Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    I am not one, but would like to be, how much is the system in the
    UK and what makes the AMIGA better than the ST

    The question should not be 'Which is better, the Amiga or ST' but
    should be 'What are my requirements?'
    
    Each has unique advantages.  Each also has limitations, most of
    which can be corrected with money injections.
    
    The Amiga is considered more appropriate for graphics intensive
    applications, since it has a much larger color pallette and very fast
    BitBlt chip.  It also has a 640 x 400 color mode with 16 colors
    available out of 4096, and a slick HAM mode that allows all 4096 colors
    to be displayed on screen at once.  The Amiga also has an excellent
    4-channel sound chip with real stereo output.  All Amiga models can be
    expanded to 9.5 MBytes.  The Amiga has a real native multitasking OS
    (Not DA's or Switcher-type tricks).  In addition, the Amiga can easily
    be upgraded to a 68010 or 68020/68881 chipset and still run all of it's
    native applications. 
                                                                     
    The ST has what I consider the best monochrome display available,
    640 x 400 @ 70Hz refresh rate.  The ST can also crunch numbers about
    11% faster due to it's slightly faster clock speed.  The ST will,
    in general, be cheaper than the Amiga, although a 1 meg A500 isn't
    much more than a 1040. ($1100 in the US, with monitor.)  Prices
    are sure to drop before Christmas.  The ST comes with a built-in
    MIDI port and hard disk port.  The Amiga requires the the user buy
    a SCSI interface with the HD.  A 20 meg HD setup for the Amiga will
    run around $150-200 more than an ST 20 meg.  But the SCSI controller
    is a nice thing to have for future growth.
    
    So, if you want a cheap, fast engine with excellent mono display
    and occasional game craziness, the ST is a steal.  
    
    If you want a more expandable job with better color graphics and sound
    and a nicer OS the Amiga is unbeatable.
                   
    If you can afford it, the MAC ][ is sure to be the system to beat
    for some time.  If you can afford it.  But I wouldn't expect a lot
    of games to show up for the MAC ][, since it's more of a real
    workstation than a PC.

    The last note gave most of the answers. I'll start with the prices
    I got, and where from, and then give you my reasons for the Amiga
    over the ST.
    
    A500			�420
    A501			�99	Extra �meg + Real Time Clock
    1Mb External 3.5' drive	�149
    TV modulator 		Free
    DigiPaint			Free
    Carriage			�10
    
    From:	G&B Computers, Tottenham Court Rd, London
    Time:	3 days from receipt of order
    
    Reasons:
    
    	I wanted a 16-bit machine with plenty of memory which, at the
    time, was the AMIGA or ST, now there is the Archimedes as well.
    
    Pro's   
    
    I am particularly interested in Graphics and so the Amiga scored
    there.
    
    I am a 'hacker' at heart, so I wnted a machine that I could dive
    into straight away. The Amiga has a CLI, and a bug-free(I've not
    found any yet) BASIC. The ST has no CLI, and the BASIC is riddled
    with bugs.
    
    I like the idea of multi-tasking
    
    I wanted an easily expandable machine, especially in terms of memory
    additions.
    
    Cons:-
    
    The �Meg version is nearly twice the price of the 520ST, but the
    1Meg version is comparable (The extra memory is well worth the
    investment)
    
    You really do need 2 drives, as a fair amount of the best software needs
    more than one disk - and the disk swops get on your nerves.
    
    I hope this helps with your decision, I have no qualms (Except I
    may have bought an Acorn Archimedes if it had been out when I got
    my A500!).
    
    Martin
    
    P.S. Aren't there any UK amiga owners ?
    

    
    re 676.3
        I've never met one.
       the ST is much more popular over here, mainly because it is
       cheaper, has more easily available software and has been advertised
       longer, and Is probablyb more easy to get hold of, but I dont
    know.

    Well, there is another one now..... Santa brought me a nice shiny
    A500 for Xmas......
    
    	Came with A520 modulator
    		  DPaint
    		  Textcraft
    		  A couple of naff games (mastertronic)
    
    I'm still just hacking about with it documentationless as the funds
    are _VERY_ low right now (I don't count the "docs" that came with
    it)
    
    			Alan Thomson Ayr, Scotland

    Hi,

    My name is Colin McCartney and I am a Graduate Software Engineer with
    the Mail Interchange Group at European Engineering, DecPark 2, Reading.
    I work in the team developing the Management Software for Message
    Router.

    I've just bought my AMIGA and so far it only consists of the AMIGA A500
    and a TV modulator. It looks awesome so far.

    My own interests lie in garphics programming (ray-tracing and other 3d
    stuff) and general programming specifically in Modula-2, C or
    Assembler.

    Colin.

    Colin D. C. McCartney,
    REO2-F/J3,
    DTN 830-6075.
    E-Mail

    FORTY2::MCCARTNEY (VMSMail)
    MCCARTNEY@MRGATE@FORTY2 (from ALL-IN-1)