Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!pitt!cuphub!edinboro!gcc!stu892103 From: stu892103@gcc.uucp (Flippin' like a flag on a pole..) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: STE's in Europe..lack of SIMMS Summary: Cheap 1040s Message-ID: <67@gcc.uucp> Date: 13 Dec 90 14:33:00 GMT References: <3974@syma.sussex.ac.uk> Organization: Grove City College, Grove City, PA Lines: 32 In article <3974@syma.sussex.ac.uk>, grahamt@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Graham Thomas) writes: >> I reckon Atari are peeved that people are buying 520STE's and pluggin in >> extra SIMM modules. Atari would rather people buy the 1040STE. >> However, there is no difference between the 520STE and 1040STE apart from >> the larger memory...so why splash out extra dosh for a 1040STE? >> > > Can Atari really be so stupid? Can they really? Is it possible that they > want to disable one of the best features of the STE, just to > 'differentiate the market'? > Well, the same goes with the regular 520stfm's here. My friend just bought a 520stfm and lo and behold when you open the case, there's a 1040 board with 1/2 a meg of memory on it and the holes where the other 1/2 meg would be are filled with solder. So, all that is needed is to desolder the holes, plug in the other 1/2 meg, and change a little solder bridge that lets the machine access the memory and there you go, for about $30-$40 (generally):-) you have a 1040stfm. I guess Atari doesn't make 520 boards any more. --Someone is really making out on the deal when people buy a 1040 for much more. > But I think the best that can be said about Atari the company is that it > would make an excellent case study for management schools, as an example of > how not to innovate and market IT products. Good thinking, my management book here at college already has a few paragraphs about Jack Tramiel as an example of bad management. (This is from when he was with Commodore, but nothing seems to have changed.) :-( Steve Greer