🚀 go-pugleaf

: 	I'm thinking of getting an A500 to use as a 'net terminal, but 
: don't know anything about this funky li'l gem from Commodore. Reading the 
: posts, I am confused (and a wee bit frightened) by the variety of chips 
: (ROM, Denise, and Haggis (or whatever it's called)), a curious thing 
: called KickStart and everything else. Basically ,what should I look for 
: when getting an A500 system?

**warning from my memory** (some one do a fix if i screw it up)

Rom - read only memory, basically funcky RAM that lives if you loose power.

kickstart - versions 1.3,2.0,3.0 (corresponds with workbench versions)
	    makes the disk drive go clikidy click to load a disk in drive.

workbench - a point and click icon system, with lots of nice tricks, Very 
		Easy to use.

the chips come in pairs

___ and ____ 				old chip set - OCS 
denise and agnus ('super agnus')        enhaced chip set - ECS
?Buster? and ____			                 - AGA

	(oh well i used to know 'em)

if u haven't seen a '500 it's a keyboard unit with a disk drive in it 
(and some ventilation) above the fkeys, a hard disk/cd rom can attach on the 
QAZ lettered side and all the joystick, mouse, parrallel, serial, extra 
disk drive, and sound ports are in the back (think i got 'em all) - 
basically a whole computer in a (larger than normall) keyboard. similar 
units include A1000, A1200

what u should look for - depdend exactly what u want to do

 - AGA/ECS chip set (OCS might do it for u though)
 - if i were buying a computer i'd go 4 megs ram - but your buying it so 
go mid range
 - lots of them used out there if money's a prob - you can get nice 
'surpises' in them from the old owners' upgrades.
 - you'll probably want a hard drive.

	sorry i can't remember everything right now
	 and also for writing like you don't have a clue
	  but my minds all mushy and soft right at the moment
	   hope i'm ov some help.
                     ^
		     |		jeff sadler 
                     |
                     |- pronouned 'uv' 

ps- some one fix any messups PLEASE. i have a nagging fealing that 
    there's some.

   *** jeff sadler ** jsadler@uoguelph.ca ** A2000/ECS/1mb/ Mb **** 
	
      	         *** i am not a amiga tech just a user ***
	       *** take all advise with a grain of salt ***
	  	   *** watch your daily salt intake ***