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From: paulg@tplrd.tpl.oz.au (Paul Gittings)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Amiga 500, ECS, Chip Ram and 2.0
Message-ID: <1991May2.004708.15705@tplrd.tpl.oz.au>
Date: 2 May 91 00:47:08 GMT
Sender: paulg@tplrd.tpl.oz.au (Paul Gittings)
Organization: Telectronics Pacing Systems
Lines: 35

With all the new hardware and OS that are out or coming RSN, I'm getting
a tad confused.  The following points are statements that I take to be
TRUE,  could somebody take the time to check them out and tell me if I'm 
right or wrong.  If I'm wrong could you please tell me what is correct.
NOTE: I don't expect anybody to break any non-disclosure agreements.

1)  A500's produced prior to the release of the ECS can be upgraded (see 2) 
    to use the ECS (both Agnus and Denise).
2)  Commodore only "approves" the use of 512K Chip RAM in the A500 even
    if the ECS is installed.  Yes, there are modifications that can be made 
    to get 1MEG chip RAM but Commodore does not support or approve of such 
    modification.
3)  AmigaDOS 2.0 is not yet generally available.
4)  When AmigaDOS 2.0 is generally available it will run on an A500 but will
    require a 2.0 KickStart ROM.
5)  The 2.0 KickStart ROM will be bigger than previous (memory size not
    physical size) KickStart ROMs but will still work in an unmodified
    A500.
6)  AmigaDOS 2.0 does not require the ECS.

    
OPINION: It is my feeling that Commodore will be using the Chip memory
         to differentiate between the different models. i.e.
             A500  - .5MEG
             A2000 -  1MEG  (but there is a 3rd party product to get 2MEG)
             A3000 -  2MEG                             
Cheers,
Paul Gittings - Telectronics Pacing Systems - Lane Cove, NSW 2066, Australia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    _                | paulg@tplrd.tpl.oz.au      | What's a Welsh/Canadian
 _ // Amiga users    | (02) 413-6963 (voice: work)| doing in Oz? Looking for
 \X/ make it happen  | (02) 413-6868 (fax)        | the Wizard of course!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No matter how much I beg, Telectronics will not allow me to express any
opinions on its behalf.