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From: perry@well.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: A2000 speculation
Message-ID: <2579@well.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Feb-87 12:43:42 EST
Article-I.D.: well.2579
Posted: Fri Feb 13 12:43:42 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Feb-87 15:44:39 EST
References: <656@rayssd.RAY.COM>
Lines: 50
Keywords: Good move, CBM!
Summary: New Developments For A1000? You bet!

In article <656@rayssd.RAY.COM>, jxc@rayssd.RAY.COM (Jeffrey J. Clesius) writes:
>    Let me first say that it's nice to see the Amiga done the way it should
> have been done in the first place:  expansion slots (out the wazoo!),

The 2000 IS a good, stable, competent design worthy of respect.

> A BIG negative:
> 
>    Hope you like the hardware that's out there for the 1000 now, 'cause you
> won't see many new developments.  (I welcome your comments on this one,
> Perry.)  Face it, what incentives exist to develop expansion hardware
> for a static architecture?  The developments will be primarily for the
> expandable 2000; the 500 will be aimed at the 520ST market, the 1000 at the

True and Not True. For example, ASDG has a commitment to provide its
existing customers with an above-amiga mounting four or more slot rack.
We owe them this since we offer a full buy back on their Mini-Rack-C's
and D's. We've been giving this a lot of thought.

To produce a four slot old Zorro box would be pointless for reasons which
are obvious. So...how do we satisfy our commitments while also satisfying
the consumer's (and the company's) future needs?

We think we have a way. What about an above-amiga (1000) box incorporating
two existing Zorro slots (so all ASDG customers and owners of other mfr's
Zorro boards can simply insert their old boards into the new box) and a full
A2000 bus as well so that all A1000 owners can enjoy the fruits of A2000
development? Plus space and power for drives etc.

So far we think that everyone will be satisfied by the above arrangement.
It also represents an opportunity for our expertise in building racks to
work for us instead of against us (higher quality equaled higher cost
in the mini-rack's so people who were unsure of whether they should 
go Zorro or sots went with sots). Our guess is that buyers of a 
combination box such as I mentioned have already demonstrated their 
seriousness for quality expansion by buying full Zorro spec products. Thus, 
they'd see and appreciate the quality of box we build and might be more apt 
to look past small differences in cost between ours and whoever else makes a 
similar product.
What do you think?

As far as board development itself goes. Our 8M for the A1000 is nearing
full production time. Our disk controller will appear in both form factors
as well. But it is true that once our A1000-2000 box is out, we'll be more
comfortable about doing future designs in the 2000 format first. As it is
the 2M and 8M are almost ready to go in the 2000 anyway.

>    |  Jeffrey Jay Clesius,  Raytheon Submarine Signal Division    |

Perry