![\"Commodore](\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20251008_135516112-scaled.jpg\")
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- Manufacturer<\/strong>: Commodore<\/li>\n
- Released<\/strong>: Oct. 1987<\/li>\n
- Type<\/strong>: Personal Computer<\/li>\n
- Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $699 (CAD ~$2,200 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n
- MIPS<\/strong>: 0.73 (730 KIPS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/h3>\n
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- Processor<\/strong>: please list the important hardware specs in point form. Also include its weight.<\/li>\n
- Memory<\/strong>: 512 KB chip RAM standard, expandable to 1 MB (A500+ models up to 2 MB chip RAM).<\/li>\n
- Graphics<\/strong>: Original Chip Set (OCS), up to 4096 colors (12-bit palette), maximum resolutions up to 640\u00d7512 (PAL) or 640\u00d7400 (NTSC); supports advanced modes like Extra HalfBrite and Hold-And-Modify (HAM) for up to 4096 colors on screen.<\/li>\n
- Sound<\/strong>: 4-channel, 8-bit stereo PCM audio, up to 28 kHz sample rate.<\/li>\n
- Storage<\/strong>: Built-in 3.5″ double-density floppy disk drive (880 KB standard Amiga format).<\/li>\n
- Operating System<\/strong>: AmigaOS 1.2 or 1.3 (upgradeable with more RAM).<\/li>\n
- Expansion<\/strong>: Trapdoor slot for RAM\/RTC expansion, side expansion slot for peripherals (hard drives, memory, CPU upgrades).<\/li>\n
- Ports<\/strong>: Two DE9 joystick\/mouse ports, RS-232 serial port, Centronics parallel port, analog RGB video out, RF modulator (TV out), stereo RCA audio out.<\/li>\n
- Keyboard<\/strong>: Integrated, 94 or 96 keys with numeric keypad.<\/li>\n
- Weight<\/strong>: Approximately 3.1 kg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Operating System & Programming Languages<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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- Operating System<\/strong>: The Amiga 500 ran AmigaOS, a proprietary, preemptive multitasking operating system developed by Commodore International. AmigaOS consisted of two main components: Kickstart (firmware in ROM) and Workbench (the graphical desktop environment), with versions 1.2 and 1.3 being standard for the A500.<\/li>\n
- Programming Languages<\/strong>:\n
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- Assembly Language (68k\/68000 Assembly) was widely used for games and demos due to its speed and direct hardware access.<\/li>\n
- C (various compilers including Aztec C, Lattice C, DICE C, SAS\/C, VBCC, and GCC) was commonly used for utilities, applications, and some games.<\/li>\n
- BASIC Dialects: AmigaBASIC (by Microsoft), ABasic, GFA BASIC, HiSoft Basic, AMOS BASIC, Blitz BASIC.<\/li>\n
- Pascal: Amiga Pascal, Kick-Pascal, High Speed Pascal, Free Pascal.<\/li>\n
- Other Languages: Forth (JForth), FORTRAN, Logo, Oberon, Perl, Ruby, Amiga E, Python (AmigaPython), ARexx (Amiga\u2019s own scripting language), Scheme, Modula-2, C++, Java (JAmiga), Draco, ML, and more.<\/li>\n
- Scripting: ARexx was built-in for scripting and automation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Notables<\/h3>\n
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- The Amiga 500\u2019s custom chips: Agnus, Denise, and Paula were given female names to disguise their functions and thwart industrial espionage, and its codename during development was \u201cRock Lobster,\u201d a nod to the B-52\u2019s song.<\/li>\n
- Its graphics and sound capabilities were so advanced that it was used in TV production and video effects for shows like Clarissa Explains It All and Unsolved Mysteries.<\/li>\n
- The A500 redefined the home computer market, making multitasking and color graphics standard features before Microsoft or Apple did.<\/li>\n
- It was Commodore\u2019s best-selling Amiga model and outsold its main rival, the Atari ST, especially in Europe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Media<\/h3>\n
A notable TV ad, the \u201cCartoon Classics\u201d commercial, captured the excitement of the era and is fondly remembered by retro fans<\/p>\n
- Programming Languages<\/strong>:\n
- Memory<\/strong>: 512 KB chip RAM standard, expandable to 1 MB (A500+ models up to 2 MB chip RAM).<\/li>\n
- Released<\/strong>: Oct. 1987<\/li>\n