Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.misc:10964 comp.sys.mac.system:4401 comp.sys.mac.hardware:10341 Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.hardware Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!gaynor From: gaynor@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor) Subject: 32-bit Clean ROM upgrade - list created. Message-ID: <1991Apr16.155525.2416@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> Summary: Mailing list created. Originator: gaynor@top.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Keywords: SE/30, IIcx, 32-bit Clean Sender: news@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: top.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Reply-To: newroms-l-request@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu Organization: The Ohio State University Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1991 15:55:25 GMT Lines: 125 Rather than spend a lot of bandwidth orating, I'll try to get straight to the point. I'll probably fail, and end up orating, but bear with me anyway. The Macintosh IIcx, and the Macintosh SE/30, two of Apple's strongest products in the middle-high range, were created with a feature many Macintosh users thought was a wonderful idea: socketed ROMs. I quote from the Macintosh SE/30 Spec Sheet - "256k of ROM on a SIMM (Single In-line Memory Module)... The SIMM mounting makes it easy to remove and replace ROMs for more convenient servicing." These machines were also advertised as having the ability to use up to 128 megabytes of RAM (Once again from the SE/30 sheet) - "Memory - 1 or 4 megabytes of RAM, expandable to 8 megabytes (expandable to 128 megabytes when SIMMs with higher-density DRAM chips become available; also expandable through 030 Direct Slot)" [1] (see footnote) However, with the advent of 4 and 16 Mb SIMMS, 32-bit Cleanliness, and System 7.0, it was found that users of the IIcx and SE/30 (not to mention the II and IIx) couldn't access more than 16 megabytes, since the ROMs of those machines weren't 32-bit clean. This includes not only physical memory, but virtual memory and memory used for NuBus and the ROMs. The sum of the these may not exceed 16 megabytes, without 32-bit Clean ROMs. But, unlike the II and IIx, the IIcx and SE/30 have socketed ROMs. An upgrade to 32-bit Clean ROMs seemed the obvious things. Apple, however, hasn't said a single word, and has even given indication that the idea hasn't "offically" occured to them. The implications of this have been hashed back and forth on the comp.sys.mac.* newgroups on the Internet, and on the various Macintosh forums on Compuserve, especially ZMAC. All that has come of it is the second-hand (and possibly not even true, since it is second hand information) statement from Chris Espinoza of Apple that Apple will not release a ROM upgrade for the sole purpose of 32-bit Cleanliness. It's been hinted and rumored that Apple might create a ROM upgrade to support diskless booting over AppleShare, or to incorporate portions of the System 7.0 toolbox. But it's exactly that thus far, rumors. What I'm looking for, and what I think a lot of other people who have invested in these machines (either as owner or adminitrator) are looking for as well, isn't an immediate ROM upgrade to be released tomorrow for free. That'd be nice , but let's be realistic. What is reasonable is asking Apple to assure users, officially, that there _will_be_ a 32-bit clean ROM upgrade for the SE/30 and IIcx. That it will arrive within a reasonable time, say before the end of 1991. And that it will cost a reasonable amount, placing it within the reach of home users and students, as well as businesses and educational institutions. Perhaps it will include diskless booting, and portions of 7.0 in ROM, as rumored. Perhaps not. Given proper assurances, and good faith, users are willing to wait for a "good" product. Just witness System 7.0. That's not too much to ask, I would think. It's been shown in the past that Apple is often slow in taking action without a large number of users and institutions "encouraging" such action. (Remember the Quantum hard drives? The ImageWriter LQ?) That's what this is all about. I've created a mailing list. If you want tell Apple that ROM upgrades should be provided, subscribe to it. With enough people on the list, we should be able to show Apple that users really do want this upgrade to become available. This isn't an Apple-bashing list. It's purpose is to organize and bring together what I've perceived as a large amount of support for a ROM upgrade for the SE/30 and IIcx. I'll be posting this not only to USEnet, but also to CompuServe. Here's the list information: List name: newroms-l@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu List Administration: newroms-l-request@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu To subscribe to the list, send email to the Administration address, with the body of the message consisting only of the word SUBSCRIBE. You'll be added to the list automatically. Thank you. Post Script ----------- - For Compuserve folks: This is an Internet mailing list. Send your subscription request to ">INTERNET:newroms-l-request@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu" - For USEnet folks: I'm going to try to make this message such that you can simply reply to this message with SUBSCRIBE, but I'm not horribly good at Pnews - so it may not work (check the headers to be sure). Footnote -------- [1] Granted, it says nothing about being able to actually use that RAM with Apple System Software, but I consider it a reasonable assumption to make that one -should- be able to use it. Disclaimer ---------- I make no claim to absolute veracity. The information I've presented here is true to the best of my knowledge. This posting in no way represents the opinions of: The Ohio State University, Academic Computing, Facilities Management, OCES, or the College of Agriculture. My opinions. Mine, mine, mine! -- Jim Gaynor - Systems Analyst 1 + "Pooh hasn't much Brain, but he never Ohio State University ACS-FMS-OCES | comes to any harm. He does silly gaynor@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu | things and they come out right." gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu + -Piglet, from "Winnie-The-Pooh"