From: BrianW@SoundS.WA.com (Brian Willoughby)
Subject: Re: NeXTdimension SIMM compatibility (was Re: Slab turbo Memory config)
Reply-To: BrianW@SoundS.WA.com
Organization: SoundSoftware, Bellevue, WA, USA
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 06:39:22 GMT

Nathan F. Janette writes
| BrianW@SoundS.WA.com (Brian Willoughby) writes:
| > [...] the FAQ.memory is a little confusing.
| >
| > In several places, 8MB and even 16MB SIMMs are mentioned
| > as compatible with the NeXTdimension.  This does not
| > agree with NeXTanswers hardware.620 which only lists
| > 4MB SIMM configurations (but I've found many bugs in
| > NeXTanswers :-( )
|
| Let's look at the relevant FAQ section:

Are you being condescending?

| 	*** Subject: R1. What type of memory may be installed in a NeXT?
| 
| 	NeXTdimension boards (i860):
| 
| 	These boards have 8 SIMM slots. SIMMs must be installed in
| 	groups of four on the NeXTdimension board.
| 
| 	Use 72-pin 1, 4, or 8 MB SIMMs with 80 ns or faster access
| 	time.  The SIMMs are organized 256Kx32 or 1Mx32 for
| 	non-parity systems, and 256Kx36 and 1Mx36 for parity.
| 
| The FAQ does not state that you can use 16 MB SIMMs.
               ^^^
Yes it does, but not in the section you quoted above.  Instead, look at the  
section of the FAQ which you later quoted and you will see two references to  
the NeXTdimension implying that 16 Mb SIMMs can be purchased for that system.

What confused me about the above section section is that three sizes of SIMMs  
were listed (1, 4, or 8 MB) but they were supposedly organized into only two  
configurations (256Kx32 or 1Mx32).  Since these two sentences don't correlate  
with each other, and since neither of them correlate with the section listing  
SIMM sources, I really didn't know what information to throw out and what to  
believe (at least not when it may cost me $500 to find out!)

As you can see below, the listings for both Stratum and Marco imply that anyone  
with $466 to $480 can purchase 16 Mb SIMMs for their NeXTdimension!  (from what  
I understand, they won't be happy though)

| *** Subject: R3. Where can I purchase memory for a NeXT?
| 
| Stratum Technologies
| 72 Pin SIMMs (for Turbos, NeXTstation Color, NeXTdimension, newer  
NeXTstations)
| 1x32-80ns	 4 Mb SIMM	N/A
| 1x32-70ns	 4 Mb SIMM	$101
| 2x32-80ns	 8 Mb SIMM	N/A
| 2x32-70ns	 8 Mb SIMM	$218
| 4x32-70ns	16 Mb SIMM	$466
| 
| Marco International
| 72 Pin SIMMs (for Turbos, NeXTstation Color, NeXTdimension)
| 1x32-80ns	 4 Mb SIMM	$118
| 1x32-70ns	 4 Mb SIMM	$118
| 2x32-80ns	 8 Mb SIMM	$220
| 2x32-70ns	 8 Mb SIMM	$220
| 4x36-70ns	16 Mb SIMM	$480

This group seems to pick on folks who don't read the FAQ (or who don't read it  
carefully) before posting.  But I would like to say that I picked over the FAQ  
with a fine-toothed comb and was not convinced that I had an authoritative  
answer to my questions, thus I felt that I needed to post my question.

Now I feel that the FAQ should be edited, even if all that is changed is to add  
a note after each 16 Mb SIMM line stating that these sizes are for Turbos and  
NeXTstation Colors only, NOT the NeXTdimension.  Also, it might help to mention  
that the 8 MB SIMMs for the NeXTdimension are organized as 2Mx32 or 2Mx36 (if  
that is indeed the case) so that folks can double-check the (often clueless)  
SIMM vendors.

I am sorry if this response seems harsh, but I would have preferred a direct  
answer to my question (along with a note that the FAQ would be clarified for  
the next distribution), INSTEAD of merely an excerpt from what I had already  
read.
-- 
Brian Willoughby	Software Design Engineer, BSEE NCSU
BrianW@SoundS.WA.com	Sound Signal Processing Software and Consulting
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