CompuServe Messages

the answer was easier a year or two ago: Amiga all the way. These days, however, all the cheap PC's have VGA capabilities which make HAM mode almost look like our beloved 130XE. They all have speedy 386 chips and cheap hard disks, and enough software to cover half the continent. But if graphics is what you want, I believe the Amiga still holds a slight edge. 3-D programs such as Imagine offer IFF brush wrapping, texture mapping, even bump mapping for Heaven's sake! The machine is well-integrated, the special chips still provide a performance edge and above all, the Amiga has years of multitasking behind it. If I had to wait another year, my decision might be different; but at this point, I'm buying an Amiga. P.S. you want VGA graphics _and_ a blitter? Look into the HAM-E. It provides high-quality graphics that come straight from the normal sreen memory, so full-speed animation is supported. It's one way for your Amiga to keep its edge.