Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!caen!hellgate.utah.edu!cc.utah.edu!tjacobs
From: TJACOBS@cc.utah.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: 3 1/2 inch 1/3 height drives (Re: Why)
Message-ID: <100684@cc.utah.edu>
Date: 24 Oct 90 18:27:52 GMT
References: <1990Oct23.014900.24555@cs.utk.edu>
Lines: 39

>> >Both the Macintosh IIsi and the Macintosh LC use
>> >3 1/2 inch 1/3 height drives.  Does this mean the quantum
>> >prodrive series cannot be used as an internal drive on these
>> >two systems?  (I believe the Quantum prodrives are 3 1/2 inch
>> >1/2 height drives.)
>> >thanks.
>> >brad
>>         You figured it out, 3.5" is to big for both the LC and SI.
>>         Prodrives won't fit. New Third height drives do work...
> 
> I am puzzled why Apple did that. Maybe on purpose, so that options for 
> enhancement are more
> limited and users who want to make sure they can later use a much larger 
> drive will be more inclined to get a more expensive Mac to start with?  
> Indeed there seems to be a lot of wasted space under the Floppy drive. If 
> the plastic moulding were different, one could easily fit a second hard 
> disk, even a 1/2-height one, below the SuperDrive.
> 
> Wolfgang N. Naegeli
> Internet: wnn@ornl.gov    Bitnet: wnn@ornlstc
> Phone: 615-574-6143       Fax: 615-574-6141
> QuickMail (QM-QM): Wolfgang Naegeli @ 615-574-4510
> Snail:  Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6206

Let's see, smaller HD -> smaller power supply, smaller case, in addition to
perhaps a cheaper HD all addup to a cheaper mfg. cost. Isn't that what the
LC & Si are all about?

Perhaps the biggest savings they got in the new machines is the smaller
mother board and chip count. The Classic is reported to have a 3"x5" mother
board or there abouts.

They will probably have an exclusivity advantage for awhile, but then thats
the profit of being the first to the market with a new product. That won't
last too long.

Tony Jacobs
Center for Engineering Design
University of Utah