Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!hal!stevem
From: stevem@hal.CSS.GOV (Steve Masters)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: CAN I USE the originial AMIGA for something?
Keywords: amiga1000,upgrade
Message-ID: <444@hal.CSS.GOV>
Date: 10 Jul 90 12:10:45 GMT
References: <2697404b-25ffcomp.sys.amiga@vpnet.chi.il.us>
Organization: ENSCO Inc., Melbourne FL
Lines: 30

topgun@vpnet.chi.il.us (robert white) writes:

>I have the original Amiga,I believe it's called the 1000 model.
>  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.

For simple terminal communication, file upload/download, your A1000
is more than adequate.  Assuming it has 512K total memory, most
commercial and public domain communications programs will work just 
fine.  All you need is an external modem and plug it into your
serial port in the back.  (Be ***SURE*** you get the proper cable for
the A1000!!!)  An external floppy drive can be bought for about $200
if you don't have one already, but you don't actually need it.

My A1000 ran for its first year with only 512K and only its internal
drive.  I wouldn't recommend it for software development, but it
was easily adequate for communications.

BTW, the modem and external floppy are still compatible for the newer
Amigas, so you won't lose them if you do decide to upgrade.  

Steve Masters   stevem@hal.CSS.GOV
ENSCO, Inc.
Melbourne, FL  32940
(407) 254 4122