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by freqshow 2701 days ago
It wasn't unique to them. In the early 80's I worked at an OEM minicomputer company that now would be called a startup. (I don't recall the term existing then.) We built systems from DEC 8-bit processors and Control Data disk drives. The drives were 40MB, 80MB, and (I think; it's been a while) 150MB. We sold an entry-level system with a 20MB drive. It was a 40MB drive with a hardware switch to disable addressing half the platters. When the customers would pony up the proportionately significant fee for a "upgrade", the hardware guy would go in, make a show of disassembling and polishing things, and when no one was looking, flip the switch to enable addressing the entire drive.
1 comments

I heard of a Control Data mainframe that could be "upgraded" by cutting a single wire.