[comp.sys.mac] MacProducts Railgun Accelerators Back-Ordered

omo@mcnc.org (Julie E. Omohundro) (07/21/90)

So maybe everyone in the whole world knows this but me:

I just tried to order a Railgun 020 accelerator for my Plus.  Turns
out they're back-ordered until *October*.  I sure wish I'd known
this a couple of months ago, as this was clearly my top choice
for an accelerator.  Now I've shelled out an extra $200+ for a
Total Systems accelerator, which will be delivered in my foreseeable
lifetime.

Anyway, just in case someone else is planning to order a Railgun
this year...I got the impression it was *not* just the 020, so
you might want to check with them.

isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ken Hancock) (07/23/90)

In article <6899@alvin.mcnc.org> omo@mcnc.org (Julie E. Omohundro) writes:
>So maybe everyone in the whole world knows this but me:
>
>I just tried to order a Railgun 020 accelerator for my Plus.  Turns
>out they're back-ordered until *October*.  I sure wish I'd known
>this a couple of months ago, as this was clearly my top choice
>for an accelerator.  Now I've shelled out an extra $200+ for a
>Total Systems accelerator, which will be delivered in my foreseeable
>lifetime.
>
>Anyway, just in case someone else is planning to order a Railgun
>this year...I got the impression it was *not* just the 020, so
>you might want to check with them.

That's alright...I think you came out with the better deal.  I
wouldn't trust MacProducts further than I could throw them.  When they
first introduced their '030 accelerator, I called them up to ask if it
was compatible with Connectix's Virtual.  They told me it wasn't, but
would be compatible with Apple's Virtual Memory.  Well, at that time,
developers hadn't even been seeded with 7.0 yet, so I told them this
and asked how they knew it would be.  They told me that it just would
be.
 
Yeah.  Right.
 
Ken
--
Ken Hancock                   | This account needs a new home in MA...
Isle Systems                  | Can you provide a link for it?
isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu    | It doesn't bite...  :-)

ewm@mdavcr.UUCP (Eric W. Mitchel) (07/27/90)

In article <32060@cup.portal.com> ts@cup.portal.com (Tim W Smith) writes:
>< was compatible with Connectix's Virtual.  They told me it wasn't, but
>< would be compatible with Apple's Virtual Memory.  Well, at that time,
>< developers hadn't even been seeded with 7.0 yet, so I told them this
>< and asked how they knew it would be.  They told me that it just would
>< be.
><  
>< Yeah.  Right.
>
>So, how do you know that they didn't find out from DTS what they would
>have to do to be compatible?  Just because they didn't have a copy of
>7.0 yet doesn't mean they didn't have information about how it would
>work.
>
>							Tim Smith

First of all, even APPLE doesn't know how it is going to work yet.
System 7.0 has been a real moving target.  It is particularly ridiculous
for a company to make compatibility claims even before the alpha version was
seeded to developers.  Hell, some of changes that have occurred
since then are said to be quite significant.  MAYBE the final version
will use virtual memory in the way they originally proposed, MAYBE NOT.

Anyway, there is a lot of buzz that System 7.0 will need the 
SE/30 or Mac II Roms to use virtual memory.  Just because you have a
'030 in your machine doesn't mean you have a 30/II.

I think it is really irresponsible for these accelerator companies to
make these compatibility claims for a System release that is so far from
being cast in concrete.  Sure, maybe they will be able to write patches
to make their product compatible with System 7.0, but that remains to be
seen.  I don't care how confident they are.  Unless they can show System
7.0 running on their board NOW, they should back off.  Put up or shut
up.  The bold "Ready to run System 7.0" adds are just begging for
lawsuits.

I would be interested to hear if anyone is familiar with any accelerator
board manufacturer that has System 7.0 Virtual Memory running on it.  Since
we are still at alpha with Sys 7.0, having it run on a board still does
not mean the final version will work, but at least it is an indication.

Eric

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