Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ginosko!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ames!think!husc6!m2c!wpi!bill
From: bill@wpi.wpi.edu (Bill Marrs)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: get real
Message-ID: <4414@wpi.wpi.edu>
Date: 30 Sep 89 17:26:34 GMT
References: <4398@wpi.wpi.edu> 
Reply-To: bill@wpi.wpi.edu (Bill Marrs)
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. USA
Lines: 35

In article  wilmott@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ray Wilmott) writes:
>... And that about sums up *my* personal needs...

I think we both have very personal needs.

>...is it worth shelling out $1000-$5000 for new hardware, PLUS hundreds
>or thousands more for the basic software packages that I'll want/need
>for the machine, just for some fancy graphics and improved speed?

	I think so. Those 'fancy graphics' include things like
photographic quality pictures, real-time animation, direct video input
editing, etc... 
	As for the improved speed, The difference in running a
mandelbrot generating program on an atari-8bit versus a Mac II is
measured like: Atari 8-bit: 3 days, Mac II: 3 minutes. Seriously, I
used a public domain Mandelbrot generator on a Mac II that used 256
colors and 640x480 pixels and it took under 5 minutes to draw the same
region and iterations as it took my atari 800xl to do in 3 days with
4 colors and 192x159 pixels. ( I realize this can somewhat to using
basic on the atari, but still...)

>...I'll stick to my 8-bit for my own home use for another year or
>two, thank you! 

	Have fun, I would rather use my school's computers, they are
faster and easier to use. I used to bring my 800xl up to school so
that I could play games on it, but now I am play on others computers
and leave my 800xl in the closet.

	Anyone out there interested in making me an offer for a 800xl
with 1050 disk drive P:R:connection interface, small thermal printer,
and 100's of games...It has to be worth my while to go to the trouble
of going home and getting it out of my closet.

-=bill