vic@bobkat.UUCP (04/06/87)
Anybody know when the Amiga 500 will be released to the masses? Also, what will the basic system include, and how much will it cost? Vic
mike@ames.UUCP (04/06/87)
In article <838@bobkat.UUCP> vic@bobkat.UUCP (Vic Sohal) writes: > > Anybody know when the Amiga 500 will be released to the masses? > Also, what will the basic system include, and how much will it > cost? I understand that the Amy 500 is already in a few stores in Germany, and selling for 20% or more off list. Roomers have it that it'll find it's way over here by early June (Just in time for the 4th of July holiday season!!). The "suggested retail" (or "you'd be stoopid to buy it at this. . .") price is $650, but it'll probably be available at $595 (Gee, that's what my first C64 cost me!) 2 hours after it hits the shores. *** mike *** -- *** mike (powered by M&Ms) smithwick *** "Truth is no substitute for reality. . . "
dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon) (06/24/87)
I glanced at one today... Looks like a nice machine -Matt
oconnor@sunray.steinmetz (Dennis Oconnor) (06/25/87)
I bought an A500 Sunday, June 21. Nice unit. No bugs. Official
list for A500 & Monitor $1100; commonly sells for $995. Keyboard has
nice feel, seems to be good quality. Have run Sonix, Pagesetter,
Bard's Tale, Mirror, MicroGNUemacs, VT100, Triclops, Missile, Keyboard Cadet;
not extensively but no problems so far. Back of A500 box has lots of
color pictures of Amiga screens showing DIVERSE ( games, CAD, business )
COLORFUL applications. System unit is not inconveniently bulky.
Our local dealers all seem to have about 8 A500 boxes just stacked
in the showrooms, with monitor boxes nearby. Commodore isn't just shipping,
they are shipping volume. Now, I WANT MY A501 EXPANSION RAM ( rumor is they
are already available routinely in Connect-i-cut ( ROAD TRIP!? ) :-)).
I have seen the Future : it is the A500/A2000 ( "you hit 'em high,
I'll hit em low ..." ). The A500 IS cost-effective when compared even to
a bargain-basement PC-clone ( "... for only $300 more you get a color
monitor, better floppy, expandable to 8Meg, 68000 power, ... ). So, just
say YAHA ! ( Yet Another Happy Amigan )
--
Dennis O'Connor oconnor@sungoddess.steinmetz.UUCP ??
ARPA: OCONNORDM@ge-crd.arpa
"Everything { used_to_have | has | will_have } a niche, even my opinions."jmpiazza@sunybcs.uucp (Joseph M. Piazza) (06/26/87)
In article <6446@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP> oconnor@sunray.steinmetz.UUCP (Dennis O'Connor) writes: > > I bought an A500 Sunday, June 21. ... Let's see, that makes 110,243 Amiga users ... :-) >... Our local dealers all seem to have about 8 A500 boxes just stacked >in the showrooms, with monitor boxes nearby. Commodore isn't just shipping, >they are shipping volume. Now, I WANT MY A501 EXPANSION RAM ( rumor is they >are already available routinely in Connect-i-cut ( ROAD TRIP!? ) :-)). > Got some here in Buffalo's premier Amiga shop, Software Supermarket. I also picked up a copy of Facc. Aren't computer shops wonderful? Flip side, joe piazza --- Cogito ergo equus sum. CS Dept. SUNY at Buffalo 14260
spencer@eris.BERKELEY.EDU (Randy Spencer) (06/26/87)
That's what I have been trying to work out in my mind.
On the market we have :
The Mac
The PC-XT and AT and the PS series
The 520 and 1040 ST
and The Amiga
Then out comes the Amiga 500, I don't know about you, but this sounds to
me like a car race. I always wondered where Aegis ran that race car of
theirs.
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Randy Spencer P.O. Box 4542 Berkeley CA 94704 (415)284-4740
I N F I N I T Y BBS: (415)283-5469
Now working for |||||||||||::::... . . BUD-LINX
But in no way |||||||||||||||::::.. .. .
Officially representing ||||||||||||:::::... .. ....ucbvax!mica!spencer
s o f t w a r e spencer@mica.berkeley.edu
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) (07/01/87)
In article <8706240729.AA06151@cory.Berkeley.EDU> dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon) writes: > > I glanced at one today... Looks like a nice machine > > -Matt I'm suprised, it looks like they moved the 'ESC' key off of the main keyboard. Did Commodore actually change the keyboard layout to be closer to the brain-damaged AT keyboard? -- - Ralph W. Hyre, Jr. Internet: ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu Phone:(412)268-{2847,3275} CMU-{BUGS,DARK} Amateur Packet Radio: N3FGW@W2XO, or c/o W3VC, CMU Radio Club, Pittsburgh, PA
gary@mit-eddie.UUCP (07/07/87)
In article <1222@ius2.cs.cmu.edu> ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) writes: }I'm suprised, it looks like they moved the 'ESC' key off of the main keyboard. }Did Commodore actually change the keyboard layout to be closer to the }brain-damaged AT keyboard? Yes. The keyboard layout is very much like the AT since it is meant to be used in PeeCee emulation mode (on the 2000 at least). This means that they moved the ESC key (irk) and the cursor keys among other things. My opinion is that the position on the cursor keys on the 1000 is the best I've ever used, not too far from the main part of the keyboard and in a useful pattern. Gary
grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) (07/08/87)
In article <6257@eddie.MIT.EDU> gary@eddie.MIT.EDU (Gary Samad) writes: > In article <1222@ius2.cs.cmu.edu> ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) writes: > }I'm suprised, it looks like they moved the 'ESC' key off of the main keyboard. > }Did Commodore actually change the keyboard layout to be closer to the > }brain-damaged AT keyboard? > > Yes. The keyboard layout is very much like the AT since it is meant to > be used in PeeCee emulation mode (on the 2000 at least). This means that > they moved the ESC key (irk) and the cursor keys among other things. > My opinion is that the position on the cursor keys on the 1000 is the > best I've ever used, not too far from the main part of the keyboard and in > a useful pattern. No, ur ah maybe not... The keyboard layout was changed, but the main compatibility emphasis was on functional compatibility for terminal emulation. The layout is something of a compromise between the VT52, VT100 and VT240 layouts, trying to retain the good features and avoid the totally f**ked up features of each. The biggest change from the A1000 is that we added a full 5x4 numeric keypad so that keypad oriented editors and programs would function tranparently. We also changed the layout of the cursor keys. While the A1000 arrangement is compact and looks nice, there's no easy way you can position your hand to hit the down-arrow key when you'er whizzing around with a wisiwyg type editor. It was a secondary issue (at least on the A500) that this allowed a better mapping of the PC (yeech) keyboard functions. We also spread out the layout a tad, since we didn't have to make it fit in the A1000 "keyboard garage" and did need room for a PC board and connectors on the A500. I think the escape key moved up about a quarter inch, but is still in pretty much the same location. Perhaps not the optimal location, but there was this stupid `~ key that had to go somewhere. As one of the parties to the final compromise, I get to say "be glad you didn't get stuck with one of the other alternatives we were considering!" 8-) Some people, notably those with A1000's are less than thrilled with new layout. Others have been asking how to hook up the new keyboard to the A1000! It's not the kind of thing you can get everyone to agree about... -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
vanam@pttesac.UUCP (07/09/87)
In article <2071@cbmvax.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
...
+I get to say "be glad you didn't get stuck with one of
+the other alternatives we were considering!" 8-)
+
+Some people, notably those with A1000's are less than thrilled with new
+layout. Others have been asking how to hook up the new keyboard to the
+A1000! It's not the kind of thing you can get everyone to agree about...
How about leaving the f***ing thing (pardon my french) *one*
way and sticking with it, or:
Giving us a keyboard with holes and a bunch of keys we can put
where we want. I'm talking about a:
*KEYBOARD CONSTRUCTION SET*
I'll take 1% of the royalties. Thank you.
Marnix
---
--
Marnix (ain't unix!) A. van\ Ammers Work: (415) 545-8334
Home: (707) 644-9781 CEO: MAVANAMMERS:UNIX
UUCP: {ihnp4|ptsfa}!pttesac!vanam CIS: 70027,70
** So what ?hah@isum.intel.com (Hans Hansen) (07/10/87)
In article <460@pttesac.UUCP> vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) writes: >In article <2071@cbmvax.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes: >... >+I get to say "be glad you didn't get stuck with one of >+the other alternatives we were considering!" 8-) >+ >+Some people, notably those with A1000's are less than thrilled with new >+layout. Others have been asking how to hook up the new keyboard to the >+A1000! It's not the kind of thing you can get everyone to agree about... > >How about leaving the f***ing thing (pardon my french) *one* >way and sticking with it, or: > My second suggestion to Bill Kolb, Director of HW Engineering, was to scrap the current A1000 keyboard for one that was VT100 compatable. My reasoning was that to really get into the business world the A1000 would at times be called on to act as a terminal and the VT100 is one of the most popular in the business world. I was shot down in January 1985 but in November as I was wrapping up I again press Bill for VT100 compatibality for the "next" generation Amigas. I am glad that others at Commodore felt the same. Hans
grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) (07/12/87)
In article <460@pttesac.UUCP> vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) writes: > In article <2071@cbmvax.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes: > ... > +Some people, notably those with A1000's are less than thrilled with new > +layout. Others have been asking how to hook up the new keyboard to the > +A1000! It's not the kind of thing you can get everyone to agree about... > > How about leaving the f***ing thing (pardon my french) *one* > way and sticking with it, or: Why? Was the original perfect? Things have changed since the A1000 and will change more in the future. Our duty is to try to maintain as much compatibility as we can, and to try not to screw up too badly. > Giving us a keyboard with holes and a bunch of keys we can put > where we want. I'm talking about a: > > *KEYBOARD CONSTRUCTION SET* > > I'll take 1% of the royalties. Thank you. Well, believe it ot not, we tried to do this, at least for the European keyboards. Ship a standard keyboard to everyone, and a nice little plastic bag of keytops so the user could customize the keyboard for their locale. Unfortunatly, the sales types were less impressed with this idea than engineering was. -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
phils@tekigm2.TEK.COM (Philip E Staub) (07/13/87)
In article <2097@cbmvax.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
[ deleted description of a "Keyboard Construction Set" ]
: Well, believe it ot not, we tried to do this, at least for the
: European keyboards. Ship a standard keyboard to everyone, and
: a nice little plastic bag of keytops so the user could customize
: the keyboard for their locale.
:--
I'd settle for replacement 'd', 'f', 'j', and 'k' keytops, with "dots" on
the 'j' and 'f', and *no* dots on the 'd' and 'k'. 8-)
Phil
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phil Staub tektronix!tekigm2!phils (206) 253-5634
Tektronix, Inc., ISI Engineering
P.O.Box 3500, M/S C1-904, Vancouver, Washington 98668grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) (07/15/87)
In article <1934@tekigm2.TEK.COM> phils@tekigm2.UUCP (Philip E Staub) writes: > In article <2097@cbmvax.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes: > [ deleted description of a "Keyboard Construction Set" ] > : Well, believe it ot not, we tried to do this, at least for the > : European keyboards. Ship a standard keyboard to everyone, and > : a nice little plastic bag of keytops so the user could customize > : the keyboard for their locale. > :-- > > I'd settle for replacement 'd', 'f', 'j', and 'k' keytops, with "dots" on > the 'j' and 'f', and *no* dots on the 'd' and 'k'. 8-) The A500/A2000 keyboards will have a different radius on the f and j keytops rather than the little nibs on the A1000 keybard. Actually, it is something of a mystery why some A1000's were manufactured with the nibs on the d and k keytops, while other have them on f and j. There doesn't seem to have been any specific instruction to change them, and apparently noone noticed the difference before they were shipped. Maybe someone at the keyboard factory had a bad monday and mixed up the molds or something. -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
11TSTARK@GALLUA.BITNET (10/14/87)
Hello, I plan to buy Amiga 500 next year. It is very great!!! I love it much. ;-) Does anyone know which online service which serve amiga softwares,etcc.... for library.. I heard that Quantumlink have Amiga library but you need C64/C128 to download softwares then transfer to Amiga. :-( Does anyone hear that Hack and Larn have colorful screens?? I am looking for Amiga Rogue but I cannot find it. :-( Which C language is best for Amiga??? Lattice C? Manx C? I am new to Amiga series and newsgroups thanks! -- Tim Stark BitNet: 11TSTARK@GALLUA.BITNET UUCP: ...!psuvax1!gallua.bitnet!11tstark Inet: 11TSTARK%GALLUA.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
schein@cbmvax.UUCP (Dan Schein CATS) (10/15/87)
In article <8710141704.AA28745@jade.berkeley.edu> 11TSTARK@GALLUA.BITNET writes: >Hello, > > I plan to buy Amiga 500 next year. It is very great!!! I love it much. >;-) >Does anyone know which online service which serve amiga softwares,etcc.... >for library.. I heard that Quantumlink have Amiga library but you need >C64/C128 to download softwares then transfer to Amiga. :-( Does anyone > >-- Tim Stark > Almost all of the big commercial database services either have a special area just for the AMIGA or carry it under a gerneral COMMODORE banner. The ones that come to mind quick are, People Link (Plink), GEnie, Delphi, BIX, and Comp-U-Serv. Q-Link is the only one that I know of where you have to access with a 64 or 128 and then transfer to Amiga later. -- Dan Schein uucp: {ihnp4|rutgers}!cbmvax!schein Commodore Business Machines or: {allegra|burdvax}!cbmvax!schein 1200 Wilson Drive Bix: dschein Plink: cbmtelecom West Chester PA 19380 phone: (215) 431-9100 ext. 9542 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ All spelling mistakes are a result of my efforts to avoid education :-) +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Those who worked the hardest are the last to surrender -- Gary Ward
slackey@bbn.com (Stan Lackey) (02/08/89)
Recently I have noticed the small computer chains selling Amiga 500's for like $600 or so. I am considering upgrading from my toy computer. My questions are: Is this a good deal? What are the differences between the 500, 1000, 2000? Probably memory size [which is easy to fix], but what else? What do these differences imply about software availability/compatibility? Is 500 inventory just being dumped perhaps because of obsolescence? -Stan
quantum@pro-exchange.cts.com (Mike Solomon) (02/02/90)
In-Reply-To: message from cp@UKC.AC.UK (Chris) Hello, I have an Amiga 500. And I would like to know if anyone knpows of a good Mail-Order company, where I can get On-Line! Platinum. Please E-Mail me if you do! Thanks! UUCP: crash!pro-exchange!quantum ARPA: crash!pro-exchange!quantum@nosc.mil INET: quantum@pro-exchange.cts.com
GINGRICH-T@osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Tyler S. Gingrich) (06/06/90)
I have a friend who is interested in purchasing an Amiga 500 ($799 w/ educational discount (2FD, 1084? monitor, 1Mb Ram). He asked me a few questions which I would like to pass on to the Amiga experts on the Net. (I am a PC, Mac, Atari ST, Unix person). 1) Is this price $799 a good deal? (subjectively) 2) What does a reasonable HDD cost (20-40Mb open market or edu discount)? 3) What is the resolution & color palette of the 500 w/1084 monitor? 4) How expandable is it? (How many HDD (SCSI??), How much RAM?) 5) What type of printers will it support? (Centronics Parallel?) 6) What type of printer would you suggest, if it doesn't support Industry standard printers? Cost is more significant than performance. Thanks Tyler Disclaimer: The Ohio State University doesn't know (or care) about my opinions and neither should you!
n350bq@tamuts.tamu.edu (Duane Fields) (07/31/90)
I am sure this is shadowed by all the 2000 ads, but not everyone need (or can
afford) a 2000 or 3000. I have for sale a complete Amiga 500 system with 2
drives, a 1084S monitor, a Supra 2400 baud modem, a Star SG-10 printer, flicker
master (the plexi-glass screen cover), one-meg of ram, and a bunch of asstd
software including star-flight, Video-scape 3d 2.0 w/ Modler 3-d, Sim-city, etc.
Willl throw in joysticks, printer paper, mouse-pad etc. This is a COMPLETE
system!
You can leave me mail or call: 409-847-3484 nights -or-
409-845-8520 days (work)
Will take best offer!
Duane Fieldscutchin@b11.ingr.com (Steve Cutchin) (11/15/90)
To the individual who shipped me the computer from San Diego. Could you please contact me by email or phone as it appears we have unfinished business to take care of. -- Steve Cutchin b29!blamoure!steve@ingr.com 1-(205)-730-6625 (work) 1-(205)-895-9462 (home)