[comp.sys.mac] MacII as a workstation?

MATH1H3@jane.uh.edu (10/28/89)

How does the Mac II rate as a workstation?
1.	A workstation is supplied WITH compilers (Fortran, C, Pascal)
	that actually WORK.
2.	Workstation manufacturers support programmers who are NOT 
	commercial software developers.  For example, SOME of us write our own
	programs to perform scientific or engineering computations, with 
	entirely new methods not available in any canned package.
3.	Some of us doing such programming NEED professional quality compilers.
4.	Apple, however, directs its technical support exclusively to
	developers.  If I join APDA, I am supposed to represent that I am a
	developer of software with substantial experience in computer
	programming.  I'm not sure what this means precisely, 
	except that I'm pretty sure it includes MicroSoft and may not include
	me.
5.	Performance: On a price/performance basis, even the Mac IIci is way 
	behind the SPARCstation and DECStation 3100.  On number crunching
	jobs I clock the SPARC at 20 times the speed of the Mac II and 10
	times the speed of the IIci, for about twice the price.  In addition
	there is no comparison between the graphics on the MAC and the graphics
	on the SPARC equipped with a graphics acelerator.  What gives? Is 
	Apple going to compete or not?

David Wagner
My opinions do not represent the opinions or policies of my employer.