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From: geoffs@smoke.ARPA (Geoffrey Sauerborn )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Atari vs. Amiga: what to buy?
Message-ID: <8347@smoke.ARPA>
Date: 16 Aug 88 20:20:50 GMT
References: <2711@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: geoffs@brl.arpa (Geoffrey Sauerborn (TANK) )
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab (BRL), APG, MD.
Lines: 74



ATARI VS. AMIGA: WHAT TO BUY? 

	* the bottom line is -- whatever you like best. *
	but here are some thoughts:


WORK/SCHOOL OS features:
========================

	What kind of environment are you using at work/school? It is
	Likely Multi-tasking. (VAX VMS, UNIX, ?)

	- (AMIGA & ST) If VMS, I don't know of any VMS look-alikes for 
	  either machine. there is a PD editor (TVX) that can be configured 
	  to look like the VMS EDT editor I think... I know it can be made
	  to look like VI and emacs/jove/uemacs... (unix). 

	- (AMIGA) If unix at work,... unix editor PD look-a-likes "vi" and
	  "emacs" are available. (They are also available on the ST).

	- (ST) If unix at work, then note that an ST version of MINIX 
	  has gone to Prentice Hall for distribution (out in Sept? - check
	  comp.os.minix on when). You are familiar with MINIX? It is Version
	  7 unix look alike muli-tasking OS, comes with compiler and
	  unix-behaving tools.

	- (AMIGA) As you know the Amiga has multi-tasking built in, so it you
	  can handle a different interface from the one at work, but are
	  used to multi-tasking, you are already set.

	- (ST) UNIX? Today *now* there is a nice PD shell on the  ST (gulam)
	  that looks a lot like the unix shell with many of the
	  commands. The editor is emacs-like, and you can pause the
	  editor, escape to the shell, compile a program, then bring
	  the editor back to the fore ground (via "fg" a-la unix). Not
	  multi-tasking. Context switching, but it is the unix look and feel.

	- Note: Amiga and ST can run MSDOS stuff with appropriate add-on's.
		ST cam also run MAC stuff with appropriate add-on's.

MIDI:
=====

	The ST came with midi's built in and this has generated a lot of
ST midi software.  Buy a copy of STart magazine.  There are always adds
in that artist-oriented magazine for music editors, and multiple other midi
programs.  I do not know what midi stuff is available on the AMIGA.  I
think there is a large library of midi software on the PC market.  You
may wish to look here too... 

Final suggestions:
	1. Get several machine specific magazines on both computers.
Try to stay away from those published by the machine manufacture; they
tend to be censored and over-hyped: "See how great we are!!!!!!!!".

	2. Please try before you buy. - you may hate the feel of the
	   keyboard.

*BOTH* good computers, you probably can't go wrong what ever you
choose.  To be fair, I do not own an Amiga. I own 2 Commodors (the
VIC-20 & C64) am the happy owner of 1 Atari (the ST). 

I will not suggest either computer over the other.  That is a personal
preference.  A choice only you can make.  My experience with both
companys is about the same.  They are probably on a par with the rest of
the retail computer industry.  
-- 
---> geoffs@brl.arpa
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---> geoffs@brl.arpa
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