[comp.sys.atari.st] 128K limitation of Spectre

mjv@brownvm.brown.edu (Marshall Vale) (02/28/91)

In article <62988@bbn.BBN.COM> aking@bbn.com (Allen King) writes:
> What current MAC hardware has 256K ROMS? 

 Everything since the SE has 256K or larger roms. However, what is in those
roms varies between computers. Both the SE and MacII(original) have 256K
roms but the MacII roms have color quickdraw, nubus and lots of other 
stuff.
Its the same between the 1040STe and MegaSTe (assuming the MegaSTe has 256k
roms like the 1040STe). They may have the same rom size space but the
MegaSTe has extra code for the enhanced desktop and other hardware support.

> Which does the Mac IIfx have?

 I believe all Macs introduced since the MacIIci have 512K (which includes
the fx) roms.

> What kind of software breaks now without 256K ROMS?

 Nothing really. I mean if it requires color, it won't work, but the
old 128K Mac Plus roms are sort of the minimum compatability that most
every program adheres to.

> What do people guess about the future?

 I doubt that Dave Small will try to get the MacII roms running since it
would take LOTS of time (he only has one life :-) , the roms are very
hard to get (you basically need to buy a dead MacII) , and it would 
probably
cost a fortune which Atari users wouldn't pay since a real MacII wouldn't
be that far away. 128K Mac Plus roms will probably be as far as it goes.

Marshall

 *******************************************************************
-> Internet: mjv@brownvm.brown.edu
"He had found the perfect TV mix, on Marvin's Hour of Power.
 (The show that put the FUN back into fundamentalist)."
   -- Neil Gaiman; Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of 
     Agnes Nutter, Witch

carter@cat27.cs.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) (02/28/91)

Well as far as being a limitation I don't know, I think it is more of
a technical/hardware limitation of the ST.

Not only that, there isn't much in the 256K ROMS except, Digitized pictures
of the Apple development team (I am not kidding), and added support for
NuBUS protocol and other things.

--Gregory

jcav@ellis.uchicago.edu (john cavallino) (03/01/91)

In article <1991Feb28.014603.7785@daffy.cs.wisc.edu> carter@cat27.cs.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) writes:
>Well as far as being a limitation I don't know, I think it is more of
>a technical/hardware limitation of the ST.
>
>Not only that, there isn't much in the 256K ROMS except, Digitized pictures
>of the Apple development team (I am not kidding), and added support for
>NuBUS protocol and other things.

The digitized pictures are ONLY in the 256K ROMS of the Mac SE, because
those ROMS are basically just the 128K code with bug fixes, plus code to
handle the ADB peripheral interface.  LOTS of extra room, folks.
On the other hand, the 256K ROMS of the original MacII (and IIx, IIcx) are
crammed full.  Color Quickdraw plus all the other color extensions, plus
the Sound Manager, plus the Script Manager, plus Nubus support.  It all
adds up, you know.  Don't ask me about the 512K ROMS, 'cause I don't know.

--
John Cavallino                      |     EMail: jcav@midway.uchicago.edu
University of Chicago Hospitals     |    USMail: 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Box 145
Office of Facilities Management     |            Chicago, IL  60637
"Opinions, my boy. Just opinions"   | Telephone: 312-702-6900

wmagro@roma.uiuc.edu (William Magro) (03/01/91)

In article <62988@bbn.BBN.COM>, aking@bbn.com (Allen King) writes:
|> 
|>    As I understand it, Spectre supports 64K and 128K MAC ROMS, but not
|> 256K. This leads to some questions:
|> 
|> 	What current MAC hardware has 256K ROMS? 
|> 
|> 	Which does the Mac IIfx have? 
|> 
|> 	What kind of software breaks now without 256K ROMS? 
|> 
|> 	What do people guess about the future?

Beware, in version 3.0 of spectre's software, dave says that he has dropped
support for the 64k roms.  Speaking of 64k roms, I have an unused set.  Any
offers?

sytang@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Shoou-yu tang) (03/02/91)

 As the question about what program broke due to no 256K ROM-- as far as I
know only those use Color Quick Draw would need 256KB and  newer ROM that is
in SE30, IIc* etc. (Since the Mac Color is handel by additional board hardware
even with color quick draw might not necessary bring the program to work). All
the nice and useful program like MPW, WP, Word ... works just fine with 128K
ROM. Afterall the Plus was the popular Mac model.

Tang
sytang@lamar.colostate.edu