lib1966@cuphub.cup.edu (10/19/90)
O.k., this is a simple enough question... Should I or shouldn't I buy a Mac LC? This may be a little tougher... Since the LC does not come with a built in math co-processor (like the Mac II series), can one be installed, and will it take up the one slot in the mac? The final question? How long should I wait to buy it before SYS 7.0 comes with it? Brent Liberatore Lines Repair California University
brandonl@gold.GVG.TEK.COM (Brandon Lovested) (10/26/90)
In article <11224@cuphub.cup.edu> lib1966@cuphub.cup.edu writes: >Since the LC does not come with a built in math co-processor (like the Mac > II series), can one be installed, and will it take up the one slot > in the mac? > There will be boards (68020 direct slot) available that will do this. Specifically, a company called Dynamac (I believe) will have a card that will provide sockets for the FPU and a 68030. This is an example of the new multi-function boards that are necessary because the LC is just too small for most conventional boards (especially NuBus boards which it can't take anyway!). >The final question? > >How long should I wait to buy it before SYS 7.0 comes with it? > That is a non-issue. System 7.0 will work with all Macintoshes. Granted, there have been some peculiar problems with some Macs (fx) and new versions of the OS, but as planned, the LC should work fine with it. The only negative is that System 7.0 provides for virtual memory, which can speed up processing time quite measurably. However, it requires a chip called a PMMU (Paged-Memory Managment Unit), and this is not available for the LC (at this time). This just means that System 7.0 running on an LC will not be as fast as it could be (say, for example, running on an fx or ci). Bottom Line: I hope you do get an LC, and tell those of us that don't have one how great it is, and that we, too, should run out and get one. I think if the street-price theory holds, you could get one for $1700 or less. ::Brandon Lovested ============================================================================== BRANDON G. LOVESTED ::::=:::==::===:==== FOR EVERY VISION, Software Design Engineer ::::=:::==::===:==== THERE IS AN Grass Valley Group ::::=:::==::===:==== EQUAL AND OPPOSITE brandonl@gold.gvg.tek.com ::::=:::==::===:==== REVISION. ==============================================================================
lemke@radius.com (Steve Lemke) (10/26/90)
lib1966@cuphub.cup.edu writes: >O.k., this is a simple enough question... >Should I or shouldn't I buy a Mac LC? Why not? It seems like a pretty cool, and inexpensive Mac. >This may be a little tougher... >Since the LC does not come with a built in math co-processor (like the Mac > II series), can one be installed, and will it take up the one slot > in the mac? Yes, one could be installed, but it will take up the slot. Best bet would be to buy a (useful) card from some company that also gives you the option to install a co-processor. I don't know of any such cards presently available, but then again, you might want to consider whether you REALLY need the chip or not (at least initially). >The final question? >How long should I wait to buy it before SYS 7.0 comes with it? Oooohhhh, I don't know if you want to _wait_ THAT long... Especially if you don't already have a computer - it _could_ be a while. Buy it now, enjoy it now, and get 7.0 when it becomes available. -- ----- Steve Lemke, Engineering Quality Assurance, Radius Inc., San Jose ----- ----- Reply to: lemke@radius.com (Note: NEW domain-style address!!) -----
nick@cs.edinburgh.ac.uk (Nick Rothwell) (10/26/90)
>The only negative is that System 7.0 provides for virtual memory, which can >speed up processing time quite measurably. Huh? -- Nick Rothwell, Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science, Edinburgh. nick@lfcs.ed.ac.uk <Atlantic Ocean>!mcsun!ukc!lfcs!nick ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ "Now remember - and this is most important - you must think in Russian."
brandonl@gold.GVG.TEK.COM (Brandon Lovested) (10/27/90)
In article <962@skye.cs.ed.ac.uk> nick@lfcs.ed.ac.uk writes: >>The only negative is that System 7.0 provides for virtual memory, which can >>speed up processing time quite measurably. > >Huh? Oops! I agree, out of context, that sounded funny. What I *meant* to say was given system 7.0, the LC can't take advantage of the virtual memory functionality of it. That was the "negative." Pity me...I had a bad day. ============================================================================== BRANDON G. LOVESTED ::::=:::==::===:==== FOR EVERY VISION, Software Design Engineer ::::=:::==::===:==== THERE IS AN Grass Valley Group ::::=:::==::===:==== EQUAL AND OPPOSITE brandonl@gold.gvg.tek.com ::::=:::==::===:==== REVISION. ==============================================================================
ldo@waikato.ac.nz (Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Waikato University) (10/30/90)
Speaking as somebody who suffers from a chronic shortage of disk space (as well as running a 68020-based vintage Mac II with no PMMU), let me just say that virtual memory support is the _least_ interesting of the promised goodies in System 7.0. Lawrence D'Oliveiro fone: +64-71-562-889 Computer Services Dept fax: +64-71-384-066 University of Waikato electric mail: ldo@waikato.ac.nz Hamilton, New Zealand 37^ 47' 26" S, 175^ 19' 7" E, GMT+13:00 To someone with a hammer and a screwdriver, every problem looks like a nail with threads.