Re: [Q] Why Apple2 when we have PC?

[jlee@ics.uci.edu (Orion Pax)]

Steven McQueen (linerydr@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
[snip]
: Windows, is much the same. The only reason a 486 computer (32-bit
: processor with an 8-MHz/16-bit data bus) is even capable of approaching
: the performance of an Apple IIgs is because of sheer processor speed.
: If they ran at the same clock speed, the IIgs (a 16-bit processor with
: a 1-MHz/8-bit data bus) would outperform the 486 by about 4 to 1.

Er, what are you talking about?  A 486 will always outperform a GS.
Try the math:

Say you need to load a 32-bit value into a register (let's say the x and
y on the gs) in any addressing mode.  It takes the 486 2 fetches at 8 mhz
to get the 32-bit value or 4 million possible 32-bit fetches in one second.
It takes the 65816 4 fetches at 1 mhz or 25,000 possible fetches in one
second.  (These numbers assume that it takes 1 clock cycle to do one fetch).
Clearly, a larger data bus at a higher mhz is better by a large factor.

Then combine the fact that the 486 has a richer and more complete
instruction set (i.e full arithmetic, and arithmetic between registers),
stock instruction/data caching, fpu built in, it is undoubtably better
than a stock 65816 in a GS.

Now if somebody came up with a piggy-back connector for a 65265 -> 65816
connector and plugged it into an accelerator, at least the built-in
caching advantage of the 486 wouldn't be so great.

: design, from the OS interface, through the addressing scheme, all the
: way down to the instruction set, makes any sense at all! It seems that
: the machine was designed to take as long as possible to do anything,
: and you have to have an interrupt (which takes a LOOOOOONNGG time to
: handle) every time you want to check a status bit or something!

How long have you been doing stuff on the PC?  I don't think vets complain
about this and I can surely imagine first-time-programmers on the 65816
and GS complaining the same way.

: Speaking as a user, nearly all PC programs, with few exceptions, seem
: to be designed mainly to prevent the user from ever figuring out what
: he is doing. Most user interfaces are clumsy at best (see your
: dictionary for the definition of Windows,) and downright user-inimical
: (see same dictionary for definitions of MS-DOS and File Manager) more
: often than not.

See Mac OS.  It's a natural thing.  No program nor OS is perfect.  Show
one on the GS that's even perfect.  Btw, the Windows API is easier to
program in than the Mac's.

: you. They tend to believe that just because something is old doesn't
: necessarily mean it is useless. Besides, it makes a wonderful first

Very true.

Joseph
-- <Anime Expo '95 Hospitality Staffer> <email info@anime.expo.org for info> --
jlee@clyde.ics.uci.edu   | Have you watched your Koko wa GreenWood, Yotoden,
-------------------------+ Gundam 0083, Bubble Gum Crisis/Crash!, Video Girl
II(> Creative 'Ware <)II | Ai, Tenchi Miyou, Ah! My Goddess, Maison Ikkoku,
 Cal-Animage Epsilon VP  | PatLabor, Ranma 1/2, and Five Star Stories today?