Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!usc!apple!sun-barr!newstop!sun!concertina!fiddler
From: fiddler%concertina@Sun.COM (Steve Hix)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Affordable Macs?
Keywords: mac affordable (cheap) education low-end thanks
Message-ID: <128145@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: 20 Nov 89 20:27:22 GMT
References: <254@spt.entity.com> <127995@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> <1384@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Sender: news@sun.Eng.Sun.COM
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In article <1384@rodan.acs.syr.edu>, wwtaroli@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Bill Taroli) writes:
> 
> I don't think that this is necessarily the case.  Apple knew for a while
> that System 7.0 was going to provide things like virtual memory and still
> decided to go with a lower power CMOS 68000 in the Portable.  

In the case of the portable, *not* going with the CMOS 68000 left them with
*no* processor, given constraints of power consumption.  They could have
done it, maybe, but you'd kiss 8hrs+/charge goodbye.

> So, if you view
> the Portable in light of System 7.0, then Apple built an obselescent machine
> (a view I do not subscribe to).  Also, I think Apple realizes that everyone
> is not going to jump on the System 7.0 bandwagon.  

I agree, S7 isn't going to buy *me* that much...at least as long as my Mac+'s
are still running.  I can live with it.  (And I don't think that the Portable
is obsolete on intro.)  But if you *don't* have other major constraints, such
as power consumption, there seems to be little reason for not putting a
68020/030 in newer machines, other than the obvious one of cost.  Competition
with current higher-end machines shouldn't be a problem, particularly if you
restrict expandability of the base-level machine.

> Sure, it will provide many
> new an interesting features.  BUT, with it comes the requirement that there
> be 2 Megs of memory and that you have a 68020 or > to use virtual memory (which
> is not an inherent limitation of 7.0, but the MC68000 itself).  

Since you also need to get a 68851 with your '020 to get virtual memory (and
Motorola may be dumping the '851 completely), you could make a case for going
directly to the '030 and ignoring the '020 completely.


------------

"...Then anyone who leaves behind him a written manual, and likewise
anyone who receives it, in the belief that such writing will be clear
and certain, must be exceedingly simple-minded..."

		Plato, _Phaedrus_ 275d