#Amiga-Hobby or Lobby
14 messages in this thread
What's going on here? I stopped into this forum expecting to see
information about Dr Dobbs, and all I see is Amiga debates! Why is everyone
talking about the Amiga, when Dr Dobbs doesn't even cover the Amiga? Even
Computer Language didn't mention the Amiga's "multitasking" in their
Multitasking issue! I came here to see some Real Computer Calisthenics,
like writing TSRs and learning to hopscotch through VGA video modes! Next
thing you know, Dr Dobbs will be talking about inter-process
communications!
Oh dear. Before the Amigans jump on you, i'd just like to say to both you
and to them that no, this is *not* an MS-DOS forum, but a programmer's
forum. I have discussed here on this forum questions about integer square
root algorithms, Atari ST shells, Macintosh resources, "Undocumented Dos",
C++, and English as a Second Language for Programmers <g>. So why
shouldn't we discuss the Amiga? And the reason DDJ has not run articles
about the Amiga is very simply, as the editors have pointed out again and
again, no one had submitted such an article (this situation has changed,
according to the same editors).
So relax and enjoy the show. I've no PC or Mac or Amiga axe to grind
myself, so i've been watching the messages scroll by and observing human
behavior.
Heh heh…
Before this gets out of hand, I should tell you that John Foust is one of
the early Amiga developers, and was responsible for a series of early disks
of PD programs (AMICUS), a large volume of articles, and is part of a
company that has a few Amiga software products on the market.
(if you're watching this John… Good one!) 🙂
-larry
As for the lack of Amiga articles in DDJ, I've heard this argument before.
It's a very polite and diplomatic argument. If some interesting technology
appeared for the PC or Mac, don't you think the editors would manage to
find an article about it ASAP? They'd scrounge, beg and plead with their
existing author base, call contacts, and find someone associated with the
gizmo. Even Byte's had a few Amiga articles.
Consider ARexx on the Amiga: an interpreted IPC and macro language existing
in a preemptive, true multitasking environment. We had this before OS/2
DLLs were a wet dream. If for no other reason, PC and Mac heads should
examine this technology, to learn and to see the future of their own
machines. Something this exciting should catch the eye of a good editor,
more so than the latest trick in writing INITs for the Mac. You can pick up
a useful, used Amiga system for less than a grand in any city of the US.
For no other reason, PC and Mac programmers should get one, just to
*learn*.
I've been a reader of DDJ since they had two-color "Calisthenics" covers.
No disrespect towards the editors is expressed here, or implied.
The ARexx system sounds like something Computer Language Magazine would be
interested in. You might want to hop next door and repeat that message to
JD.
Perhaps you could persuade John F. of Syndesis to write one of his fine
articles for the DDJ. He's done a pile of them for other magazines. How
about it, John? Just be sure to include a bit of code. That seems to be
a requirement for DDJ.
Its ridiculous how people call MS-Windows multitasking and don't even
know the Amiga exists! Come join the croud!
Actually, I do talk about IPC mechanisms, but in a different context. I
also talk about process migration, hypercubes, and OO programming. Dr.
Dobbs will cover anything that our readers will write quality stuff for –
be it Amiga, Unix, RSTS/E or MSDOS.
For the Amiga folks out there, I just went through our files – the things I
think least useful – TSR's – have been downloaded at a 100 – 1 ratio over
everything else on the forum. What does this tell me? That people think
that IBM specific stuff is more useful than Amiga stuff. I'm not being
judgemental – just making an observation.
Tom, maybe you're reading too much into it? maybe some nut just dled the
same TSRs over and over again, cause he kept losing them? <grin> (It
actually tells me that people are well past ready for multitasking 🙂
Tom, I don't doubt for a second that far more of your readers have a
direct interest in MS-DOS than AmigaDOS. TSR's are the closest MS-DOS has
really come to multitasking, and it is very scary playing around with
interrupts and all.
Wonderfully ironic message <grin>! I'm sure it'll be misunderstood…..
My apologies. The amiga wars started several weeks ago — and I don't
remember who started 'em. A couple of rabid Amiga fans have literally
flooded the forum with messages, much to the distress of at least several
DDJ forum regulars.
I got interested by a couple of the details, and asked a few follow-up
questions. (I'd pose them in the Amiga forum, but based on the tone of the
messages left here by a couple of Amiga "enthusiasts," I'm afraid of
getting mugged…)
And despite my user ID, I am not the sysop here. (I hang my hat in the HP
forum.)