Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!digibd!steve
From: steve@digibd.com (Steve Wahl)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: help on installing 1meg agnus ...
Message-ID: <1990Oct23.224535.9225@digibd.com>
Date: 23 Oct 90 22:45:35 GMT
References: <1990Oct13.035003.3737@isis.cs.du.edu> <90286.132554DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu> <62.2719a8e6@vger.nsu.edu>
Organization: Digiboard Incorporated, St. Louis Park, MN
Lines: 84

In article <62.2719a8e6@vger.nsu.edu> manes@vger.nsu.edu writes:

>In article <90286.132554DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu>, DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
>> [ not supporting 1MB Agnus in A500 is "pea-brained" idea]
>> -- Dan Babcock

>I disagree.

>Like it or not Commodore needs to "seperate" the A500 from the A2xx/A3xx
>series machines, espeically now that the A500 is becoming a mass-marketed
>machine.   

>Dealers have a difficult time selling the higher-end Amigas because
>the 500 and the 2000 seem so much alike.  Dealers try to sell 2000s 
>by using the "expandability" sales tactic.  Now that A500s can expand,
>by using 2000 boards and even have the ability to run the IBM software,
>the margin of difference between the two is extremely narrow.  It is 
>now down to the box and the slots.

>#1 - Seperate the product line a500 and a2xxx.
>     Simple to do:  Don't allow the 1 meg agnus and don't upgrade
>                     A500s to 2.0.
>
>#2 - Create a Amiga 1500.
>     (A now PC slot, one/two slot A2000, low profile case, etc.)
>
>It is the bottom line gentlemen.  Change that there box a bit and
>make it LOOK different.  You will sell a ton.
>
>
> -mark=

[mark stated his opinion; this is mine and is NOT a flame]
[ well.. not intended to be. ]

No!  No!  No! 

1. Not allowing 2.0 or 1MB Agnus in the 500 could cause lots of damage to
the product line.  The segregation of the Amiga line into two parts would
mean that software developers have their choice of developing for 2.0 and
it's market, or developing stuff that's compatible with 1.3 and 2.0,
not taking any advantage of the new 2.0 features.  Given that the 500 is
the bigest part of the market, *I believe* that most developers would go
for 1.3 compatibility.  This could seriously cripple software development
for our new, shiny, 2.0 operating system.  This is my single bigest wory
about OS 2.0. I hope C= supports upgrading ALL possible amigas at least
to 2.0 (even without 1MB chip or productivity mode video) so that the 2.0
software base can be as profitable as possible, to provide as great a
growth rate as possible.  (O.K., point 1 didn't touch the 1MB agnus chip
much. See point 2.)

2. (from what I've heard) The 500 motherboard was (like the 2000) designed
to handle the new Agnus chip and 512K of ROM.  Disallowing upgrading the
machines to full potential would be a serious mistake.  And it seems quite
contrary to C-A's direction in the past.  It seems the only reason C= doesn't
support 2.0 on the 1000 is that there's not enough room in the kickstart
RAM; the new Agnus also doesn't fit in the Agnus socket on the 1000, either
(not to mention there's probably a few traces missing).  Personally,
I'm at a loss as to why they wouldn't support 1M chip on a 500.  It
doesn't even affect software compatibility unless you've got something
that takes that much chip ram.  Perhaps Commodore has been having problems
with this modification being done incorrectly, causing rumors of flakey
Amigas?  If anyone knows the REAL reason they sent this memo, please
speak up!  Has anyone who has a 1MB chip-mem modified A500 had any problems?

3. Even though I own a 2000 (now upgraded with a 2630, etc..), I have
always thought that the difference in price between the 500 and the 2000,
for what is essentially the same machine, is too great.  If they could
lower the price of the 2000, to put it's price/performance better in line
with the 500, I think it would be the best thing to do.  But I guess I
don't have details on what it costs to manufacture either system, or
wholesale prices.

Boy, oh boy.  This posting is more ranting and raving than I want to do.
So I'll stop.

AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING.

--> Steve
-- 

Steve Wahl               steve@digibd.com
DigiBoard Inc.
St. Louis Park, MN       (612) 922-8055