimes is to quickly end "my personal favorite
    PC" discussions by describing an Amiga 2000, with the following:
    
    	Bridgeboard - IBM PC compatible
    	Trackstar   - A IBM PC option, marketed by Radio Shack (others?)
    		      that provides Aplle II compatability (don't know
    		      how good it is....anyone have one?)
    	C64 emulator- for your favorite C64 applications
    	AMAX	    - emulates a MAC with addition of 128 ROMS
    	Transputers - for some pretty incredible horsepower and/or graphics
    	And, of course, the wealth of software available for the Amiga
    	itself.
    
    	I also point out, that with the exception of the AMAX, which takes
    	over the Amiga, and possibly others, most of these can run
    
    			AT THE SAME TIME!!
    
    	Funny, no one has ever had anything to say after that.
    
    	Dennis
    

    
    I think we left out X-Windows and Amix.
    
    Ed.

    What short memories people have :-).  There are at least two CP/M
    emulators on the Fred Fish public domain disks.  Both emulate the
    8080, and one also emulates the more common Z80 instructions, as
    well as the H-19 terminal.

    
    Ah, and lets not forget the venerable Acorn BBC micro that was the
    Apple II of the UK.
    
    Ed.

    re: -.2 
    
    They sort of work, I never managed to get Turbo PASCAL or Wordstar to
    work under either emulator successfully, still the source is supplied.
    
    
    re: -.1 
    
    I believe the Beeb (i.e. BBC) is still alive and well in some areas of
    the world.
    
    Regards
    	Mike

    the amiga will soon be able to emulate the atari ST...a friend of my
    (that i consider one of the best C and assembly programmers i the world
    maybe?) is working on one....he claims will run all ST programs and
    support the sound...interesting eh?
    
    matt
    Z

    
     If it can handle MIDI I will truly be impressed. Even the Mac
    emulators couldn't do that.
    
     brien
    

re         <<< Note 3265.8 by WILARD::ROSCETTI "A Spurious Char@cter" >>>
>                            -<  Midi support too? >-

    
>     If it can handle MIDI I will truly be impressed. Even the Mac
>    emulators couldn't do that.

	Me too  -  and probably ready to let go of some $$$s for it.

	R