Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!orion.oac.uci.edu!uci-ics!ucla-cs!rutgers!cbmvax!peter
From: peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga OS 2.0 on an A500
Message-ID: <11331@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 4 May 90 16:10:39 GMT
References: <17840@snow-white.udel.EDU> <1744@corpane.UUCP> <384@comcon.UUCP>
Reply-To: peter@cbmvax (Peter Cherna)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 38

In article <384@comcon.UUCP> terry@comcon.UUCP (Terry LaGrone) writes:
>> >upgrade for the Amiga 500 because OS 2.0 requires at least 1M and a
>> >hard disk.  Well, I have an Amiga 500 with 3M and a hard disk, so
>> >will I be able to use the Amiga 2000 upgrade package?
>
>I have an Amiga 500 with 3meg but it is the A590 disk drive.  Under the
>current scheme ( read :> until OS 2.0 is in a ROM chip ), you can't load
>the OS 2.0 on that machine.  HOWEVER; if you have expanded ram that is
>FIRST in the AutoConfig tm  sequence you can use the A2000 enhancer scheme.
>
>PS Amiga 2000 owners with all of their expansion memory on the A2091
>controller card are in the same fix as the A500 owner.

The "current scheme" you refer to is one manner of distributing beta-releases
to beta-testers under non-disclosure.  It bears no resemblance to the
manner in which 2.0 will become available for legitimate use by regular
Amiga owners (i.e. people other than developers that are part of the 2.0
test program).  These beta releases are not for general consumption,
for several good reasons, including:

      * The life of a beta-tester is not always an easy one
        (ever beta test a file-system?  Somebody has to find bugs
        in VERY CRITICAL sections...)
      * Non-disclosure prohibits beta-testers from passing around or
        demonstrating the beta software.
      * False rumors get started based on behaviour or compatibility
	of a beta-release, such as this business about "enhancer schemes".
      * Numerous other reasons...

>Terry LaGrone

     Peter
--
     Peter Cherna, Software Engineer, Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
     {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!peter    peter@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
My opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of my employer.
"If you insist on spending $10000 on a 68030 technology, may we humbly
suggest you buy three Amiga 3000's."