Date   : Wed, 02 Aug 2006 18:25:41 +0100
From   : Richard Kilpatrick <oldcomputers@...>
Subject: Re: Hybrid Music - determined attempt!

On 2 Aug 2006, at 15:54, James Lampard wrote:

>
> --- Richard Kilpatrick <oldcomputers@...>
> wrote:
>
>> I still can't believe that Acorn managed to launch
>> the Master and
>> A305 so close together with such drastically
>> different technologies.
> Are January 1986 and August 1987 that close together
> really?

Given that the Master was more than an upgrade to the B, in that it  
was considered a new 'range', and the massive shift in technology -  
yes. =46rom expensive flagship based on '70s 8-bit technology to  
cutting edge 32-bit RISC system which offered performance unheard of  
for the price, with no steps in between, is a pretty big leap to make  

in 18 months.

> I bought my Master in 1989 from Watford for
> under £400.

Well, aside from that being 1989 - by which time an Amiga was  
significantly cheaper, IIRC, and the ST definitely was...

> Nothing like the £600 figure you mention.

...that figure is from the educational price list I was looking at at  

the same time as buying my Acorn A3000.

> It's also important to realise that the Arc wasn't
> much use on release, with only the stopgap Arthur
> 0.2/0.3/1.2 available until 1989 when RISC OS was
> released.

Arthur is only part of the Archimedes; the 32-bit RISC system was at  
least as useful as a Master out of the box - you could use Basic  
right away.

Richard

-- 
Tasty Other - Because Far Too Much in Life Makes Sense
Music for download - coming soon (RIP MP3.com)
G.A.S. http://www.dmc12.demon.co.uk/music/
Platform: PowerMac G5 2.0GHz Dual, 20" LCD, Logic, Hammerfall.