Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!ncar!noao!asuvax!mcdphx!mcdchg!ddsw1!corpane!sparks
From: sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Kickstart Eliminator
Summary: EEproms
Message-ID: <358@corpane.UUCP>
Date: 20 Feb 89 15:36:59 GMT
References: <5948@leadsv.UUCP: <1372@agora.UUCP> <11074@s.ms.uky.edu> <402@lakesys.UUCP>
Organization: Corpane Industries, Inc., Louisville Ky
Lines: 35

In article <402@lakesys.UUCP>, mikes@lakesys.UUCP (Mike Shawaluk) writes:
> In article <2909@m2-net.UUCP> ba@m-net.UUCP (Bill Allen) writes:
> >
> >What I would like to see to combat the 2-disk-boot-1000 and
> >must-buy-new-1.3-ROM-500 is battery backed-up RAM.  KS is
> 
> Actually, the above SHOULD BE possible, and not even that difficult!  I can
> think of two variations on the theme; first of all, a static-RAM version of
> the WCS daughterboard in the 1000, with lithium cells.  That's easy enough,


It would be nice. how about using EEPROMS? no need for battery backup. 

You could have an amiga check if there was a Kickstart disk in the drive
when it's first powered up, if so, rewrite the EEPROM. of course
EEPROMS have a certain lifetime of re-writes. But it should be fine
for the occasional re-write to be compatable with older software and
the once a year of so update from commodore. 

I wonder why commodore didn't do that to begin with? adds a little cost
to the machine, but negligible compared to the $40 bucks a year to upgrade
to the new ROMS. 

Maybe that's why... they make more money by selling upgrades. They could
of course still charge you $40 bucks for the kickstart disk, but I guess
they would be afraid of too many people copying the disks. You can't easily
copy ROMS (not the average owner anyway).


make
-- 
John Sparks      // Amiga  |  {rutgers|uunet}!ukma!corpane!sparks 
               \X/  UUCP   |  >> call D.I.S.K. @ 502/968-5401 thru 5406 << 
 
If at first you don't succeed, you're doing about average.