Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!sbcs!eeserv1.ic.sunysb.edu!dtiberio From: dtiberio@eeserv1.ic.sunysb.edu (David Tiberio) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc Subject: Re: Revised Amiga line Message-ID: <1991Apr29.165747.10393@sbcs.sunysb.edu> Date: 29 Apr 91 16:57:47 GMT References: <4702@orbit.cts.com> Sender: usenet@sbcs.sunysb.edu (Usenet poster) Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook Lines: 84 In article <4702@orbit.cts.com> chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Erik Funkenbusch) writes: >Well, i was doing some thinking (a not so common occurance nowadays :) and i >came up with some new ideas (or maybe not so new). These are my suggestions >for a new improved amiga line: Your ideas, as I will prove, are TERRIBLE! Who do you think you are, GOD? You can't just go and change everything! It costs MONEY! Well, actually I agree with you, but I like to see people put down great ideas all the time (like my Amiga 500 on an expansion card idea). > >1) An EXTREMELY low cost 500. this would be a totally re-designed 500 >motherboard with ECS, NO Zorro expansion, built-in scsi, and a Pizza box I agree with extremely low cost, but not necessarily with ECS. If ECS will keep the price the same, then go ahead and stick them in there! Built in SCSI should be standard on any new computers. I think Zorro could remain without hurting production costs, and I agree with a new case (I prefer a small tower case!). >(slab) design. my reasons for this are severalfold. MOST people who buy a >500 over a 2000 do so because "I don't want to expand, so why should i pay for >all those slots". This should be marketed as a no-expansion machine as a >feature, i.e. your not paying for something your not going to use. this is my All A500 expansion can also be done via CPU sockets. Such as ATonce IBM card, CI 8 meg ram card, CSA 68030, AdSpeed accelerator, Spirit SCSI/RAM, AMAX! II, AdIDE hard drive interface, etc. No one expected companies to use these types of expansion; I have a 40 meg drive and 4 megs ram without using my Zorro slot! >largest qualm with the Mac LC, the no-slot, no-expansion is downplayed to such >an extent that many people don't know that they can't expand it when they buy >it. but i drift, this machine could make heavy use of VLSI to reduce cost. >although the scsi controller would add to the cost, there being no expansion >would reduce cost more i would think making it a net cheaper cost to produce. IDE controllers seem to be a lot cheaper (I have seen them for $40 on clones). >2) A redesigned 2000. this would look more like a 3000, i.e. snazzier case >design, backplane expansion. however i think it could be designed such all of Unfortunately the slim-line case reduces the number of expansion slots and the 5.25 drive bay, but I could live with it! Too bad the a3000 doesn't have mouse ports in the front, though... >the costly parts of having an expandible architecture could be placed on the >backplane (i.e. busmaster, buffers, etc..) so that the machine could be sold >without the backplane at a substantially less cost, then people could purchase >the backplane when they were ready to expand. > >3) A trade-up offer for 500 slab machines to higher machines. so that >purchasing a low end machine doesn't mean you lose your investment. the >traded up machines could be re-furbished and leased out, sold at a lower cost, >or given to schools as a tax-break. A1000's can be bought for $150 through some mail-order houses. I think that the new Amiga 500 should replace all of the C64's that are still being sold! I agree with all of your ideas... I still think they should make an A500 on an expansion card, too! Imagine running an A2000 with a huge rendering and still have a free CPU without slowing down any work! >.--------------------------------------------------------------------------. >| UUCP: {amdahl!tcnet, crash}!orbit!pnet51!chucks | "I know he's come back | >| ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!chucks@nosc.mil | from the dead, but do | >| INET: chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org | you really think he's | >|-------------------------------------------------| moved back in?" | >| Amiga programmer at large, employment options | Lou Diamond Philips in | >| welcome, inquire within. | "The First Power". | >`--------------------------------------------------------------------------' -- David Tiberio SUNY Stony Brook 2-3481 AMIGA DDD-MEN Tomas Arce Any students from SUNY Oswego? Please let me know! :) Un ragazzo di Casalbordino, Italia.