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From: grr@cbmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: A1000 -> A2000 expansion box?
Message-ID: <1549@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Mar-87 05:06:18 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1549
Posted: Fri Mar 13 05:06:18 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Mar-87 10:59:06 EST
References: <17641@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <186@dcatla.UUCP>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 40
Keywords: A1000

In article <186@dcatla.UUCP> dngcb@dcatla.UUCP (Gregory C. Byrd) writes:
>Now, my question and concern here is exactly what is Commodore's committment
>to A1000 support and upgrades?  Byte says that production of the A1000 will
>be halted, but that Commodore is committed to providing support.  How about
>compatibility as well?

The fact that the A500 and A2000 both run the same Kickstart image that was
frozen before their design was even finalized says quite a bit in favor of
internal hardware/software compatibility.  This makes a good starting point
for everyone, Commodore included, to maintain both upward and downward
compatibility.

As far as software upgrades, whatever we can cram in the new ROMS will fit
just as well in A1000 kickstart tower, workbench follows automatically.
Applications software will find it difficult to guess which machine it's
running in, which is probably a good thing since software should be feature
sensitive, not model sensitive.

Hardware upgrades are a bit murky.  A2000 products will be expansion board
oriented, but if third parties are serious about A2000 form-factor expansion
boxes for the A1000, this is less of an issue.

Actual A1000 upgrades are an open item.  Commodore will make what people will
buy in quantity.  If we do something for the A500 or A2000 that 15-30% of
A1000 owners will buy, then I would expect us to seriously consider an A1000
version of some sort.

Commodore has also been willing to license designs to third parties where
we don't see fit to produce things ourselves.  Much of the Byte-by-Byte
product line is based directly on Commodore/Amiga prototype design work.

A1000 production is "halted" because Commodore makes things in *BIG* batches.
We made enough A1000's that they should last until A500/A2000 production get
going.  Whether it gets restarted depends on continuing demand for A1000's
past that point.  If we really made the A500/A2000 price/feature split
correctly, then the "compromise" A1000 design has run it's marketing course.
-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)