Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!rutgers!cbmvax!jesup
From: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.amiga
Subject: Re: second thoughts on buying a 3000UX
Message-ID: <19326@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 27 Feb 91 01:44:21 GMT
References: <61751@masscomp.westford.ccur.com>
Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 57

In article <61751@masscomp.westford.ccur.com> rtc@westford.ccur.com writes:

I won't answer the stuff others have already.

>I've heard that additional memory chips must be surface-soldered to 
>the main board.  I've also heard that memory is user upgradable, and that
>expansion boards are available.  What really is the largest amount of
>memory that I can cram into the system?  How much does it cost to get the
>system with 16 Mb or more memory?  They could only tell me the price with 9Mb.

	Adding memory is a matter of dropping in 1Mx4 ZIPs, up to 16M total
system memory (plus either 1 or 2 Meg chip (video) ram).

>What does Commodore mean by "choice of monitors?"  The price CATS quoted me
>allows for my choice of monitors.  Well I want to run an X server, and I'd
>want color, and resolution greater than 1024 X 864.  I see 1280 X 400 listed
>(I assume this isn't a joke) and I see an expansion graphics board listed as
>1024 X 1024.  Well if I need to get that expansion board, so be it, but
>how much does it cost?  How many of them can be put on a system?

	1280x400 (interlaced) is really mainly for video work (allows more
exact placement of color changes for character generators, etc).  The a2410
(developed mainly for the Amiga Unix boxes) is 1Kx1K, 256 out of 16M colors,
TI34010 processor, and runs color X under unix.  Not available yet, but RSN
(it's been in development quite a while, almost as long as Unix, and has been
shown at most every show where the A3000UX was shown, I think).

>Does the system truly come with ethernet?  Does the running system support
>booting X terminals on the network?  Does it support all of the major booting
>protocols?

	Yup, thin and thick.  I don't know about booting protocols (I'm an
AmigaDos person, not a Unix person).

>What's the deal with getting a 50Mhz CPU clock speed?  What's the deal with 
>getting a 68040 CPU?  Are they really available?  How much more cost? 

	Well, the CPU slot is there, ad was designed with them in mind.
There are 50Mhz '030's available for Amiga 2000's, and several companies
have announced that they will be making '040 boards.  Commodore has not said
anything official (nor will I).

>Is there a comprehensive list of what UNIX software comes with it, or at least
>is available to put on it?  I want some sort of database for example.

	Lots and lots of stuff, including lots of GNU stuff, many many PD/
redistributable things that the unix guys pulled off the nets, etc and 
brought up (Elm as a small example), etc.

	I thought this might be of enoughh interest to post the response.

-- 
Randell Jesup, Keeper of AmigaDos, Commodore Engineering.
{uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com  BIX: rjesup  
The compiler runs
Like a swift-flowing river
I wait in silence.  (From "The Zen of Programming")  ;-)


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