Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Atari Memory Upgrades (was Re: SLM804 woes)
Message-ID: <13770@cup.portal.com>
Date: 21 Jan 89 03:19:20 GMT
References: <1497@psu-cs.UUCP> <11830026@hpldola.HP.COM>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 24

Dave Ritchie asks:
 
>Don't get me wrong... I really like my Atari (and that other computer
>I own that starts with a 'A'). But the marginal cost of upgradability
>for the capability gained - why was this done to begin with?  

I assume from your subsequent message that you meant to ask why this WASN'T
done to begin with...
 
I'm really sorry to have to say this, and if anyone else can think of any
other reasons for deliberately limiting the upgradability of a computer,
please, let me know...    as far as I can see, Atari has limited the
expandability of its computers in an effort to force you to buy a NEW
computer when you want to upgrade.  Thus they make a profit from you 
TWICE, and a much larger profit than they would from selling just one
computer and an upgrade board.

Wonderful for short term profit...  lousy for the long term outlook.
 
It would cost Atari Corp. close to  $0.00  to add the sockets necessary
to make the 520 expandable to 1 Meg, and the ST2 expandable to 4 Megs, but
then they would only sell you ONE computer, and make only ONE profit.
 
BobR