Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!princeton!phoenix!bskendig
From: bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Mac LC and system 7.0
Message-ID: <7370@idunno.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 20 Mar 91 23:45:16 GMT
References: <1991Mar20.224356.8258@ee.rochester.edu>
Sender: news@idunno.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Starfleet Academy: Princeton University
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In article <1991Mar20.224356.8258@ee.rochester.edu> rajiv@ee.rochester.edu (Rajiv Arora) writes:
>I'm considering buying a Mac LC and had a few questions I'm throwing at the
>net.

So am I, and I've thrown lots of questions to the net, too!  Anybody
else who's interested in getting an LC, please email me with your
thoughts and your considerations, and everything.  I intend to post a
comprehensive summary of everything I've learned after I make a
decision whether or not to move up, and the reasons behind my
decision.

>1. Expandability: Is memory expansion a simple matter of adding SIMMs, or does
>one have to buy a card a la the Classic?

Just add SIMMs, 120ms or faster (I believe).  The motherboard has 2Mb
soldered onto it, and there are two open slots for more SIMMs.  You
can put in two 256k, two 1M,b, or two 4Mb SIMMs for a total of 2.5Mb,
4Mb, or 10Mb of RAM.

>2. Virtual Memory. To utilize System 7.0's virtual memory capability, is there
>any way to add a PMMU to the LC?

Third-party vendors have or will have expansion boards that let you
add a PMMU.  I don't know any details about this.  Remember, though,
that virtual memory is _slow_.  I don't think this should be a
consideration unless you have a *need* for lots and lots of memory.

>3. Graphics: Can you run 32-bit QuickDraw on the LC? On the 12" color monitor
>only, or also on the 13" Hi-Res monitor? My understanding is that for the
>latter you have to purchase some sort of card (512K VRAM SIMMs?).

Without the 512k VRAM SIMM, you can get 16 colors/shades of gray on
the 13" color and 12" greyscale monitors, and 256 colors on the 12"
color monitor.

With the 512k VRAM SIMM, you can get 256 colors/shades of gray on the
13" color and 12" greyscale monitors, and 32,000 colors on the 12"
color monitor.

Neither uses 32-bit Quickdraw.

>4. What about programs like Excel that need a FPU?

Programs that expect an FPU can be fooled by the PseudoFPU INIT,
available for ftp all over the place.  There's an update to Excel that
works on the LC without PseudoFPU.

     << Brian >>

| Brian S. Kendig      \ Macintosh |   Engineering,   | bskendig             |
| Computer Engineering |\ Thought  |  USS Enterprise  | @phoenix.Princeton.EDU
| Princeton University |_\ Police  | -= NCC-1701-D =- | @PUCC.BITNET         |
"It's not that I don't HAVE the work to *do* -- I don't DO the work I *have*."