Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?

[Bob Retelle <bobr1@provide.net>]

On Tue, 17 Jul 2001 03:01:37 -0700, "Branko Badrljica"
<brankob@avtomatika.com> wrote:

>
>"Matthew Montchalin" <mmontcha@OregonVOS.net> wrote in message
>Pine.SUN.3.96.1010716125157.20706B-100000@compass.oregonvos.net">news:Pine.SUN.3.96.1010716125157.20706B-100000@compass.oregonvos.net...
>> On Mon, 16 Jul 2001, Branko Badrljica wrote:
>>
>> |> Besides, isn't the 6502 limited to 64kB chunks.  Apple simply
>> |> implemented some sort of paging mechanism to access the 128kB found
>> |> in later models (IIe/IIc).  Likewise for the 192kB card which I
>> |> have lying around here, somewhere.  (Though my understanding is
>> |> the 1MB card for the 8-bit machines used some sort of window into
>> |> memory.)
>> |>
>> |> Byron.
>> |
>> |
>> |Why not using 80386, then ? It has it all- MMU and segmented
>> |adressing, and one even gets a several 100's bytes of cache ? ;o)
>>
>> An unfortunate design defect of the 80386 is that it can't
>> execute 6502 code.  Maybe if Intel could get its sh* together,
>> it would design a chip that we here at comp.sys.cbm might
>> actually be willing to try out.
>
>It can emulate it, probably much quicker than 1 or 2 MHz 6502 or Z-80H
>You wait a year or two and Celeron will be cheaper than 6502 ;o)
>
>
>Regards,
>
>
>Branko
>

I wouldn't be too surprised to see that. -  

I just did a little poking around to check on prices of Motorola 68020
and 68030 CPUs, just to see how they would affect the cost of a $300
system.

Allied Electronics doesn't even stock them any more, but for only $200
they'll order you a 33Mhz 68020 chip.

That's almost THREE times the cost of a 1Ghz Athlon right now.

(And that's their QUANTITY pricing.  Ouch!)

Supply and demand at work.


BobR