Optron #07 13 февраля 1998

ZX vs PC

PC vs ZX - The debate continues ...

                PC vs ZX:

          debate continues



(C) Gendalf,

    Hacker Rasp

Gendalf> K we recently had another
letter, which addressed the issue PC.
It seems that my article in the second issue of this
theme vyzvala at least some reaction that
too happy. Pleased that the letter contains
a lot of interesting thoughts and meets the requirements of a 
civilized discussion. 

  Since my article, then answer
such letters polagaetsya me. So read it.

  Unfortunately, in a letter I have not found the name
author. He signed only as the Ex-Speccy
user, a such, as you know, pretty much. : (

Hacker Rasp> As mentioned in the letter and my name, I will 
also take part in the discussion.


Ex-Speccy user> Editorial "OPTRON" from
EX-Speccy user'a


  Actually, my Speccy (Piter 256 Kb) I
threw a half years ago (or rather sold
$ 25 and bought usilok :-(, but it does not matter). But now, 
thanks (!) Coincidence circumstances in my hands and got LVOV 
128K drive with optocouplers.


XP> Change Speccy on usilok! .. Nothing ...
Amp suxx 'must die! ..

EX> First a few words about the paper,
as such. First of all, I was pleasantly
surprised the video mode is 42 characters per line,
instead of just as beloved as it is
unreadable 64 CPL. Just appreciate and welcome the 
implementation of the principle of editorial opinions do not 
necessarily coincide with those of the author. " In general, 
the newspaper is not bad, keep it up! 

GD> awkward split paragraph of this letter,
but I can not extended his gratitude on behalf of the editorial 
board for such a review. 

Xp And besides - thank you on behalf of the editor!

EX> But, actually, that spodvigli me
writing of this creation: a "Optocouplers" # 4, I
read the article "Letter from a distance" and how
sinklerist and how pisishnik could not remain indifferent. To 
the "plows" John Ciemgals really bent - Speccy really Zhiguli 
:-). Agree, P-PRO does not buy immediately, but should right? 
486DX4-100 is not enough just to play, although many of them on 
such a machine will be acceptable to plow (and other software 
will quite confident in myself to feel it).


GD> Reconnect paragraph break (what is he
longish), noting that 486DX4-100 also did not immediately buy. 
And in my opinion, not all non-game software itself will somehow

feel.

XP> Anyone who can buy a Pentium,
ever on the Spectrum and not sitting. But in
most cases gives spektrumist
last savings for trash like 286,
386, 486SX. And all for what would play. And the money to 
upgrade anymore. Here and sitting - playing old toys and

brains softened.

EX> Clinging to the Speccy HDD 1.2 GB, IMHO,
really extreme (well, what for Speccy
as 8-O, except that when the transition to
PC normal Vinci has already been) more than a meter
Speccy memory will not hurt (if it is "more" is not more than 
8). "Strongly more powerful" percent Spectrumu really needed, 
but with this same procedure and schedule abruptly can not 
hurt. Yes, the PC is all that long ago, but grasping it just to 
have their own Speccy Romance. To me, anyway, and liked to dig 
for hours in his Spectrume, even if it did not bring the 
desired result, or it was no use to anyone (even I), and in any 
case, not how much will regretted the time spent and burnt

mikruhah (well, as without it?), and the rasp is right: a PC 
with a soldering iron is not polezesh :-).


Xp thought valuable, but not mine: (

GD> Yes, most spektrumistov really romance, but we try welling 
Speccy not only because of this. Spectrum needs to be 
developed, since otherwise it just otzhivet, and romantics will 
have to sooner or later, change seats on an unusually

pragmatic PC. Besides, nobody is going to hang on the Speccy 
screw 1.2Gb - 80MB will be enough, but this screw

inexpensive.

EX> Well, why write a prog on the PC
bored? 8-O Not at all!

XP> Maybe I'm not exactly put it.
Progs writing is not boring and uninteresting. Why I started 
writing for ZX - wanted to see how it all works, it was 
interesting. And on the PC all some kind of gray and dull, even

do not want to know what was inside.

EX> But do not have to think about every
command to save a dozen strokes.

XP> That's how they write the program - without thinking and
not counting the strokes. And they should. In the extreme
if you can at least roughly estimate how many strokes to take 
one option routines, and how many - on the other. Nobody

said that would meticulously count the strokes for all teams, 
rather optimal use of one or two teams,

in order to get an optimal
program as a whole. While the PC is already unrealistic - most 
programmers just do not know assembler. As a programmer

can optimize its creation, if
can not distinguish the AX from BX. The problem is not
the machine itself, the problem is people who
make this machine from the pile of metal in
something reasonable. Iron is not to blame.

EX> Well, if someone kicks in the fact
order to take strokes, you can and count
output VGA'shnom 320x200 graphics 320x400,
well, or in the text - 640x400 (and this is when
4 kilobytes of video memory! ). In my opinion,
not boring at all.

GD> Yeah, but the result of such programming - the new Color 
Lines or Miner. After to make a normal (if this is not a 
primitive tool) program needs at least half a dozen 
professionals (work users there is hardly amiss).


Ex> Otnositlno upgrade as lifestyle
pisishnikov. Well, you can certainly buy
each garbage that falls into our market, but
nobody makes!

GD> It's you (or you-I do not know how to refer to was polite, 
but not bremsstrahlung) no one makes, and can not to do so. But 
the lamer who only boasts of its ticks monster

possible. Yes, it's their fault, but, in my opinion, cheating 
lamer - the same as cheating child). By the way, thanks to 
Speccy, the plug former nick rarely come on the PC simple lamer.


Ex> One should distinguish between the concept of "Works
ONLY on the computer with new twists and
"The companies with new twists will work slightly better, 
namely the second and not the first concept refers to a "new 
and expensive" versions of Windows (at the expense of 
"expensive" to our level of piracy in general to speak

funny: if the average price of pirated compact (10-15 grn.) 
divided by the number of program on it, then it turns out that 
"expensive" version would cost 0,5-1 grn. (Cheaper than 
Spectrum'ovskaya game), but because CD can otdolzhit a neighbor 
or friend). 

XP> This is all true for pirated copies, which have not always 
worth the money. And if you compare licensed software on the PC 
and ZX, then you know! The same for Win 95

much more expensive than OS / 2.

GD> Only now, these compacts, as has already been written
Rasp in the fourth "Optocouplers," will be Bulgarian and half 
of the prog just does not run. 

Ex> The very first notion is perhaps that
for games (well, here try geymoklepy
not only to ourselves but to the producer
Hardware). I agree that there Speccy
good toys (especially logic), but we must not forget that on a 
PC good games, not on the Speccy, where, as more, and that good 
Spectrum'ovskie games can play safely under the emulator.


XP> Yes, yes, yes ... And we have an emulator
music plays as the original, and 256 (512) K
he pulls ... And all emulators with fizichiskimi
(A even with protected) disks work ...

GD> I have to agree that good on PC
games are not on the Speccy, really
a lot. And playing an emulator is also possible.
But for this we must first acquire PC, a
it would cost every seven more than the
steep upgrade Speccy, yes, and demos on it
do, nobody will. :-(

Ex> The MS-DOS gonevo do not have to catch up!

XP> Did you press the F10 - unload NC (VC, DN) and
worked in a clean Doce. Well, how convenient!
And if you want to talk about the internals
MS-DOS, then call me - let's talk "for
scenes.

EX> Moreover, the choice of OS is, and if
user about neWindows knows nothing, then this
his problem.

XP> That's right, it's the only problem is the user
- For the monopolist is not a problem! He even beneficial, that 
would all think that there is only one OS and all. The same is 
pure fraud. 

EX> Since when has the choice of software was the cause of
degradation? If pogramu before use should write himself - no 
one interferes, write, and if you still need a ready Download - 
please choose to eat. Statement about the fact that the PC is a 
place in the accounts at all absurd - there just would be quite 
enough (No offense to him will be said) and Spectruma. About 
Amigu I am silent - she told me once do not care. 

XP> These are the times! So nice conversation, and
here a little mat is not bent.

GD> MS-DOS-it's just a program. But she
is a prime example of the principles and ideology of Microsoft. 
MS-DOS, even in those days was not perfect: not for the fact 
that better to do it was impossible, but because of

that the company Microsoft pokazalos that this is enough.

Ex> Now a few words about the article "Apple +
Microsoft =? "From the 2 nd" OPTRON. "Watering
mud manufacturer pisishnogo software can be
would leave pisishnikam. Indicating that
PC started with a "medium-sized calculator (although this" 
calculator ... "had a 64K memory, and was equipped with DVD 
drives), it was possible to mention that appeared on the Speccy 
year later, and was a little kallulyatorom for approximate 
calculations with 16K memory and a tape recorder instead of 
drive. As alluding to the fact that Windows was lapped with

Mac, do not forget that Amiga'vsky
Workbench resembles MacOS much more ...

GD> Our editor in chief Rasp said that the first PC was not 64K 
memory, 16.


XP> Actually, it's not me saying, as Mr. Dobush in an interview 
published in the 6-m "Optocouplers. Though I be fully

agree on this issue. In addition, PC
began with a tape recorder (somewhere in the bowels
third dosa has a job with a tape recorder)
Then there was CP / M, and only then - MS-DOS.

GD> In addition, to assess (and not water
mud) pisishny software have the right not
pisishniki only, if only because the PC
affects their interests.

Ex> On this deign zakonchin and say goodbye.

  P.S. Their point of view, I tried to express as objectively 
as possible and hope see the answer in an upcoming 
"optocouplers. 



  Position and point of view the writer
actually expressed quite lucidly
- As though I did not rush to buy PC ;-).
Therefore, I hasten to them, if unchecked,
least delay.

  I say again: nA PC does not have room for creativity. User 
can use it to work, but most earlier

hands reach rare. But to buy PC only
for the game - it is at least self-indulgence.
Wow toy!

  Well, write your prog ... First, the result will be more than 
modest: something such as elementary and unnecessary testing

the files of "for friends." Secondly, it
because of the ease of programming (which
achieved solely through the extra,
it is unnecessary, bars) disappear any interest. Treat as 
pisishnik, tired him, and he takes his seat to play in games 
that hindered by the fact that only go by

Windows, which sometimes manages to take
almost all the RAM.

  And do not delude yourself that you will use the PC for work: 
here, they say, I will edit the text, draw ... A

in fact, buying more books "For Dummies" about the Word nn You 
do not go down. Will tell your friends, what miracles can

fabricate your computer, but in practice these
perhaps even not be used.
And wonders of wonders, but your PC is always
have time to hang (fakir was pyan and focus
failed ...).

  So think. Whatever you decide to,
so soon and write. And do not rush to change
Speccy in your pisishny mouse pad -
he (mat) is not worth it.

  Thank EX-Speccy user'u for an interesting
letter. We only know his name,
and then get a bit uncomfortable.


                              Sincerely,

                            Paul Vysotsky


             P.S. by rasp


  I have already tired of this unnecessary controversy. PC
will never be so ardently loved, as
Speccy - they (PC) only use, but use are amenable to upgrade. 
And whatever pisishniki do, no matter how tried to discredit 
our Speccy, they will not succeed. 

  Therefore, I, on the Rights of the editor,
temporarily outlaw all vysskazyvaniya on the topic "PC vs ZX". 
Everything. 


                              Sincerely,

                             Hacker Rasp