Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!apple.com!teener
From: teener@apple.com (Michael Teener)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: drop the floppy port? (was: 16Mhz Mac Classic?)
Message-ID: <11561@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 18 Dec 90 04:06:28 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer
Lines: 24
References:<31031@<1990Dec10> <77800073@m.cs.uiuc.edu>

In article <77800073@m.cs.uiuc.edu> gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu writes:
> Why doesn't apple drop the stupid hardwired floppy interfaces and use
> SCSI to support all disk drives (hard and floppy)?  This would have
> allowed old users to upgrade 800K -> 1400K very easily (but alas,
> users wouldn't have to retire so many g*dd*mn machines, I forgot).
> 

The real problem is the relative cost of the SCSI interface (both in $ and 
amps).  The external drive has *only* drive electronics, no microprocessor 
and no SCSI chip and no RAM and no AC power supply (all required for 
SCSI).  Adding a SCSI port would add around $50 to the cost and add even 
more cable confusion to the desktop.

> Either drop the floppy port entirely, or drop the port and add a
> second SCSI bus (to keep the same throughput)!

A second SCSI port on the CPU would add significant fixed cost to the CPU 
(SCSI IC + terminators) that the floppy port does not add.

---- Michael Teener -- 408-974-3521 ---------------------------------+
---- Internet teener@apple.com, AppleLink TEENER                     |
---- Apple may know my opinions, but *I* am responsible for them     |
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