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From: philip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Spreadsheets on 9" screens
Message-ID: <1990Jul25.175815.9367@Neon.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 25 Jul 90 17:58:15 GMT
References: <1990Jul25.104252.26995@cs.umn.edu> <F2exnw51@cs.psu.edu>
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Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
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In article <1990Jul25.104252.26995@cs.umn.edu>, aslakson@cs.umn.edu
(Brian Aslakson) writes:
> melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) writes:
> 
> >I know someone that wants to purchase a computer to do a lot of
> >spreadsheet work.  But I am hesitant about recommending a Macintosh
> >because she only wants to spend about $2500 dollars on the computer
> >and that is only enough for a Mac Plus or an SE.  I personally find
> >the 9" screens on Macs unbearable, especially when using a
> >spreadsheet; too much scrolling back and forth.  Is the small screen
> >something that most people learn to live with, or are large screen
> >add-ons the route to go(how's their performance)?  I really don't want
> >to tell her to get a PC with Windows!
> 
> How will a PC help with the scrolling?  The screen may be bigger, but
> the letters will be bigger, and you'll end up scrolling... (Yes, there
> are ways around this).  Yes Macs cost too much.  Yes 9" is too small.
> (Well not really, but if it's too small for her, it's too small).  With
> educational discounts, some 3rd party products, and some caution, she
> could end up with a Mac with an add on screen that'll run lots of 
> spreadsheet boxes.  Besides, Wingz is really a Mac product.  (When I
> found out the BS I had to go to to get Excel to do X-Y graphs, I decided
> I didn't like it anymore).
> 
> There are some in the departmental office who use spreadsheets alot on
> Pluses and they seem to be okay on the small screen.  (They use Excel
> and are okay on it for what they do).
> 
I've used Excel on both 9" and 19" screens. I know which I'd use if I had
the option, but a 9" screen is bearable if you use a font that's legible
in 9 point, and make careful use of Excel's split window (pane) feature.

I've seen an ad for a 14" monitor for an SE, which also allows use of the
built in monitor, for around $800 including video card. I have no experience
of this (just saw it in a MacWarehouse catalog...). I don't know
what street pricing is for SEs, but if you can get educational pricing,
this would come out as about $2200 for an SE HD40/2M RAM + extra screen.

Philip Machanick
philip@pescadero.stanford.edu