Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Classic_-_Concepts
From: Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: The Art Department and Memory
Message-ID: <35817@cup.portal.com>
Date: 10 Nov 90 19:02:30 GMT
References: <1990Oct25.193715.8382@hayes.ims.alaska.edu>
  <1990Oct25.224025.7029@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <1611@madnix.UUCP>
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Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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   In this discussion of the Art Department, I think it would be appropriate
to let people know about TAD's memory requirements.  I think it's impor-
tant not only because it indicates the direction of Amiga software, but
also, in all fairness, should be known to people with 'low-end' systems
before they invest money in software they may not be able to use.

    From the manual:

           "By its very nature, TAD requires a lot of memory.  In fact
           TAD will utilize as much *contiguous* (emphasis mine) memory
           as you have on your machine.  While it can run in as little 
           as one megabyte of memory, we suggest a minimum of four
           megabytes of expansion memory in order to get any substantial
           work accomplished."
 
Point #1 is obvious:  with memory getting cheaper and graphics displays
increasing in resolution and bitplanes, manufacturers are producing products
which require more memory.  I'm sure this trend will increase rather than
decrease.

Point #2 concerns contiguous RAM:
          If you're thinking of adding expansion memory, I'd strongly
          recommend against boards which are only expandable to 1 or 2
          megs (these recommendations assume your primary interest is
          graphics on the Amiga) *unless* you can match up boards which
          address contiguous bytes, or which are configurable.  This is
          usually not the case, however.
 
          If you already have expansion RAM and you need more, either
          sell your existing memory to finance a board which addresses
          a larger chunk of RAM or check with the manufacturer about
          the beginning and end addresses and see that they follow one
          from the other.

Unfortunately I got caught by this.  I have boards from two different
manufacturers (one internal, one external on my 1000) and they were
purchased when memory was not cheap.  The largest chunk of *contiguous*
RAM I can currently address, given that I have to use a big chunk for RAD
to make the 1000 even usable, is just over a meg.  Not enough to get good
use out of the Art Department.

So, all of the above is obvious to techies, but there are lots of graphics
and video folks out there purchasing Amigas who need to be aware of the
above so they can put together a 'workable' system.  Since lots of them
start with a couple of meg and add on later, I thought a little forewarning
might save a few people some frustration in the future.

The Art Department looks great.  (I just wish I could use it.)
                                        
                                            Julie Petersen (LadyHawke)