Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!gsm001!gsm From: gsm@gsm001.uucp (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: General Mac questions Message-ID: <1991Jan18.212051.457@gsm001.uucp> Date: 18 Jan 91 21:20:51 GMT References: <2508@westmark.WESTMARK.COM> Organization: Geoffrey S. Mendelson -- Software Consulting Lines: 77 billy@westmark.WESTMARK.COM (Bill D'Augustine) asked: > >I am contimplating getting myself a Mac Classic computer, and have >some questions I an curious about. > I have recently purchased a Mac Classic. If you use system 6.0.7, which is the earliest release that works (there was a 6.0.6) and is supported on a Classic, you will have trouble fitting any applications on a 1.4meg floppy. The price of $500 for the two meg ram, 40 meg disk is actually quite a bargin. The drives sell for about $399. new. They are Connor 1" high 3 1/2" scuzzy drives. You can pick up a used one on the net for about $250 plus shipping. The extra meg of ram is not just a SIMM (plug in module), there is an expansion card reqired too. So what you end up spending is: Used drive 250 1meg Simm 40 Non Apple card 150 ___________________ total 440 Considering the Apple version costs you only 60 bucks more, its worth getting it for the warrenty. Note that this was with a USED drive, with a new on its almost $150 more. As for price, you can easliy get your local dealer down to $1400 for the 2/40 system (I did). I have heard that Heath/Zenith sells them for $1300, but I did not bother to check them out as I had already bought mine. I would not bother buying an Se as the two differences are: 1.) It has an expansion slot and 2.) It has a second floppy drive bay. Since the Classic has an expansion slot (disguised as the memory card slot for the 2meg model), number one is a moot point. You can already buy non Apple memory and 68030 cards for the Classic. A second floppy is not really worth it, as an Apple 1.4m floppy drive is almost as expensive as their 40m hard disk. If you use an internal hard disk on the Se, you give up the second floppy bay anyway. I expect that you will want the hard disk as soon as you get the machine. I also expect that you will want a 68030 in a few months. The Classic is infuriatingly slow. I do not have another Mac to compare it to, but I do have a 12Mz 80286 and an Amiga 2000. Both machines seem to leave the Classic in the dust. It's not really that bad, but since you can't see the disk activity light (there isn't one) or hear the disk, (it's verrrry quiet), it just seems to be standing still alot. Then on the other hand, if you don't get bored easliy, you may not care. If you've never had a "personal" computer before, I suggest that you look at a used Mac Plus. You can get one for about $500. or less if you bargain. Just make sure that it has at least 1meg of ram, and an 800k floopy drive. If you have it for a month and decide you aren't one of "the rest of us", (you prefer a command line interface) or you decide you like the Mac, but want speed or color, you can sell the plus for very close to what you paid for it and get a system more suited to your needs. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Geoffrey S. Mendelson | Computer Software Consulting | Dr. | | (215) 242-8712 | IBM Mainframes, Unix, PCs, Macs | Who | | uunet!gsm001!gsm | | Fan too!|