dresnick@athena.mit.edu (David I Resnick) (02/21/90)
I will be purchasing a Mac system in the near future and would
appreciate some advice. Money is somewhat of an issue: I have about
$3200 in grant money to spend, and am willing to kick in somewhere
around $2000 of my own (i.e. would like to spend less than $5500 on
the system). I have access to educationally discounted hardware (MIT)
That said, here are my questions:
1) CPU
Obvious first question: should I buy a IIcx or a IIci? I have
used a IIcx, but not a IIci. Those of you who have used both, how
noticable is the difference in speed in everyday use? The price
difference is fairly substantial. At MIT, a stripped IIcx is $2995 +
tx, while a IIci runs for $4185 + tx. Is there a cheaper source for
these CPUs?
2) Memory
I think that 5MB is about right. What is the best source for
memory? I have never installed a SIMM, how tough is it? (I have
installed a MacSnap board on my 512e, is it easier/harder than this
task?) Does self-installation void the warantee?
3) Display
I have been working with the apple 13 inch color display,
and think that it is suitable for my needs. However it IS quite
expensive. It also has Apples foolish 90 day warrantee - how likely
are monitors to break after the first 90 days? How do the third party
monitors of a similar size compare in picture quality (I know that
they are substantially cheaper). Any suggestions on alternatives to
these displays?
How slow is the IIci when driving a 13 inch display with its built
in card in 1 and 8 bit modes? What are the relative merits of apple
and 3rd party cards (no, I don't think that I need 24 bits at this
time)?
4) Hard Drive
I currently have an external Supermac Dataframe XP30, which I
suppose that I could continue to use (haven't filled it yet). I seem
to recall that different interleafing is recommended for the Mac Plus
and II series hard drives - how does this work (I know little about
hard drives, is the interleaf specified in the format or is it
hardwired?) How much difference in system performance would it make
to get a faster internal drive?
5. Keyboard
I am presently using and happy with my datadesk 101. Unfortunatly
it is not an ADB device. Is there any way to convert it to one? If
not, what do people recommend? I haven't used the apple extended
keyboard, is it worth an extra $40 (not to mention the fact that the
datadesk has a 2 year warrantee...)
Comments on any/all of these would be greatly appreciated!
--
*****************************************************************************
* David Resnick dresnick@athena.mit.edu *
* "Smoking-Think of it as evolution in action" *
*****************************************************************************dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott) (02/21/90)
In article <1990Feb20.225051.1905@athena.mit.edu> dresnick@athena.mit.edu (David I Resnick) writes: >2) Memory > I think that 5MB is about right. What is the best source for >memory? 5MB is probably not a good idea. If you decide to upgrade (to 8, 20, or 32), you'll be stuck with 4 basically useless 256K SIMMs (if you go to 32, you'll have 4 1MB SIMMs, but those are still pretty useful). Given virtual memory in System 7.0, 4MB should be fine. Given the price of memory these days, 8MB should be inexpensive enough to go with. -- David Elliott dce@smsc.sony.com | ...!{uunet,mips}!sonyusa!dce (408)944-4073 "...it becomes natural, like a third sense." -- Homer Simpson
kanefsky@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Steve Kanefsky) (02/21/90)
In article <1990Feb21.034820.5913@smsc.sony.com> dce@Sony.COM (David Elliott) writes: >In article <1990Feb20.225051.1905@athena.mit.edu> dresnick@athena.mit.edu (David I Resnick) writes: >>2) Memory >> I think that 5MB is about right. What is the best source for >>memory? > >5MB is probably not a good idea. If you decide to upgrade (to 8, 20, >or 32), you'll be stuck with 4 basically useless 256K SIMMs (if you go >to 32, you'll have 4 1MB SIMMs, but those are still pretty useful). > >Given virtual memory in System 7.0, 4MB should be fine. Given the >price of memory these days, 8MB should be inexpensive enough to go >with. 5MB is the configuration one gets after adding 4 1MB SIMMS to the 1MB (4 256K SIMMS) that comes with two of the three standard configurations of the IIci, IIcx, IIx, and SE/30. It's much cheaper to do this than to buy the 4MB RAM/80MB hard disk configurations that Apple sells, which adds $1400 to the cost, even at University of Minnesota educational prices. It's much cheaper to buy the RAM separately. You could get a 105MB Quantum hard disk and 4MB additional RAM and still save $400-500. On the other hand, the 1MB RAM/40MB hard disk configurations typically add only $300-$425 ($300 for the SE/30, $425 for the IIci) to the cost, which is well worth it, since the Quantum 40MB internals tend to sell for $450 or so (but with a better warranty). I'll never understand how Apple determines its price structuring. -- Steve Kanefsky kanefsky@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu
Leo.Bores@f14.n114.z1.fidonet.org (Leo Bores) (02/27/90)
In an article of <20 Feb 90 22:50:51 GMT>, dresnick@athena.mit.edu (David I
Resnick) writes:
DI>1) CPU
DI> Obvious first question: should I buy a IIcx or a IIci? I have
DI>used a IIcx, but not a IIci. Those of you who have used both, how
DI>noticable is the difference in speed in everyday use? The price
DI>difference is fairly substantial. At MIT, a stripped IIcx is $2995 +
DI>tx, while a IIci runs for $4185 + tx. Is there a cheaper source for
DI>these CPUs?
DI>
Unless you feel the "need for speed", I'd go with the IIcx. Except for some
types of number crunching, you won't really save that much time. Also - the
IIci is having problems with some software and others won't run on it - yet.
What constitutes "enough speed" anyway?
DI>2) Memory
DI> I think that 5MB is about right. What is the best source for
DI>memory? I have never installed a SIMM, how tough is it? (I have
DI>installed a MacSnap board on my 512e, is it easier/harder than this
DI>task?) Does self-installation void the warantee?
DI>
5 megs is plenty - any second source of 100 ns memory should do (typically
$85/meg). It's VERY easy to install.
DI>3) Display
DI> I have been working with the apple 13 inch color display,
DI>and think that it is suitable for my needs. However it IS quite
DI>expensive. It also has Apples foolish 90 day warrantee - how likely
DI>are monitors to break after the first 90 days? How do the third party
DI>monitors of a similar size compare in picture quality (I know that
DI>they are substantially cheaper). Any suggestions on alternatives to
DI>these displays?
I use and am happy with the Magnavox Multisync 13" at about $550 discounted.
DI> How slow is the IIci when driving a 13 inch display with its built
DI>in card in 1 and 8 bit modes? What are the relative merits of apple
DI>and 3rd party cards (no, I don't think that I need 24 bits at this
DI>time)?
DI>
For 24 bit - you are better off with the RasterOps 264 (Apple doesn't have a 24
bit yet - I don't believe).
DI>4) Hard Drive
DI> I currently have an external Supermac Dataframe XP30, which I
DI>suppose that I could continue to use (haven't filled it yet). I seem
DI>to recall that different interleafing is recommended for the Mac Plus
DI>and II series hard drives - how does this work (I know little about
DI>hard drives, is the interleaf specified in the format or is it
DI>hardwired?) How much difference in system performance would it make
DI>to get a faster internal drive?
DI>
The interleave is 1:1 on the MacII and (I think) 1:3 on the Plus. I would
reccomend any of the 45 meg. cartridge drives.
DI>5. Keyboard
DI> I am presently using and happy with my datadesk 101. Unfortunatly
DI>it is not an ADB device. Is there any way to convert it to one? If
DI>not, what do people recommend? I haven't used the apple extended
DI>keyboard, is it worth an extra $40 (not to mention the fact that the
DI>datadesk has a 2 year warrantee...)
DI>
The Apple extended keyboard is okay. may be a little more expensive that others
but not that much - I'd go with it.
Leo Bores
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