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From: navas@cory.Berkeley.EDU (David C. Navas)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Non-Zorro slots in the Amiga 3000
Keywords: 3000 slots
Message-ID: <20643@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 13 Dec 89 21:08:22 GMT
References: <5906@ubc-cs.UUCP> <3751@convex.UUCP> <5936@ubc-cs.UUCP> <3854@convex.UUCP> <1935@ntmtka.mn.org>
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Reply-To: navas@cory.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (David C. Navas)
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In article <1935@ntmtka.mn.org> steve@ntmtka.mn.org (Steve Wahl) writes:
>As I recall, this whole discussion has to do with whether or not there will
>
>|----------------------------------------------------------------------| B o M
>|          16-bit Zorro          32-bit Zorro extension                | a f a
>| ============================ ==========================              | c   c
>|                                                                      | k   h
>| ============================ ==========================              |     i
>|             (Repeat N times)                                         |     n
>| ============================   ============ ======================   |     e
>|      16-bit Zorro  (Bridgecard Slots)  AT  & XT bus                  |
>| ============================   ============ ======================   |
>|                                                                      |
>|                                ============ ======================   |
>|                                      (AT/XT Bus in whatever size)    |
>|                                             ======================   |
>|                                                                      |
>				.
>				.
>				.
>
>|                                                                      |
>|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
>
>Due to the opinions that I've heard in this group regarding the utility
>of a bridgeboard (which I agree with - I don't see a reason to get one
>for my 2000, and I don't know what I'd do with my 5.25" hard drive),
>I don't think anyone is going to argue that the bridgeboard has to be
>connected to the full 32 bits of the Zorro bus; I'm sure it can get by
>on a 16-bit port.  

Unless you remember that all graphics memory is transferred via a 16 bit bus
rather than a 32 bit bus if you keep the old architecture...  And we have
a '386 version on the way -- and I'd like EGA capability on of these days..
Of course, the BridgeBoard would have to be souped up a litle.
>
>Does anyone see anything wrong with this scheme?

Yeah -- see above.  The answer is easy, really.

---------16-bit Zorro----------------32 ext---------------
|  =============================== ==========      ||    |
|                                                  ||    |
|  =============================== ==========      ||    |
|                                                  ||  32 bit ext for bridgbrd
|  =============================== ==========      ||    | 
|                                                  ||    | 
|  =============================== ==========            |
|                                                  ||    |
|  C P U   C O - P R O C E S S O R   S L O T       ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    Zorro II for BrdgBrd
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
| 						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|							 |
|							 |
| =32 MSDOS= =AT ext.= =normal PC======            ||    |
|						   ||    |
| ========== ========= ================ 	         |
|						   ||    |
| ========== ========= ================	           ||	 |
|						   ||    |
| ========== ========= ================		   ||    |
|						   ||    |
|						         |
|						   ||    |
|						   ||    |
----------------------------------------------------------

I don't know if this makes any more sense, however...  You might want to
move the Bridgeboard card to the front of the machine, or something like
that.  Main point is to keep the expansion possibilities open, right?

>
>Personaly, I'm not sure whether or not the 3000 will have a PC Bus or
>not, but I do think it is possible.  As to whether it would be a desired
>feature, I must point out that for *some* reason Sun Microsystems has both
>a software and hardware option for (some of?) their Sparc Stations (and
>maybe other systems) to run MS-DOS based software.  My only guess is that
>there are some executives who like to buy the most expensive computers
>that can run 1-2-3 and dBase :-).

Of course, isn't that why I want a '486 machine?
>These are only my opinions, of course!

Me too.
>
>--> Steve
>-- 
>Steve Wahl
>Northern Telecom, Inc.       (612) 932-8079
>S-100, 9701 Data Park        steve@ntmtka.mn.org
>Minnetonka, MN 55343         {rosevax,bungia}!ntmtka!steve

David Navas
navas@cory.berkeley.edu