kanala@sc2a.unige.ch (11/20/90)
Here are performaces (Norton si index) I found on a Mac II (no PMMU), IIci
(no cache card) and Mac IIfx with the version 1.3 of vanilla SoftPC and
AT/EGA upgrade:
II IIci IIfx
SoftPC 1.3 4.6
SoftPC/AT 2.6 5.2 8.6
I did not yet received the 1.4 upgrade, so I don't know if its speed is
different.
SoftPC is a complete PC soft emulation in a Mac, even the typical kchkchkch
startup sound is present for nostalgic users. All ports, drives, memory, all
is completely MS-DOS -like. The only thing I feel missing is the lack of B:
floppy drive.
Personally, I would not use it for Windows applications. Windows is only a
weak caricatural approximation of the Mac interface and all the applications
that are new and exciting for a poor MS-DOS user appeared first for Mac and
now exist since a few years: Excel, PageMaker, Cricket Graph, etc. Many
applications are using identical file format on PC and Mac, so there is no
need to have both Windows and Mac versions. In that case Apple File Exchange (comes free with system software) does a good job (if your Mac has the SuperDrive - FDHD). If there are some differences in file formats between PC
and Mac versions, MacLinkPlus PC has virtually all translation modules one
could need, and works in desktop mode (Mac HD/Mac floppy), network mode,
direct cable mode, or modem mode.
The reason why I have the SoftPC is that I worked on an IBM AT a few years
ago and wanted to throw it away, so I had to convert all my data archived
on paper floppies. The only way I found was to buy SoftPC. Now it does a
good service for occassional use of old software that is not worth to
convert to Mac.
There are following alternatives to SoftPC:
Hardware solution.
Mac 86 (an XT board for SE), Mac286 (AT 8 MHz NuBus board), Mac386 (SX 12MHz
NuBus board with many extensions possible) - all from Orange Micro
Cable solution.
MacChuck (cable and software to operate a PC as a slave machine to the Mac)
by Vano Associates.
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Roman Kanala, CUEPE, University of Geneva, Switzerland, kanala@sc2a.unige.chalberti@cs.umn.edu (Albatross) (11/21/90)
In <1990Nov20.161647.310@sc2a.unige.ch> kanala@sc2a.unige.ch writes: >SoftPC is a complete PC soft emulation in a Mac, even the typical kchkchkch >startup sound is present for nostalgic users. All ports, drives, memory, all >is completely MS-DOS -like. The only thing I feel missing is the lack of B: >floppy drive. I ran Borland's Turbo C++ on SoftPC and to my surprise, it worked. I'm pretty impressed with SoftPC. We were writing an article on Turbo C++ and needed to get an electronic image of the IDE screen, so we ran Turbo C++ under SoftPC and copied the screen to a Macintosh graphic utility. Turbo C++ compiled and debugged and ran programs successfully. The biggest problem I encountered was that the mouse cursor was invisible when the screen was cast into black and white on the Mac. -- Bob Alberti Micro and Wkstn Networks Ctr, U of MN // aka: Albatross| Unitar- Internet: alberti@boombox.micro.UMN.EDU \\// The Mars Hotel| ian/ Disclaimer: My employer does not mean what I say. // (612) 690-4142| Univer- Ingredients: 30% header, 30% quote, 10% content, 30% cutesy signature.| salist!
johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu (11/21/90)
In article <1990Nov20.161647.310@sc2a.unige.ch>, kanala@sc2a.unige.ch writes... I'll second Roman Kanala's endorsement of SoftPC. Let me add in response to his comment: {Soft-PC} >is completely MS-DOS -like. >The only thing I feel missing is the lack of B: One of the strengths of SoftPC is its support for a variety of third-party DOS-capable floppy drives (in addition to support for the internal SuperDrive as drive A:). These include products from Kennect and Dayna. SoftPC also include an application called "Slave PC" (love the name ;-) ) that allows the Mac to use the floppy drives of a serially-connected PC as if they were mounted B: drives. Bill (johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu)
lorner@ecst.csuchico.edu (Lance Orner) (11/21/90)
In article <1990Nov20.192914.8540@cs.umn.edu> alberti@cs.umn.edu (Albatross) writes: >I ran Borland's Turbo C++ on SoftPC and to my surprise, it worked. I'm >pretty impressed with SoftPC. For a class, I run Borlands's Turbo Debugger package on SoftPC. When I first ran it, it took hours to figure out that the reason it crashes every time I ran the debugger is because the program must be playing some wierd tricks with the monitor, and SoftPC can't pick it up. To run the debugger, you must use a -ds flag which says use "screen swaping" which it recommends for wierd monitor setups. I thought that SoftPC is supposed to emulate a CGA monitor. I can't run the configuration program for, I belive, the same reason, but in this case, I can't tell it to get ready for a "weird monitor". Add this to the fact that it runs the debugger _really_ slowly, I'm not sure I'd say that this thing is flawless. Otherwise, it hasn't balked at any of the assembly language stuff I've been writing. -- Lance M Orner | To get a hold of me -- Computer Engineering | --from Internet: lorner@ecst.csuchico.edu California State | --from America Online: Caradoc University, Chico | --from Eighth Ave.: "Hey! Lance!"
changwoo@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Chang P. Woo) (11/21/90)
kanala@sc2a.unige.ch writes: >Here are performaces (Norton si index) I found on a Mac II (no PMMU), IIci >(no cache card) and Mac IIfx with the version 1.3 of vanilla SoftPC and >AT/EGA upgrade: > II IIci IIfx > SoftPC 1.3 4.6 > SoftPC/AT 2.6 5.2 8.6 >I did not yet received the 1.4 upgrade, so I don't know if its speed is >different. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Roman Kanala, CUEPE, University of Geneva, Switzerland, kanala@sc2a.unige.ch Does SE/30 run SoftPC? If so, should I expect about the same performance as how Mac II fared in Norton SI? How does it handle CGA graphics? EGA graphics? Chang -- Chang P. Woo Chang.P.Woo@dartmouth.EDU (preferred) changwoo@eleazar.dartmouth.EDU
George.Soto@f804.n102.z1.FIDONET.ORG (George Soto) (11/28/90)
I have a Mac SE with the portable version of SoftPC installed. And all I can really say is that it runs and operates just like those IBM's. I've called a few BBS's with it also, but the only thing is that conecting at 2400bps feels like your actually calling from a 300bps modem. The speed is pretty slow for the most part, but it runs the files i do have for the IBM with no problems, except for one game i do have, which it ran poorly because of the grapix. Overall though it is an emulator and does a fair job at it, but if speed is going to be a problem then, well, what can i say??? -- George Soto via cmhGate - Net 226 fido<=>uucp gateway Col, OH UUCP: ...!osu-cis!n8emr!cmhgate!102!804!George.Soto INET: George.Soto@f804.n102.z1.FIDONET.ORG