Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!hsdndev!cmcl2!panix!alexis
From: alexis@panix.uucp (Alexis Rosen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: seeking impressions about Daystar's SCSI PowerCard
Message-ID: <1990Dec16.123904.2638@panix.uucp>
Date: 16 Dec 90 12:39:04 GMT
References: <11400@pt.cs.cmu.edu> <1990Dec15.024819.17630@verity.com>
Organization: PANIX - Public Access Unix Systems of NY
Lines: 23


The comment about the PowerCard not speeding up compiles because the Control
Panel doesn't is not terribly clever. Just because Apple can't do a really
good disk cache doesn't mean it can't be done (remember Nevins Microsystems?).
Furthermore, the big loss from a cache is CPU time spent looking through
the cache. If the card is doing this there's little or no loss.

That said, I can't claim any first-hand knowledge of the Daystar Powercard.
What I can tell you is that you can do really well with the MicroNet NuPort.
It will outrun any two Wrens you care to throw at it (except the new Runner-2s,
which it's neck-and-neck with). That's _fast_.

Of course, with those wimpy 80MB Quantums, your transfer rate is just terrible,
though your seek is OK. (Therefore, if you got a NuPort without another high-
transfer-speed drive, you'd see no real speedup.) So maybe the card would help
a bit. But remember, as soon as you bust the cache, it'll get slow again...
Also, the card is being delivered _this week_. MicroNet's card has been around
for quite a while...

---
Alexis Rosen
Owner/Sysadmin, PANIX Public Access Unix, NY
{cmcl2,apple}!panix!alexis