Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!mcsun!ukc!stl!crosfield!jc From: jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.applications Subject: Re: Is this Speedup program healthy? Message-ID: <10167@suns7.crosfield.co.uk> Date: 4 Jun 91 17:03:00 GMT References: <16796@helios.TAMU.EDU> Reply-To: jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford) Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.applications Distribution: comp Organization: Crosfield Electronics, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom. Lines: 34 In article <16796@helios.TAMU.EDU> ttr1415@helios.TAMU.EDU (Thom Robertson) writes: >I just downloaded the Speedup utility off of AB20. It appears to simply >change the delay times between head steps on your floppies, thus >speeding up disk access. [deleted] >Does anyone want to >hazard a guess as to whether this is healthful for my drives > and whether such speedup is really worth it? Commodore use drives from several different manufacturers. The specs they use (and give to developers) guarantees that the software will work on any amiga, so if you're developing something, STICK TO THEM! On the other hand, some machines may work happily with a faster step rate, so for your own use, on a specific machine, it could be fine. The trick is recognising how much of a speedup your drive will support _all the time_, and not just some-of-the-time-as-long-as-its-not-too-hot or whatever. Basically, the bottom line is "don't assume that just because you can get away with something on _your_ machine, that it will work on anyone elses". A number of early copy protection schemes fell down that hole, despite pleas from Commodore to stick to the specs... -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | Jerry Cullingford #include +44 442 230000 | ,-|-- | jc@crosfield.co.uk (was jc@cel.co.uk) or jc@cel.uucp x3203 | \_|__ +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ \___/