Ask HN: Could the Amiga have had full-speed C64 support with a hardware 6502?
Maybe this would have made the Amiga more successful?
3 comments
It was probably feasible, the Amiga was contemporary with the 128. The 128 had a MOS 8502 to run like a C64 and a Z80 to run "more serious" software...it was the 80's and the 128 was a mullet.
But that highlights the difference between 1985 and 2024. There was no nostalgia for the C64. The C64 was the past. Who would Commodore put a C64 in the Amiga for?
Anyway by the time Amigas were in the wild, it was clear DOS compatibility was the best bet for the future. Hence, the SideCar within a year of launch and the Bridgeboard for the 2000.
The Amiga didn't die on the flap of a butterfly's wing. It died of natural causes. Apple beat Commodore to the 16bit graphics computer market by a half a Moore's law doubling and Commodore didn't have the cash to splash on a Superbowl ad. Apple built a computer with the industrial design of a kitchen appliance, Commodore a desktop monstrosity of an A1000 + monitor + sidecar.
But that highlights the difference between 1985 and 2024. There was no nostalgia for the C64. The C64 was the past. Who would Commodore put a C64 in the Amiga for?
Anyway by the time Amigas were in the wild, it was clear DOS compatibility was the best bet for the future. Hence, the SideCar within a year of launch and the Bridgeboard for the 2000.
The Amiga didn't die on the flap of a butterfly's wing. It died of natural causes. Apple beat Commodore to the 16bit graphics computer market by a half a Moore's law doubling and Commodore didn't have the cash to splash on a Superbowl ad. Apple built a computer with the industrial design of a kitchen appliance, Commodore a desktop monstrosity of an A1000 + monitor + sidecar.
Amiga did have a hardware 6502. As a keyboard controller, MOS 6571.
I don't know. Maybe in the first couple of years?
But I think that the C64 compability of the C128 was detrimental. Because the C64 was so established it resulted in very little C128 native software being made. Publishers could just put a "C128 compatible" sticker on their existing C64 software.
But I think that the C64 compability of the C128 was detrimental. Because the C64 was so established it resulted in very little C128 native software being made. Publishers could just put a "C128 compatible" sticker on their existing C64 software.