Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!dlyons
From: dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: New GS ROMs
Message-ID: <34083@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 17 Aug 89 23:12:57 GMT
References: <237@ualtamts.BITNET>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 62

In article <237@ualtamts.BITNET> userDBUG@ualtamts.BITNET (Dan Berry) writes:
>First off, with people referring to "ROM 3", I'm assuming that
>they actually mean "Version 2", as compared to versions 0..1.

Well, it Really Is called "ROM 03"...so that's what we really mean.  There
was too much confusion before with ROM 00 = ROM 1.0, and ROM 01 = ROM 2.0.

>Secondly, out of curiousity (really!), unless they drastically
>changed some key functions on the M.B., couldn't you simply make
>a duplication of the "ver2" ROMs and stick them into the older
>motherboards?

Does doubling the number of chips count as a drastic change? :-)
ROM 03 is 256K (00 and 01 were only 128K), and the ROM socket on
the old motherboards is limited to 128K.

>While I've gone and mentioned that, I might as well also explain
>my feelings on EPROM copying.  Personally, I feel that if a company
>(such as Apple) comes out with a machine (like the GS) and then
>later on upgrades it with new ROMs (as they just did), I should be
>entitled to have that upgrade for free based on the following:

It's pretty much a moot point in this case, but not everybody would
agree that you have a "right" to a free ROM upgrade.  A large amount
of work went into the ROM's development, and Apple owns it.

>1.  I paid a rather large sum for a machine that I assumed,
>at the time of purchase, to be worth the thousands of
>dollars that I invested into it.  If they upgrade it, then I
>feel that it's an admission by the said company that their
>machine wasn't the best even by their standards.

Oh, *fine*...shall I recommend to my superiors that we never
improve our products, because our customers will be annoyed
that they can't have the new ones for free?  :-)

Nothing is every *the best*.  It's only the best that could
be done in the available time, for a certain cost, etc.

>[...]
>Then again, I sold my GS just last week -- apparently just in
>time -- before they (Apple) announced another upgrade that cost an
>arm and a leg.

Apple didn't announce an upgrade.

>                 I'm not against the GS, but I really wish that
>they'd consult the general populus when they consider these things.

Do you want a free upgrade every time a product changes?
    [ ] Yes      [ ] No

Okay...now, what do I do with the results of this survey?

 --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc.          |   DAL Systems
   AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS      |   P.O. Box 875
   AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons   |   Cupertino, CA 95015-0875
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   My opinions are my own, not Apple's.