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To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8556)	10/22/1998 7:41:00 PM
From: Curbstone	Respond to of 16960

Feel free to post all kinds of OT topics on days like this Alright. Are you the author of the book I saw in Borders last week: Sun Tzu's Art of Investing (or something like that)? Don't be shy now, this is not the time to be humble. Mike

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8556)	10/22/1998 7:57:00 PM
From: Waldeen	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

"What a boring day. Feel free to post all kinds of OT topics on days like this." I have been wondering about 'two' questions, on 'two' topics that people on this board can probably answer, but have not wanted to interfere with the important news. Perhaps now is the time... 1. Digital Flat Panels: a.) How difficult is it to modify a Banshee card to drive one? Reading ATI's product technicals looks like this is not difficult, in fact you essentially get to leave off a D/A at the end?? Most likely need some sort of buffering though, so Banshee can't do it directly as is? b.) How important are digital flat panels (DFP) for gaming? It seems resolution/colors will likely be less important initially, so a 16 bit solution like Voodoo2 might actually be somewhat optimum? I have never used one of the newer DFP's so don't have a feel from just reading the specs. Anyone? c.) What about games on the PalmPilot? Are there any? If not, why not, is there no market there? Seems like an instant "gameboy" to me if you can get games to fit on it. That's a DFP right? So if a guy wanted to produce a game for that, do you need to be DFP compatible? 2. Back to Sun's discussion of ATI (Maybe Scott Garee can help here.) I am trying to figure out why they purchased Chromatic. Trying to keep an open mind and all, but unless there is some internal work at Chromatic that has not yet been released, it looks like a mistake, as the operating costs of running Chromatic is being talked about to be $0.15 - 0.20 a share going forward. They earned $0.21 this quarter. So I am baffled, why didn't they go after someone with geometry acceleration? They must think something is worth this, and I am missing it? Here's the link on Chromatic that results from following the link Kevin Nakamichi posted on the ATI board: news.com "With Chromatic's technology, ATI indicated that it will move to develop chips that integrate 3D functions with processors for the sub-$500 device market." Sun what is your take on this? Why would someone go after the sub-$500 market? Don't you go after the high-end margin market, and when those products get older you sell them in the "sub-500" market? Of course ATI can do that as they have strong marketing, sales and OEM ties. But IMO SIII has been going after the "sub-$500" market for too long now and it doesn't seem to be really working. If Chromatic has such great technology, why doesn't it demand a premium (as opposed to what might guess to be low margins in the sub-$500 category). Unless this really opens up a new market and/or increases volumes.... Waldeen

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8556)	10/22/1998 9:33:00 PM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 16960

OT - An opportunity to be helpful and bash Microsoft. Problem: Windows 95, Control Panel, Internet Properties, Connection, Settings...the default for autodisconnect is autodisconnect/5 minutes. I can turn off the autodisconnect and/or change the default setting to another number other than 5, e.g., 59. It will save. I can reboot and the settings are as I changed them...I can connect using IEplorer 4 and the settings are as I changed them. Now if I initiate the connection by opening Communicator 4. or 4.5 the settings are mysteriously changed back to the original default, autodisconnect at 5 minutes! Ticks me off. Anyone have any ideas? Best Regards, Jim