FAQ

This FAQ is intended to answer questions which I receive on a regular basis as well as to provide information on submissions and related topics. The questions appear in no particular order.

1. Do you have any information/jumper settings/pictures of/ <insert hardware here>?
Probably not. If it isn't on the site, then Im unlikely to have it.

2. I have a problem with <insert hardware here>, can you help me?
I run this site because I have an interest in the Amiga platform and because at the time I set this site up there wasn't anything similar, certainly not on this scale, anyway. I am not a hardware guru or an electronics expert. Sure, E-Mail me with your problem, but please understand, I may not be able to solve it.

3. I have seen <insert hardware here> on your site, do you know where I can buy one?
Much of the hardware listed on the site is no longer in production and cannot be purchased brand new. There are good secondhand Amiga buy and sell sites such as Amibench where you may be able to purchase what you're looking for. It's also worth trying an online aucton site such as EBay. Many items are also extremely rare and you are unlikely to see them for sale at all. In short, check the links page for links to Amiga hardware suppliers.

4. I have lots of large pictures/files I would like to submit. Can your mailbox handle it?
I have received submissions of up to 5MB, so unless you're planning on sending a few 100MBs, then yes.

5. Im looking for a particular cable or would like to make one, do you know how to do it?
No. Look at the links page for the site called the Hardware book. It contains lots of information on cables and connectors. Also, trying asking in the relevant newsgroups.

6. Why don't you have any information on <insert hardware here>?
Because I don't. I either haven't found the information myself, haven't gone lookng for it, or it hasn't been submitted. Feel free to help out.

7. I've sent you some information/pictures, why haven't I got a reply?
I normally update the site when I have the free time. Updates are done by hand and can take 5 hours or more, whilst managing 1200 html and picture files. I usually only reply to E-Mails once the information has been added to the site to help keep track of whats been added and what is pending. Please be patient, you will get a reply.

8. I've sent you some information/pictures, why haven't they been added?
See answer to Q7.

9. Can I use some infromation/pictures from your site?
Sure, I don't mind you using anything from my site. That's what it's there for. Please be aware however that much of the information and pictures have been submitted by readers, they may have there own view on what it can be used for.

10. I would like to setup a mirror, is that OK?
Sure, there have been a few mirrors setup already. If you would like to setup a mirror then you will need the following requirements.
1. You must have at least 30MB of space and at least another 20MB for expansion (50MB total)
2. Preferably you should be able to use CGI (perl) however this is not critical
3. You must be willing to update the site whenever you can and translate the pages into your native language
4. Please CONTACT ME before you setup the mirror so we can make appropriate arrangements.

11. Im getting back into using the Amiga after several years using a PC/Mac, what setup do you recommend?
Please, I don't have the time to reply to these E-Mails again and again. You could write a small book or even setup a website on it, to answer it fully. If you're serious, you're better off joining a newsgroup where you will get continuing good help, advice and opinions, or better still, decide what you would like to do with your Amiga and research what options are available to you on this site. Most of the hardware can be bought new, or used.

12. Can I link to your site?
Yes of course. However I ask that you do not link to sub-pages. Feel free to also use one of the banners.

13. Can you E-Mail me a copy of the site?
No. The site contains over 30Mb of files with enough space for 200MB. If you want a copy of the site, use a web-whacker.

14. Why don't you put the date of manufacture or the date the hardware was discontinued?
Because this information is not easy to find, usually inaccurate and often varies from country to country. Approximately 90% of hardware on this site is out of production anyway.

15. Why dont you arrange your site by connection types, e.g. Zorro, PCMCIA, Serial Port etc (or any other style)?
I don't have the time or the space on the site to rearrange 1200 files. I do not have access to a database server or any similar such service to allow automatic generation. A search engine is provided which should allow you to find what you're looking for.

16. The information is incorrect for the <insert hardware here>, why?
I will not be expected to know everything about all 780+ pieces of hardware on this site. If it's incorrect, feel free to send me the corrections

17. What do you get for doing this site?
I get NO MONEY, NO SPECIAL FAVOURS, NO FREE GIFTS. I do not do this site for personal gain, other than as an information service for users of the platform I love. Infact I have invested hundreds of man hours and personal expense in maintaining this site.

18. I've done a search for something that is supposed to be on your site, but can't find it, why?
First of all make sure it's typed correctly. Secondly, the search engine only matches on full words, not partial matches. Lastly, the site is only spidered every Monday and therefore any updates will only appear to the search engine once it has been spidered. This is to limit the amount of bandwidth usage.

19. I have some pictures that I would like to send you, but they are in XXXXX format, can you handle them?
I can pretty much handle just about any image format you throw at me :) However all images will be converted to a format more suitable for the web (if possible), this will generally be JPEGs or GIFs.

20. I would like to submit information on a particular piece of hardware, what sort of things are you looking for?
The most important things I'm interested in are the Specifications, Configuration options (including jumpers etc), any incompatibilities or special considerations, aswell as the manufacturers name and the name of the product. Installation procedures are not so important unless they differ from the norm or special care needs to be taken. For example, installing say a Network card is not really any different to installing an IO card, its just a matter of pushing the card into a Zorro slot.