🚀 go-pugleaf

in article <1086@cc.helsinki.fi>, JALKIO@cc.helsinki.fi (Jouni Alkio) says:

> ... I was talking about 386 specific software and there is not very much of it! 
> The TT will be ST compatible, just like the 386 is PC-compatible, and MAC II is
> MAC-compatible! I think it won't take very long, when there is as much TT 
> specific software as there is 386 specific software. 

Thing is, it's not even that necessary to have TT, Mac II, Amiga 2500, etc. 
specific software.  For example, nearly every piece of Amiga software written
works just fine on a 68020 or 68030 based Amiga.  It takes immediate advantage
of running on a true 32 bit system.  You can write programs that use 68020/68030
specific instructions, but except for the most CPU/FPU intensive programs, this
isn't noticable.  Motorola did it right from the start; the linear-addressing 
programmers mention only one aspect of this.

For the Clone machines, the situation is entirely different.  If you're running
a standard MS-DOS application, you kick the '386 into 8086 emulation mode.  You
have no 32 bit instructions and thus get little benefit from a 32 bit bus.  Only
'386 specific programs take advantage of the machine.  The main reason folks buy
'386 machines these days is to run their 8/16 bit programs faster -- not because
the '386 itself lends much by being a true 32 bit CPU (the '386 SX does nearly as
well), but merely because Intel makes 25Mhz and 33MHz '386s, while their fastest
'286 is around 12MHz (AMD makes a 16MHz version, which they claim runs 8086 and
80286 software faster than a 16MHz '386).

>> Or something that has support.  Dare I say it?  Yes, a Mac.
> What do you relly mean by that support? 

You generally have to pay for support, and there are various kinds.  Some you even
get from Atari.  For example, an ST dies.  At least you have an idea of who made 
it, and maybe even who'd fix it.  I could certainly answer that kind of question 
for a Mac or an Amiga.  Now look at that $2000 loaded '386 Clone.  You've probably
never heard of that company before, but no big deal, right?  After all, it runs
MS-DOS, and probably OS/2, so there's no need for you to worry about software 
support like you would with Apple, Amiga, or Atari.  Only, now it breaks down.
That company could very likely not exist anymore.  Sure, you can buy a name brand
Clone from Compaq or someone, but that's going to greatly throw off your price
comparison with the aforementioned 680x0 machines, except the Apples or the NeXT.

> 				Jouni Alkio
-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Systems Engineering) "The Crew That Never Rests"
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                    Too much of everything is just enough