fleckens@plains.NoDak.edu (Clint Fleckenstein) (02/21/91)
I am looking at buying a IIsi...my problem is deciding between a 2/40 configuration and a 5/80. The reason I have doubts is price difference. My question is this: Will I need the extra memory? Will it affect performance? How large ARE Mac applications? Will I need that much hard drive space? How much space do normal Mac applications take? After 7 years with a //c, I deserve something like this :) Please help me make the correct decision. By the way: My uses will be telecommunication, graphics, word processing, and games. NO number crunching, possible use of SoftPC. I *do* wish I could get an Apple// emulator...I have a LOT of // software I'm familiar with (7 years' worth :) ------------------------------------------------------------- Clint Fleckenstein fleckens@plains.nodak.edu Mandan, ND 58554 uunet!plains!fleckens (701)-663-2127 fleckens@PLAINS (Bitnet) DoD #5150 NDCWL #2121
STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (415) (02/21/91)
I just bought a IIsi - am very happy with it. You will need 5mbytes rather than 2 but I merely looked in the comics and paid $49/mbytes for memory. I installed it with *no* tools and no trouble. In addition, I have not seen any of these problems which people allege occur with the IIsi. That is probably cheaper than Apple memory. As far as disk is concerned, start with the 40 mbyte and expand later. Disk is constantly going down in price, to the extent that the correct approach is to run with (nearly) full disks. No point in buyiong extra space that will be cheaper when you buy it later (if you need it). Sounds like you don't know that you will need it, so why not wait. I see that Jasmine has these cute litte cigarette-packet sized drives that plug into the back of your SCSI port and don't need an external power supply (the SCSI port supplies it). At present they have only a 20mbyte for $399 but larger drives are supposed to be in the offing.
josh@athena.mit.edu (Josh Hartmann) (02/21/91)
In article <91051.200412STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU>, STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (415) writes: |> I just bought a IIsi - am very happy with it. You will need 5mbytes rather |> than 2 but I merely looked in the comics and paid $49/mbytes for memory. I |> installed it with *no* tools and no trouble. In addition, I have not seen any |> of these problems which people allege occur with the IIsi. That is probably |> cheaper than Apple memory. I see you like voiding your warranty! Before you could wait 90 days, but now, you're ruining a nice 1-year warranty. |> As far as disk is concerned, start with the 40 mbyte and expand later. Disk is |> constantly going down in price, to the extent that the correct approach is to |> run with (nearly) full disks. No point in buyiong extra space that will be |> cheaper when you buy it later (if you need it). Sounds like you don't know |> that you will need it, so why not wait. How much lower do you think disks can go? Not too much, methinks. |> I see that Jasmine has these cute |> litte cigarette-packet sized drives that plug into the back of your SCSI port |> and don't need an external power supply (the SCSI port supplies it). At |> present they have only a 20mbyte for $399 but larger drives are supposed to be |> in the offing. Jasmine's service is still abysmal. You are better off getting an APS Q80 or Q105 for about the same price. Faster, more reliable mechanism, too. -- Josh Hartmann | ___ ___ | ``the imagination is like an josh@athena.mit.edu | | | | | | engine that can work on many mit-eddie!mit-athena!josh | / | | | \ | different fuels: but it must BITNET: your gateway | / / \ / \ \ | be powered, and sex, properly DISCLAIMER: My parents | |___| |___| |___| | used, is a fuel of high already claimed me | MAINE HOCKEY! | potency'' -- PROPAGANDA
strange@sprite.berkeley.edu (Steve Strange) (02/22/91)
In article <8456@plains.NoDak.edu> fleckens@plains.NoDak.edu (Clint Fleckenstein) writes: >I am looking at buying a IIsi...my problem is deciding between a >2/40 configuration and a 5/80. The reason I have doubts is price >difference. My question is this: > >Will I need the extra memory? Will it affect performance? How >large ARE Mac applications? > If you want to run Multifinder, eg, a number of applications simultaneously, I would highly recommend having 5 meg of memory. The IIsi uses system RAM for the screen buffer, so with 2 meg you really have at most 1 meg of usable application memory. A nice fast machine like the IIsi deserves 5 meg. >Will I need that much hard drive space? How much space do normal >Mac applications take? You would probably be OK with 40 Mb, especially if you are just starting with a mac. I had 30 Meg on a Plus for years, and I got by fine. So, this is what I would recommend - Get the 2/40, and then upgrade the memory to 5 Mb yourself (or have a friend do it, it is extremely easy on this machine, no screws, no boards to remove!) 4 1-meg SIMMs is what you would need, which can be had for under $200 last I checked. The difference in price between the two IIsi configs is like 4 times that, isn't it? I bought the 2/40, then upgraded to 5 Mb memory and a 105 Mb disk, total cost less than the 5/80, and this was university prices. >I *do* wish I could get an Apple// emulator...I have a LOT of // >software I'm familiar with (7 years' worth :) If you really want this, consider the LC. Not as fast as the IIsi, but a great way to use your old S/W and use newer Mac S/W as well. I've never played with one, but I've heard good things about them. And they're reasonably priced, considerably less than the IIsi. Steve Strange UC Berkeley
frank@mnetor.UUCP (Frank Kolnick) (02/22/91)
In article <1991Feb21.145353.29719@athena.mit.edu> josh@athena.mit.edu (Josh Hartmann) writes: )In article <91051.200412STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU>, STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (415) writes: )|> I just bought a IIsi - am very happy with it. You will need 5mbytes rather )|> than 2 but I merely looked in the comics and paid $49/mbytes for memory. I )|> installed it with *no* tools and no trouble. ... ) )I see you like voiding your warranty! Before you could wait 90 days, but now, )you're ruining a nice 1-year warranty. ) )|> As far as disk is concerned, start with the 40 mbyte and expand later. Disk is )|> constantly going down in price, to the extent that the correct approach is to )|> run with (nearly) full disks. ... I doubt if adding simms to an si voids the warranty. The case just pops off the si. When I bought my si, I also bought memory from the same dealer. The dealer assumed I would install it myself, to save a few bucks. Anyway, I went for the 2/40 version for two reasons: (i) I could add the memory myself at a lower cost, and (ii) I prefer to have an external disk, in case the Mac itself dies. (This also made it easier to transfer my files from my old SE.) So, I ended up with 5MB of RAM, an internal 40MB disk (on which I keep only applications and fonts -- lots of fonts), and an external 170MB disk, which I selected because it was fast, very quiet, and had a high MTBF. Basically I prefer the modular approach. I also added a portrait monitor (Apple's). This set-up meets my needs perfectly. I use the Mac almost exclusively for technical documentation. After living with an SE/20 + external 40MB disk, my advice is: you can't have too much disk space. Documents and illustrations eat up space, and with room to spare I can let FrameMaker (for example) make automatic back-ups for me. (FM also pretty much demands 5MB. Even on the SE, when I only used MS Word and QuarkXpress, I couldn't get by with less than 4.5MB). -- Frank Kolnick, Basis Computer Systems Inc. UUCP: {allegra, linus}!utzoo!mnetor!frank
STREATER@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (415) (02/23/91)
From my Macintosh Reference manual (page 287), supplied with my IIsi: "Warning: RAM expansion on the main circuit board should only be done by an authorized Apple representative or another qualified technician. Modification or expansion by anyone except qualified personnel voids the equipment's warranty and could cause damage." I consider myself to be "another qualified technician", since it is part of my official duties at SLAC to be able to perform modifications of this nature (e.g. installing RAM, replacing EPROMs, replacing circuit boards and the like, being aware of any problems involved such as static, bending pins on chips etc).
mack@intvax.UUCP (Michael J. McDonald) (02/24/91)
From article <8456@plains.NoDak.edu>, by fleckens@plains.NoDak.edu (Clint Fleckenstein): > I am looking at buying a IIsi...my problem is deciding between a > 2/40 configuration and a 5/80. The reason I have doubts is price > difference. My question is this: > ... I bought the IIsi 2/40 version because 1) while an 80 meg disk is nice, it takes quite a lot to fill it up, 2) It is easy to upgrade the amount of memory to 5 meg (less than $200 by mail order), 3) the price difference between configurations was very high compared to street values for similar devices, and 4) If I ever did need the extra disk space, I could purchase an external hard disk and have a better choice of price/performance. You might choose something different if you can get a deal that doesn't have such a bad price/performance ratio (look at the cost of upgrading after buying vs buying, figure that you won't have to get a bigger drive for a year or more (unless you are realy hacking) and that you will need a memory upgrade right away), then check the price advantages.
john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III) (02/24/91)
In article <8456@plains.NoDak.edu> fleckens@plains.NoDak.edu (Clint Fleckenstein) writes: > I am looking at buying a IIsi...my problem is deciding between a > 2/40 configuration and a 5/80. Get the 5/80. The memory is especially nice for multi-finder, and you will fill up the disk before you know what is happening. All those init, fonts, and toys.... > Will I need the extra memory? Will it affect performance? How > large ARE Mac applications? If you get color, you will find that color paint & draw applications will want a lot of memory. Otherwise, expect to use 1 Meg for the finder, then 1 Meg for each additional application that you have running. > Will I need that much hard drive space? How much space do normal > Mac applications take? My "System Folder" is 6.8 Megbytes, and my "System Stuff" (apple file exchange, disinfectant, misc utilities, apple utilities) is 9 Meg. If you trade PD and shareware programs, you will quickly fill the space. Most applications nowdays come on 1 or more 800K disks. Both MacWrite and UltraPaint take 3 disks each. > By the way: My uses will be telecommunication, graphics, word > processing, and games. NO number crunching, possible use of > SoftPC. Other than for graphics, you will find that the IIsi will run up to 5 times faster if you turn off the color, and up to 2 times faster if you switch form 256 colors down to 8 colors. Here are some PD apps that you might want to get: Kermit Stuffit Compactor McSink BinHex miniWriter Disinfectant Here are a few commercial toys that you will want to check out: After Dark ClickChange > I *do* wish I could get an Apple// emulator...I have a LOT of // > software I'm familiar with (7 years' worth :) The Apple card will not work with the IIsi, but there is a program called "][ In A Mac". It ran about 1/2 speed on my Mac Plus, so I would assume that it would kick butt on a IIsi. I ran Appleworks and Bolderdash on my Mac Plus. Too cool. Look for ads in the back of MacUser or MacWeek. -john- -- =============================================================================== John A. Weeks III (612) 942-6969 john@newave.mn.org NeWave Communications ...uunet!rosevax!tcnet!wd0gol!newave!john ===============================================================================
kiran@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (Kiran Wagle) (03/03/91)
>If you change your own SIMMs and later develop a problem, when you take >it into the dealer and he declares you improperly expanded your RAM So put your old SIMMs back in, already! Don't tell me--you managed to find someone to buy 256K SIMMs... and the Brooklyn Bridge, too! -- ...kiran __________kiran@copper.ucs.indiana.edu________(812) 331-1710 From the corrections column in a July Fresno, CA _Bee_: "An item in Thursday's [issue] about the Massachusetts budget crisis made reference to new taxes that will help put Massachusetts 'back in the African-American.' The item should have said 'back in the black.'"