gleicher@duke.cs.duke.edu (Michael Gleicher) (12/09/87)
I actually think I'm ready to jump forward from the PC world into the MAC world by buying a MacII. A still have a few questions, I'd appreciate any advice on. Please send replies to me directly by E-MAIL, as I haven't caught up on this newsgroup yet. I apologize for the neophyteness, but at least I'm willing to start learning about Macs. The Questions: 1) Will a NEC Multisync monitor work with the standard MacII video board? Are there any reasonably priced larger monitors ($500-$800, 15'' or 17'' B&W is OK if it is BIG). 2) $1200 seems steep for a 40meg disk drive. Are there alternative solutions? 3) Are there alternatives to the standard MacII video board? 4) Can I install my own memory (I'd like to have 2meg at least) 5) Can I use a printer besides an Apple & still use MacWrite (or MicWord) graphics? I'm especially interested in the high speed epsons and NECs. 6) How much software incompatibility am I going to face? 7) Is there much software to take care of the music capabilities? Will Mac music programs work? (I saw this real neat one that drew a picture of a four track recorder that I am especially interested in) 8) How does one connect a MIDI device to a MacII? Please help me. I would like to make up my mind before Christmas break so I can get my order in. Thanks in advance, Mike Gleicher (an EX pc-hacker) Michael Lee Gleicher (-: If it looks like I'm wandering Duke University (-: around like I'm lost . . . E-Mail: gleicher@cs.duke.edu)(or uucp (-: Or P.O.B. 5899 D.S., Durham, NC 27706 (-: It's because I am!
kraut@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) (12/09/87)
I really liked Mike's posting, where he asks all those "good" questions that
document the considerations that would keep someone from leaving the PC-world.
(Please go back and read his posting - I didn't feel like wasting band-width)
I also couldn't help but laugh when I thought of what he would likely get as
answers from the local computer dealers ... (-: ...or from Apple.
PS: sorry, Michael, for not answering the questions - they deserve more time
than I have left for "news" today ...
--
werner@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (prefered address)
kraut@ut-ngp.uucp (if you must)alan@pdn.UUCP (Alan Lovejoy) (12/09/87)
In article <10778@duke.cs.duke.edu> gleicher@duke.cs.duke.edu (Michael Gleicher) writes: >1) Will a NEC Multisync monitor work with the standard MacII video board? > Are there any reasonably priced larger monitors ($500-$800, 15'' or 17'' > B&W is OK if it is BIG). Yes, with the appropriate cable (available from NEC). There are some reasonably priced B&W monitors; the large color ones will cost you dearly, however. >2) $1200 seems steep for a 40meg disk drive. Are there alternative solutions? Yes. See the December issue of Macworld, which lists the storage capacity, price, price per megabyte, average access time, warranty length, and other useful information on over 250 hard drives for the Mac. See the Jasmine InnerDrive 90 (90 MB, $1600, 16 millisecond avg access time, 1yr warranty) as an example of one of the better deals (not the only one!). Price per MB averages around $30, but there are quite a few drives which cost less than $20/MB. The drive with the best $/MB stores 155MB with 18.5 millisecond avg access time and a $/MB of about $12! >3) Are there alternatives to the standard MacII video board? Yes, but they're all more expensive and offer nothing except higher resolution (requiring more expensive monitors). (Example: SuperMac Technology, 1024x768 pixel resolution, I believe the cost is about $1200 (?)). >4) Can I install my own memory (I'd like to have 2meg at least) Yes. >6) How much software incompatibility am I going to face? I assume you mean MacPlus-Mac II incompatibility? Most programs that do extensive graphics either won't work at all, or only work with the Mac II in monochrome (1 pixel color) mode. Fixed versions of most of these programs are either just recently available, or are expected early next year. 90% of MacPlus programs will run, at least in monochrome mode. Hope this helps. --alan@pdn
kwallich@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (Ken Wallich) (12/12/87)
>Alan Lovejoy writes: >[some good info deleted...] >a few drives which cost less than $20/MB. The drive with the best $/MB >stores 155MB with 18.5 millisecond avg access time and a $/MB of about $12! Actually the best $/MB listed in the MacWorld article goes to a 300MB drive from AB products (actually I can't remember the name, that was a wild guess, and is almost certainly wrong), which also has around an 18ms avg access time, and runs a little over $8 a megabyte ($2500 for the drive). Great deal! Of course, it is an external drive. (I'm waiting for the half hight, 1GB drive from vapor systems :-)) -------------------- Ken Wallich *My views are mine, and mine alone* Consultant "Slimey? Mud Hole? my HOME this is!" DCI kwallich@hpsmtc1.HP.COM @Hewlett Packard ...hplabs!hpsmtc1!kwallich "Why am I soft in the middle, when the rest of my life is so hard? - P.Simon"