A Place in History

[Tomas]

First home computer with:
multimedia capabilities, autoconfig "which is now known as plug and play in windows", multiple draggable screens in various resolutions at the same time, Autorun and probably loads of more...

Also worth reading into the amiga custom chipset aswell, as there was quite a bit of innovation there.

I find it sad that microsoft get alot of the fame here, even though the Amiga had alot of it over 10 years earlier..

[mr_a500]

The Amiga has a feeling to it that I like to sum up with the following quote:

"Amiga is the link between the mysterious originality of early computers and the boring tedium and painful stupidity of Microsoft crap."

[X-ray]

One word:

MULTITASKING

[shIva]

One word:

MULTITASKING

i´d like to add one : preemptive multitasking ;-)

thats what makes fun

[Deano]

I know I posted this ages ago but just wanted to say thanks for responses, they're appreciated.

[ivibozic]

mr_a500 wrote:
The Amiga has a feeling to it that I like to sum up with the following quote:

"Amiga is the link between the mysterious originality of early computers and the boring tedium and painful stupidity of Microsoft crap."

Plus, it's the only REAL computer behind every other. So, in my words, not only is it the link between all that electronic junk/crap, it's the only computing driving force and has been, and has continued up to todays dates.

My vision of computers throughout up to todays existence has icons, blue firm windows, a shell, a monitor and a mouse. In my vision of Amiga it's the only computer going professional in the computer, and not kitchen accessories, area. The pc would be anything/nothing else.

-- Ive

[ivibozic]

Dan wrote:

TjLaZer wrote:
The biggest is MULTIMEDIA.  It was born on the Amiga.  Is that big enough for ya?  :banana:

True, when PC magazines and users started talking about multimedia, the amiga-kids me would go: Eh? Thats nothing new.

If only the A4000 had been nearer 1000Euros at launch instead of over 2000. And if AGA machines had 16-bit audio. And if the launch of CD32 had been at the same time as A1200(which should had a SIMM-slot for FastRam and 3,5" harddrive), with a CD32-drive for the A1200 like  the A570 for A500.
If, If, If, If.... :-P

I believe this all was predetermined somehow towards todays days.

-- Ive

[DonnyEMU]

Amiga Accomplishments!


1) Genlock (first personal computer to integrate video)

2) First true multi-tasking operating system that came standard on a PC (Unix machines weren't PCs back then they were workstations)

3) First computer to use co-processor chips that function independent of the CPU (i.e. the Bimmer (or super blitter).


I am sure there is more than these but this is the first that comes to mind..

[Magic-Merl]

It did what we wanted it to do now, not ten minutes from now.

It boots from a hard drive into OS with the minimum of fuss.

It didn't slow down just because we installed a new piece of software.

When/if it crashed it told you the reason why!

It was the last true computer that you could be passionate about.  Blub Blub.

[mr_a500]

2) First true multi-tasking operating system that came standard on a PC (Unix machines weren't PCs back then they were workstations)

I agree with your statement, but I cringe whenever somebody refers to an Amiga as a PC. Sure it's a "personal computer", but not a PC which is the short form for the "IBM PC/AT or clone". Otherwise the statement "screenshots are from the PC version" would be meaningless.

Back when the Amiga was released, small computers were referred to as "microcomputers" (but most people just said "computer"). It was only around 1992-93 that I first started hearing people say "my PC" instead of "my computer" - because most people started getting IBM PC/ATs. (that's also when I started cringing... ;-) )

[minatorb]

2) First true multi-tasking operating system that came standard on a PC (Unix machines weren't PCs back then they were workstations)

Xenix (Microsoft Unix - yes, really!) was on the PC in 1983, it almost certainly had pre-emptive multitasking.

3) First computer to use co-processor chips that function independent of the CPU (i.e. the Bimmer (or super blitter).

Both the C64 and Atari 400/800 had custom chips.

--

The Amiga didn't invent everything it did, much was done before.  What the Amiga did was to put it all together in one place for the first time:

Fast 32 bit CPU
Multitasking OS
Drivers - individual programs used to support different printers (etc) directly.
GUI
High colour acelerated graphics
Sampled audio

[Seehund]

mr_a500 wrote:
Sure it's a "personal computer", but not a PC which is the short form for the "IBM PC/AT or clone". Otherwise the statement "screenshots are from the PC version" would be meaningless.

Well, I think it is a meaningless statement. Those who say it always seem to mean "the Windows version".

Unless of course they're talking about the "PC" (x86) version of software/OS that's available for several hardware platforms (cf. Linux for x86, PPC, et c.), and if the look of that software would actually differ depending on which hardware it runs on.

[Seehund]

Dan wrote:

True, when PC magazines and users started talking about multimedia, the amiga-kids me would go: Eh? Thats nothing new.

Heh, I remember what it was like: "Multimedia = an ISA soundcard and a CD-ROM drive"