Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!daveh
From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Death of the 1000
Message-ID: <5574@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: 23 Dec 88 17:53:57 GMT
References: <6084@louie.udel.EDU>
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 42

in article <6084@louie.udel.EDU>, ewilts%Janus.MRC.AdhocNet.CA%UNCAEDU.BITNET@CORNELLC.CIT.CORNELL.EDU (Ed Wilts - CandianOxy) says:

> Dave Haynie writes:
>>And you could probably sell this "1200" machine for maybe $100 or even
>>$200 less than an A2000, retail.  All you're cutting out, it would
>>seem, is the cost of a few edge connectors and a little case area.

> You're making the assumption that the "few edge connectors and a little case
> area" are inexpensive.  

Considering I have to cost these things out when I design a machine like the
A2000, or this "1200" machine, I have a pretty good idea what I'm talking 
about.  

> The difference between a 500 and a 2000 is just these same "few edge 
> connectors and a little case area" and a different power supply.

The proposed "1200" drops 7 of the 14 edge connectors, and maybe 10% of
the PCB space (some will have to be wasted probably, since the physical
size of the box is going to be dictated by the space necessary for connectors
on the periphery of the board, plus the Amiga slots).

The A500 cost reductions are much greater.  The power supply is 35 Watts vs. 
200 Watts, there are NO edge connectors, the keyboard's built-in, and 
a cheaper design.  Since there are no slots, the PCB board can be physically
MUCH smaller (close to 1/2 the size), the case can be much cheaper, and it's
also much less expensive to manufacture the whole thing.  The A500's also
a smaller profit margin product.

> Now perhaps you can understand why some users have a hard time trying to 
> justify "upgrading" from a 1000 to a 2000.

Hey, the choice is yours.  If the A1000 is all you need, don't buy an A2000.
My A2000 here has one free slot; I couldn't possibly add all this stuff to
an A1000 without something like a 2000-n-1 box.  That would end up costing
me more that the 2000 system anyway.  

>         .../Ed (still a 1000 owner)
-- 
Dave Haynie  "The 32 Bit Guy"     Commodore-Amiga  "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: D-DAVE H     BIX: hazy
              Amiga -- It's not just a job, it's an obsession