Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!uunet!orca!javelin.sim.es.com!blgardne
From: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com (Blaine Gardner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Few questions/observations about the A3000
Keywords: KS 2.0
Message-ID: <1991Apr26.202103.22105@javelin.sim.es.com>
Date: 26 Apr 91 20:21:03 GMT
References: <1991Apr23.143421.17738@javelin.sim.es.com> <1991Apr24.172714.462@daffy.cs.wisc.edu> <1991Apr24.214121.4631@javelin.sim.es.com> <1991Apr25.154002.4471@daffy.cs.wisc.edu>
Reply-To: blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Lines: 55

pochron@cat52.cs.wisc.edu (David Pochron) writes:
>In article <1991Apr24.214121.4631@javelin.sim.es.com> blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com writes:
>>pochron@cat52.cs.wisc.edu (David Pochron) writes:
>  It is trivial to get SetCPU to load the ROM image into
>16 bit fast memory instead of the 32 bit "super" fast memory.  There is no
>difference in speed when I run the OS out of 16 bit fast mem instead of the

How are you getting SetCPU to load KS into 16 bit RAM? 

>ROMs...Only 32 bit fast mem makes a difference.

You're mistaken here. There are two distinct things giving you the
speed up. First is the 32 bit wide memory. Second is the 80 nS RAM vs
the 250 nS ROM. When KS is in RAM you don't have the wait states the ROM
does. On the A3000 only the second consideration comes into play because
the ROMs are 32 bits wide.

>You could transfer that 512K image from ROM into RAM in less than a second.

.5 second, 2 seconds, it doesn't really matter to me when it
is only on power-up, because I only do that once a week or less.

>I don't know which 68030 card you have, but if it is the 2630 (like mine)

As I said before, it's called the "A3000", and I've been referring
specifically to the A3000 in this discussion. If the frozen version of
2.0 is released on floppy, I expect it will be only for the A3000, not
the 500 and 2000. (And possibly the A1000, depending on CBM's whims.)

>>>(And again, any disk-based version is bound to not be as up-to-date as the
>>>final ROM version will be.)

>>Why? So far disk-based 2.0 Kickstarts are FAR more current than the
>>antique KS ROM that bootstraps existing A3000's. Again, it comes down to

>Yes, "so far" are the key words - you must remember 2.0 is *not* officially
>out yet - those versions are strictly for testing only.  When 2.0 is finished,
>those disk-based updates will vanish.  Right now, they are only available
>because the OS is not finished, and Commodore can still make semi-major
>changes before everything is set in place.  To compare the 3000's bootstrap
>ROM's to the final 2.0 ROM's is not fair - it is NOT part of the OS.  Once KS
>is loaded nothing is used from the bootstraps.

But 2.0 IS officially released for the A3000. And there are no
"bootstrap" ROMs in the A3000, those are genuine Kickstart ROMs. A very
very early beta of 2.0, true, but it is Kickstart 2.000000 that is in
the ROM that bootstraps KS 2.02 from disk.

And have you forgotten the 2.02 Kickstart upgrade that CBM has already
made for all A3000 owners? That's a good indication that they might
provide the final 2.0x upgrade for A3000 owners on disk as well as ROM.
-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland  580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com                               BIX: blaine_g
DoD #46           My other motorcycle is a Quadracer.            FJ1200