Re: New Apple II (was Apple's next move ...)

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

In article <4ldpo0$rhm@gap.cco.caltech.edu>, nathan@cco.caltech.edu
(Nathan Mates) writes (continued from post to "Hardpressed and Salvation"
thread):


>EIDE may be dirt cheap, but SCSI-2 with a nice controller (the 2940) can
be farnicer.  EIDE is what I'll let my Windoze machines have, but my
>Linux/Unix boxes will be SCSI ....
>.... as users dump 200-500MB SCSI drives for multi-gig ones,
>picking up some used ones cheap will be much easier.
>

     Fine, as long as you're willing to settle for mini SCSI MB drives at
E-IDE GB prices.

     While E-IDE may not be your first choice, there's no denying that
having IDE on-board would be the GS user's gateway to affordable,
high-performance peripherals. For example, x8 IDE CD-ROM drives now sell
for $119.95; x6's sell for $64.95. What is the price for an _x4_ SCSI
unit?

     SCSI may be nice; but, really, is it _that_ nice?


>    32MB Ram on a GS? Again, what the heck would you be doing with
>that?  This is not the PC world where Windoze 95 sucks down 28MB of
>ram on boot.

     On a GS, who knows. On a new GS-- call it "GS-X" (or "Altaire", or
whatever)-- 32MB RAM (expandable) makes good sense. A single 32-bit color
1024x1024 graphic gobbles 4MB. To handle animation, you will want to store
sprites, do perspective shifts, etc.. All of which require still more RAM.

     Having lots of RAM is a very cost-effective means of enhancing power.
If GS-X programmers have access to _big_ RAM, you can bet they will find a
way to use it.


>.... if you totally redesigned the bus (or just went
>PCI-- it'd be nice to put a 33Mhz 65816 running at full speed) and
>everything, this would rock.


     For sure, the system bus and Slots will need to be new. A 33MHz
65C816 would be speedy but you would need to do bank-switching for RAM.

     Sheldon's idea of going with RISC is attractive. GS-X users could
program a "65C816" (or "65C1632") running at something like 33MHz or
employ native RISC coding at 200MHz.

     Including on-board Graphics/Video and Sound would get around the PCI
Slot and mem address space bottlenecks that slow down PC. As you say, such
a machine "would rock"! 


>Problem is, you need someone with 1) A
>clue as to doing so 2) money. ....

     Apple, Inc. may decide it wants to stay in business and back a
project aimed at activating II users and reclaiming the home market.
Perhaps some GS-X style "ROM-5" machine is in the works now. If so, we
need to make sure Big Green knows what we want.

     If Apple drops the ball or simply dries up and blows away, then GS-X
may well be launched as a II user shoestring operation.

>
>   Motherboard design is tricky and expensive. And producing them in
>small quantities is also expensive. However, should you be willing to
>sell me one for <$600, I'd be very willing to buy it in a few months ....
>

     Thanks! If we begin with 16MB memory (with plugs for another 48MB),
200MHz RISC, on-board SVGA-class Video, quality Sound, E-IDE, Diskette
Port, Game Port, Keyboard & Mouse Ports, Modem Port, Printer Port, GP I/O,
and Slots-- well, $599 might be a bit low; but, then, you were talking
about having to blow an extra $300-$400 for Video and Sound plug-ins. 



Rubywand