Optron #43 10 апреля 2001

Будущее Спектрума

Opinion - What are the prospects for the Spectrum?

    What are the prospects for the Spectrum?


  {} Eugene Natopta, 2001


  Recently ZX-media (including -
and in the pages of Optron) actively debated topic of the 
prospects for the Spectrum, in particular - opportunities for 
its further development and application. I would also like to 
add a few words to the debate about prospects.


  In my opinion, the prospects of these - pretty grim. Simply 
lost precious time. On this subject I talked

with experts from the firm MICO somewhere else
in 1996, and, unfortunately, common approaches
to the problem we have not managed to work out. But now the 
situation looks even more gloomy.


  Let's look at the software. Now almost no mathematics to 
develop programs expanded regime there. Of course, you can 
nalepit any cross-system, but nothing like this GENS3 MONS3 and 
is not expected, not to mention already on the program, the 
compiler with the high-level languages. 

  The second aspect of the problem - price.
Take, for example, a processor that wants to put in the new 
Spectrum. Z380 - it not a massive processor, manufactured by

million units, therefore, the price of
He did not drop below $ 18-24. And yet,
In addition, it should stick to the video system and a couple 
of megabytes of memory. All this will raise the price to 
instantly set closer to $ 50. But it is also necessary to 
collect, build and sell! 

  With such a price the new Spectrum begins
compete with game consoles such as
Segal, quite common in the markets
CIS. I was opening a couple of them and I
there is heavy suspicion that their release
has long been mastered in Russia. Sale price
SEGA consoles - around $ 30-35. But in
her there, inside there are two processors -
68000 (32 bits) and Z80B, music
processor, great video subsystem with
various twists oriented
game graphics, and more - a cloud of mathematics to
that everything (including a full emulator
PiSi-shke).

  So try it, convince me,
I'm not right!