Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!midway!ncar!mephisto!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!uc!cs.umn.edu!aslakson From: aslakson@cs.umn.edu (Brian Aslakson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: Spreadsheets on 9" screens Message-ID: <1990Jul25.104252.26995@cs.umn.edu> Date: 25 Jul 90 10:42:52 GMT References: Distribution: comp Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept. Lines: 30 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). Good luck! -- Macintosh related: mac-admin@cs.umn.edu All else: aslakson@cs.umn.edu