Xref: utzoo comp.sys.atari.st:10870 comp.sys.amiga:21826 Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!bbn!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!f.gp.cs.cmu.edu!dld From: dld@f.gp.cs.cmu.edu (David Detlefs) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,comp.sys.amiga Subject: Atari vs. Amiga: what to buy? Message-ID: <2711@pt.cs.cmu.edu> Date: 15 Aug 88 22:22:03 GMT Sender: netnews@pt.cs.cmu.edu Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI Lines: 43 I'm looking to buy a cheap but technically advanced computer. I'm a computer science grad student, and I would (eventually) like a home environment as much like my work environment as possible. I would also like to use my home machine as a MIDI sequencer. It seems like either an Atari Mega ST or an Amiga 500 or 2000 are the likely candidates. I was wondering if any of the readers of these newsgroup would care to offer any (non-religious) comments on the relative merits of these machines. I will attempt to put forth some pros and cons as I perceive them, and hope that people will add to or comment on these comments. I'd also be interested in some recent price quotes to see if my local dealers are out of line. I'm going to compare the Mega 2 to an Amiga 2000. Perceived Atari Pluses... 1) Cheaper. (Quoted locally $1700 vs $2200 for Amiga). 2) More Memory -- 2 Meg Standard vs. 1. 3) Built in MIDI Ports -- saves a small expense. Perceived Amiga Pluses... 1) Better graphics? Do I correctly recall that the Amiga has more colors available and has more bit-planes? Or is this not the case? Is there a difference in the performance of the blitters? 2) Multi-tasking operating system. 3) Better upgrade paths... I've read, on these news groups and elsewhere, about 1000x800 monitors for the Amiga, 68020 + Coprocessor boards, Unix, X, etc available, or nearly so, for the Amiga, but nothing nearly this exciting for the Atari. Any Atari fans wish to rebut this asssertion? Any Amiga fans to add to this list? 4) I have a vague sense that there is more software written for the Amiga. I realize that a post of this nature runs the risk of inciting a flame war. However, I am quite honestly confused. I hope people will be polite and considered in their responses. If there is interest, I will summarize. Thanks... Dave Detlefs, Carnegie-Mellon CS.