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From: kclenden@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Kevin Clendenien)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Unexpandable megas
Message-ID: <31738@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Date: 18 Dec 89 08:25:50 GMT
References: <8912120805.AA00886@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <1891@atari.UUCP> <25128@cup.portal.com>
Sender: root@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
Reply-To: kclenden@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Kevin Clendenien)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
Lines: 45

In article <25128@cup.portal.com> Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes:
>Ken... can you expand on this, and explain to everyone here on the Net just
>what those manufacturing constraints were... and why it is that only a
>very few Mega ST2s can't be upgraded...?
> 
>The information I've read seems to indicate that it definately WAS an effort
>on Atari's part to stop the easy upgrading of Megas.  Here's your chance to
>put that rumor to rest...

Come on Bobbie, lay off.  You're reading too many spy novels.  Why would
Atari only produce a few Megas that couldn't be expanded, if they wanted
to prevent people from upgrading?  Why not produce a lot of Megas that
couldn't be expanded?  There are plenty of plausible reasons why some Megas
were produced that couldn't be expanded, without it being a conspiracy by
Atari.  Maybe they started getting their MMU's from a different supplier,
and it turned out that the new MMU's were cheaper because they could
only handle 2M of memory.  As far as the whole memory debate goes, if 
Atari wanted to make the 520/1040/Mega line nonexpandable, so what.  They're
not holding a gun to your head making you buy the computer.  I don't ever
recall hearing Atari say that their computers could easily expand to use
more memory (at least not until the STE and TT were announced.)  Other
manufactures do much the same thing.  Oh, sure, you can expand their memory,
but why is it that Radio Shack computers need Radio Shack peripherals?
Why is it that Apple computers need Apple peripherals?  And why is it
that Apple and Radio Shack peripherals are always more expensive than
comparable Atari peripherals?  Every computer has its trade offs.  You
name any computer, and I'll tell you it's trade offs, compared to an
Atari ST.  I don't really mind your comments against Atari, though I don't
think this newsgroup is always the right place for your complaints.  What
I do mind is the way you always make it sound as if Atari personnel sit
up at night thinking of new ways to screw the public.  That's not what 
happens.  They work their butts off producing an affordable machine.
Maybe one day they will have enough stock to start really supporting
the USA...


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kclenden@silver.bacs.indiana.edu                          Kevin Clendenien
BLoomington Atari ST users group                          BLAST, President
BLAST BBS - (812) 332-0573                                FNET node #141

"Of course any opinions or views stated above do not necessarily represent
the official  position of any person,  or organization other that of Kevin
Clendenien."
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