Amiga 3000UX, X, OpenLook, Motif, Color, A2410, Etc. (somewhat long)

[David Kessner]

In article <1426 at amix.commodore.com> skrenta at amix.commodore.com (Rich Skrenta) writes:
>Of course there's a next version!  I've never heard a developer say there's
>not going to be another release--unless the product is dead.  Our release 2.0
>is going to have some major improvements, including a kernel and libraries
>built with a different compiler.  And of course we keep polishing it as we go.
>Would you rather we held up the release for "piddly" cosmetic problems?

I would not buy a system that is "stagnent"-- that is not adjusting to the 
times.  But I wonder about a system that is as new a Amiga UNIX and yet has 
so much talk about the next version...  It is just an indicator of the first
versions status.

>> To improve the A3000UX to the point that it
>> can compete with the SPARCs would put it into the price range of them...
>
>It's not a fair comparison to sit a 3000UX down next to a $15,000 workstation.
>Amiga Unix is stable and a great value for the money.

Comparing the current lineup of UNIX workstations ($8000 Sparcs, 030 NeXTs, 
386/486 UNIX Boxes) to the A3000UX is a little lop-sided.  All of these have
higher CPU performance (ok, the 386 is arguably faster), and better X-Windows
with higher resolutions.  Adding a faster CPU, the U of L 34010 board, an
external cache, and a comparable monitor (16" 1280x1024 multisync monitor) 
would put it into the same price range as the new Sparc clones that DTK, 
CompuAdd (yuck), and several others are comming out with this year.  These
SPARC machines include 8Meg RAM, 1280x1024x256 X11r4, 200+ hard drive, 
eithernet, 16" monitors, and run SUN OS 4.x (soon to be SysVr4).  The cost
of these are to be in the neighborhood of $8000, $5000 for monochrome...

For the basic A3000UX(D), it is a good system (assuming version 2) for the 
cost-- and is quite useable.  But I suppose my point is that for a few thousand
dollars more there are other UNIX machines that are much more capable.  If the
extra cost is within budget then the A3000UX cannot compete.  

I am at the point where I'd find the extra money to buy a SPARC/NEXT/486 rather
than getting a A3000UX-- but I think I'm just used to the higher performance
of these machines (ie, I'm spoiled)...

>Rich
>skrenta at amix.commodore.com

-- 
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