Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!csn!ub!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!afry From: afry@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Alan R. Fry) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.wanted Subject: Re: needed: 1 old mac -- working and cheap. Summary: Consider a nice *new* Classic Keywords: Classic, modem Message-ID: <13525@ur-cc.UUCP> Date: 19 Apr 91 06:29:09 GMT References: Organization: University of Rochester, Rochester NY Lines: 59 In article twilight@bnet.UUCP (Susan C. Mohn) writes: >Am looking to find an old mac (plus is ideal) with at least 1 meg on board and >(if i'm lucky) a HD -- tho i'll take one without -- as long as the FD is in >good condition. Looking to spend no more than $1000 (if HD included). > >mail me at: twilight@bnet.uucp if you have any leads on one -- this is >a first 'puter for a friend who is new to 'puters and modeming... > >also looking for a decent price on a used 2400 external -- same address. > >thanks, > > > >shade and sweetwater, twilight I would *really* encourage your friend to look at a Mac Classic. University and street prices run about $800 without a hard drive and about $1200 with 2 meg RAM and a 40 meg HD. You get a whole lot more computer than the Plus (sound input, 1.4 meg FDHD floppy drive, ADB connectors, faster than a Plus, and a one year waranty from Apple!). And now here is a VERY BAD IDEA (imho): If your friend is set on saving a couple hundred $ (or has absolutely no other choice), one can get a used, 1 meg RAM, Mac Plus for $695 + $28 shipping from Sun Remarketing, Inc. (phone 800 821-3221). I think you can somehow put an internal hard disk in a Plus without extensive modifications, and the cost of a 40 meg drive would be around $279 from someplace like MacProducts (800 622-3475). Total cost: just over $1000. Let me emphasize that I think getting a Plus is VERY SILLY with the Classic being so much more for so close a price. The Plus keyboard is a one-way road to carpel tunnel syndrome, and sheer frustration. The Plus power supply is notoriously flakey, and it will almost assuredly have to be replaced. The cost of a replacement power supply is in the $100 range. The Plus has no fan, so it is more prone to heat related failure. And the Plus is so *incredibly* slow, that you would scream having to work on one for any amount of time (I say this from with years experience and screaming :-) I'm not saying a Plus is worthless (far from it - don't flame me, Plus owners!), just that the Classic is not only a far better computer, it is a far better value, even if you find a Plus very cheap. As for modems, you could probably do a lot worse than the $99, 2400 baud Power User modem from MacWarehouse (800 255-6227). A friend of mine just bought one, and has had no problems at all with it. It comes with some telecommunications software, all the cabling, and it is nice and small. Good luck, Alan -- +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Alan R Fry | You know what I hate? | | afry@uhura.cc.rochester.edu | Rhetorical questions | +--------------------------------------------------------------+