[comp.sys.mac.misc] Need opinion on DiskDoubler

bclee@ocf.berkeley.edu (Bob C. Lee) (03/21/91)

	Lately my 80 meg hard disk is getting kinda crowded, so I thought
	of getting a extra drive, but they cost too much.  Then I saw the
	ad of DiskDoubler by Salient.  It sounded tempting, so I turn to
	all you Mac users out there to find some suggestions and advice.

	First of all, how much will DD slow down my Mac?  I know that it
	runs transparent to the user, but is there a noticeable difference
	as applications or documents are opened?

	Second, how convenient is it to install the program?  I ask this
	because a compression program called Stacks for (gulp) PCs requires
	you to backup your hard disk before installing the software.

	And finally, if your replies interest me enough, where might I get
	a good deal on it?

	Oh, btw, does DD compatible with System 7.0?  This Sys7.0 stuff
	has really gotten my undivided attention.

	
	Please follow up to this article because I don't know if the mails
	can get through for sure.



	Thanx in advance.

	...B.o.b...

cfejm@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (John Miller) (03/21/91)

[ asks opinion of DiskDoubler, and asks for followup to the board ]

It's good, you can get it from one of the overnight mo houses,
(MacConnection, MacWarehouse, etc.), it is not totally transparent
(it compresses and uncompresses data files in a couple of seconds
as you open them), and I find it works best when you have a 
good quantity of data files, many of which you don't use very
often.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it replaces the
icons with its own--harder to see immediately which app. created
the file.

Incidentally, I posted just such a request about a month ago, and
got back eight responses, all positive.

greg@enterprise.Central.Sun.COM (Greg George - Sun Area Project Consultant - Midwest ) (03/21/91)

This problem is no longer the case, there is a new version of
DiskDoubler that uses the original icon, except for a tiny
"DD" in the lower right hand corner of the icon. Call up
Salient and ask them to send you the latest version. It
includes an update program to fix all your old icons, and
a new init and program to handle the new icons.

greg

In article <1991Mar21.023500.15513@ux1.cts.eiu.edu>, cfejm@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (John Miller) writes:
|> [ asks opinion of DiskDoubler, and asks for followup to the board ]
|> 
|> It's good, you can get it from one of the overnight mo houses,
|> (MacConnection, MacWarehouse, etc.), it is not totally transparent
|> (it compresses and uncompresses data files in a couple of seconds
|> as you open them), and I find it works best when you have a 
|> good quantity of data files, many of which you don't use very
|> often.
|> 
|> The only thing I don't like about it is that it replaces the
|> icons with its own--harder to see immediately which app. created
|> the file.
|> 
|> Incidentally, I posted just such a request about a month ago, and
|> got back eight responses, all positive.

dana@are.berkeley.edu (Dana E. Keil) (03/22/91)

cfejm@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (John Miller) writes:

>The only thing I don't like about it is that it replaces the
>icons with its own--harder to see immediately which app. created
>the file.

The latest upgrade version of DiskDoubler does not replace the
original icons of most applications, it simply adds a little
"DD" to the appearance of the original.
--
Dana E. Keil                Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
University of California, Berkeley                      dana@are.berkeley.edu

costello@stx.UUCP (Michael E. Costello) (03/22/91)

In article <1991Mar21.023500.15513@ux1.cts.eiu.edu>, cfejm@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (John Miller) writes:
> 
> [ asks opinion of DiskDoubler, and asks for followup to the board ]
> 
> It's good, you can get it from one of the overnight mo houses,
> (MacConnection, MacWarehouse, etc.), it is not totally transparent
> (it compresses and uncompresses data files in a couple of seconds
> as you open them), and I find it works best when you have a 
> good quantity of data files, many of which you don't use very
> often.
> 
> The only thing I don't like about it is that it replaces the
> icons with its own--harder to see immediately which app. created
> the file.
> 
You must not have the updated version (3.1 of the app).  This version
has icons for 40 or so of the most popular files.  The DD icon becomes
the existing icon with a discreet "DD" in the bottom left corner.

While we're on the topic, check out the news page of the current (April)
Macworld.  There is a paragraph on a new program called SuperDisk,
which is claimed to be a software-only compression utility that is
*5 times* faster than DD.

Of course I didn't believe these folks, so I called them.  Not only
do they claim all of that is true, but the person said that one good
technique is to compress your *entire* disk except for the System
folder.  They also claim that one can perform full-text searches with
On Location on the *compressed* files.

A copy is on the way.  I'll report back.  

|| Michael Costello, Meeting Director || costello@world.std.com
|| BCS*Mac ||  The Boston Computer Society Macintosh User Group
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