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From: john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: New Mac Frustrations
Message-ID: <510@newave.UUCP>
Date: 11 Nov 90 22:33:23 GMT
References: <1990Nov9.172342.7363@umiami.ir.miami.edu>
Reply-To: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Organization: NeWave Communications Ltd, Eden Prairie, MN
Lines: 35

In article <1990Nov9.172342.7363@umiami.ir.miami.edu> gross@umiami.ir.miami.edu (Mondo) writes:

> But the biggest annoyance of all is the lack of slots.  Once again, Apple
> is beaten in cost because cheap-o PC clones and Amigas come with at least
> 3 slots.  It seems the only way they know how to reduce costs is
> to reduce features and functionality.  C'mon guys, one slot?

This is bolonga.  I run a network of PS/2 machines.  The PS/2-70's have
three slots.  One is filled with a video card (8514), two with the network
adapter, and slot three with a tape drive interface card.  Zero slots left.
My mac IIsi has a built in network port, SCSI for the tape drive, and built
in 8-bit color video.  I still have one slot free.  Thus, 3 slot PS/2 < 1
slot Mac II.  Now then, lets say I want to add something to either machine.
Chances are I cannot add it to the PS/2 because all of the slots are full,
but I still have several ports free on my Mac II.

If you really need the slots, you do have options.  You can buy one of the 
larger Macs with lots of slots (just like you can buy a some PC's with
lots of slots), or you can add a expansion chassis.

If you compare the slot problem with a PC/AT, you will get similar results.
My PC/AT Unix machine has several slots full just to get the basic machine
working.  1 slot for VGA, 1 for disk drive card, 2 for serial ports &
parallel ports, 1 for tape drive.  This is 5 slots out of 6, leaving one
free slot.

I fail to see how the single slot of the Mac IIsi is anything but a feature.

-john-

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John A. Weeks III               (612) 942-6969               john@newave.mn.org
NeWave Communications                ...uunet!rosevax!bungia!wd0gol!newave!john
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