[comp.sys.mac.apps] Need SoftPC Performance Information

joc@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (05/18/91)

I am considering purchasing SoftPC for my Mac IIci with 5 Mb RAM.
What kind of performance will I get out of my PC programs?  Has
anyone had any trouble running any PC programs under SoftPC?

Alan Wenban
(wenban@ee.cornell.edu)

consp13@bingsunp.bingsuns.cc.binghamton.edu (Marcus Cannava) (05/21/91)

>
>I am considering purchasing SoftPC for my Mac IIci with 5 Mb RAM.
>What kind of performance will I get out of my PC programs?  Has
>anyone had any trouble running any PC programs under SoftPC?
>

I've been running SoftPC EGA/AT under 6.0.7 on my IIsi 5/40.. It's
fastest when run in the Black&White mode, but even when using 256
shades of grey, it's fairly fast (although waiting for WordPerfect 5.1
to update the screen can get on your nerves..). Your biggest delay is
in screen updates; the actual system runs around 8 MhZ. (Not too
shabby for 100% software emulation..)

It's truly 100% compatible -- I've run programs that I wrote that take
advantage of some AT hardware quirks -- and they run fine. It's truly
100% compatibility.

Print from your favourite documents -- they are spooled on the Mac
end, and print only after the PC program has quit (or 30 seconds from
the last character printed, whichever comes first, or whichever you
configure.)

The SuperDrive acts as a true-blue 1.44 meg IBM drive.  

SoftPC is 100% MultiFinder compatible. I've compiled large programs
under Turbo C in the background while running MacWrite II in the
foreground.

Don't know about Sys7 compatibility. 

I've had no trouble with SoftPC and recommend it without reservation.
(Make sure you get the current versions: SoftPC base kit (which you
MUST buy first) is about $240, and is Version 1.3. SoftPC EGA/AT
extension kit is about $180, and is Version 1.4. You will need 5 megs
of memory to really use SoftPC well.)

					\marc
--
consp13@bingsuns.cc.binghamton.edu			Marcus N. Cannava
       @bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu			SUNY-Binghamton
----------------------------------			Student Consultant
'I do not fear computers.. 
 I fear the lack of them'  -- I. Asimov					RNM

dana@are.berkeley.edu (Dana E. Keil) (05/21/91)

Be sure to inquire from Insignia about educational pricing, I
understand they offer discounts to individuals with some kind of
educational affiliation.
--
Dana E. Keil                Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
University of California, Berkeley                      dana@are.berkeley.edu