Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!anaconda.cis.ohio-state.edu!martens
From: martens@anaconda.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Martens)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: CAN I USE the originial AMIGA for something?
Keywords: amiga1000,upgrade
Message-ID: <82002@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 10 Jul 90 02:33:48 GMT
References: <2697404b-25ffcomp.sys.amiga@vpnet.chi.il.us>
Sender: news@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Reply-To: Jeff Martens <martens@cis.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: Ohio State University Computer and Information Science
Lines: 44

In article <2697404b-25ffcomp.sys.amiga@vpnet.chi.il.us> topgun@vpnet.chi.il.us (robert white) writes:

>I have the original Amiga,I believe it's called the 1000 model.
>  I haven't used it in years. I thought that even though the
>new models use much more memory and this first model is largely
>outmoded there still ought to be some usefulness left in it.
>  I went to my local AMIGA store and asked them what I would need to
>do in order to use the computer to communicate with online services
>and so forth. They told me that there is so little memory on this model
>that it's useless. They suggested I dump it since it would cost way
>too much to try and upgrade it.
>   Are they accurate? What would I neeed to do to be able to use it
>to get services such as Compuserve and various BBS.

I use my A1000 every day (right now, for example).  If you've got 512k
RAM, you shouldn't have any trouble hooking a modem up, loading a
communications program (Online, for one, works in 512k), and using it
to access various networks.

If it only has 256k, then you need the RAM upgrade.  It's a little box
that you screw into the front middle (there's a plastic door between
the drive and the power light), and you should be able to pick up a
used one cheap, since so many people are upgrading their 1000s.  

If you have 512k, but decide you need more, there are a lot of
memory upgrades for reasonable prices.  Watch for used ones on the
net, or look through Amiga World ads.  I've got a 2MB Starboard
myself, and, trust me, this makes life easier.

Now, on the down side:  I really wouldn't sink too much into your
1000, because it may not be straightforward to upgrade it to run the
newest version (2.0) of the OS.  Is anybody listening who is actually
doing this, as opposed to thinking about it?

While we're talking about OS versions, it occurs to me that you might
still have 1.1 (or 1.0?).  If so, you might need to pick up 1.3 in
order to run a comm program.  It should say on the box of the program
what the minimal OS configuration they support is.  Your dealer, or
any mail order place, should still have the 1.3 enhancer disks.
-=-
-- Jeff (martens@cis.ohio-state.edu)

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on an SLC; I'll bet it'll run
X11 almost as well as a 3/50 runs MGR!