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From: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: upgrades and standards, this time without the flames
Message-ID: <2773@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Nov-87 03:32:08 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.2773
Posted: Sun Nov 15 03:32:08 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Nov-87 03:49:43 EST
References: <5634@jade.BERKELEY.EDU> <2639@cbmvax.UUCP> <1014@cadnetix.UUCP>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 36

In article <1014@cadnetix.UUCP> childs@cadnetix.UUCP (David Childs) writes:
> 
> In other words:
>      "If this is true, why does the Amiga 500 have a side connector?"
> 
> Look, I don't really mind.  I would much rather have SOTS than no SOTS.  It
> just seems like you didn't prevent the same problem from happening with the
> A500 as with the A1000.  I already have, a SupraDrive and a Megaboard 2,
> so where am I going to put my Magic Sac when it is available?

Because we wanted to have some kind of expansion capability and thought it
would be a nice thing if we made it as compatible with the A1000 as we could,
given the constraints of the A500 packaging.

What makes this different so that we avoid the SOTS problem that developed
with the A1000?  First, we've included provision for some memory expansion
to the you don't absolutly need to rush out and get an external memory
expansion device.  Second we've said a lot of nasty things about daisy-
chains and vendors have had their own share of grief trying to get different
combinations to work together on the A1000.

I think the ideal A500 expansion will take one of two forms, either a "shoebox"
that plugs into the left side of the system and contains a 3.5" hard drive and
a bit of memory, or a small A2000 compatible expansion chassies that sits
underneath the keyboard.  The idea is one box that handles most people's needs,
perhaps with internal options.

Since I don't have my rose tinted glasses on at this time of night, I'll admit
that I still expect to see a bunch of off-the-wall A500 expansion devices, but
what can we do?  Hopefully many of the people that create a demand for multiple
expansion will see the A2000 as the best way to fulfill their desires.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: out to lunch...
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)