Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!rutgers!cbmvax!amix!ford
From: ford@amix.commodore.com (Mike "Ford" Ditto)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga 3000UX
Summary: "chip" memory is not memory to Unix
Message-ID: <796@amix.commodore.com>
Date: 16 Jan 91 00:30:16 GMT
References: <388@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> <1991Jan12.155932.18406@cbnewsm.att.com>
Reply-To: ford@amix.commodore.com (Mike "Ford" Ditto)
Organization: Commodore-Amiga Unix Development
Lines: 26

In article <388@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>, pal@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Philip Leverton) writes:
> Our system only had 5 Mb of memory

In article <1991Jan12.155932.18406@cbnewsm.att.com> mls@cbnewsm.att.com (mike.siemon) writes:
> AT&T/USL recommends a minimum of 6 Megabytes for OPEN LOOK

Also, remember that experienced AmigaDos users (and probably Commodore
marketing types, too) think of a basic A3000 (4 Meg fast, 1 Meg chip)
as a "5 Meg" system, while Unix consideres this to be a "4 Meg"
system.

The Amiga's "chip" memory, to Unix, is like the frame buffer memory on
a graphics card.  It is never used for the system's virtual memory.
It is used for floppy and sound DMA, copper instructions, and
(primarily) bitplane memory for the many virtual screens.

This might change in a future software release, since there will be
people with 4 Meg fast and 2 Meg chip, and they will need more system
memory and certainly wouldn't come close to using the whole 2 Meg chip
Ram.
					-=] Ford [=-

"A just machine to make big decisions	(In Real Life:  Mike Ditto)
programmed by fellows with compassion	ford@amix.commodore.com
and vision." - Donald Fagen, "IGY"	uunet!cbmvax!ditto
					ford@kenobi.commodore.com