Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!munnari.oz.au!bruce!goanna!minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au!s902255 From: s902255@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au (A. Vanderstock) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware Subject: Re: The LC vs. IIsi Message-ID: <1991Jun6.010608.5253@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au> Date: 6 Jun 91 01:06:08 GMT References: <1991Jun5.175401.14345@sequent.com> Organization: RMIT Computer Centre, Melbourne Australia. Lines: 94 lff@sequent.com (Lou Fernandez) writes: >I would like to buy a Mac for home use and am trying to decide what >model is appropriate. At this point, both the LC and IIsi seem like >viable choices and I am trying to determine whether the IIsi is worth >the extra $1K to me. Even though the IIsi doesn't have a floating point co-processor, it has the expansion capabilities that you will need later. >Today, my requirements are fairly modest. I expect to use the machine >primarily for spreadsheets, word processing, and home finance programs. >I will probably get a black&white monitor rather than color. My primary >concerns are for longevity and future expandability. Go for the IIsi : at least the 68882 cards aren't too expensive. >I have some specific technical questions about the two Macs but I would >also appreciate a pointer to a good technical reference about the Mac >line which I could read to answer these and other questions. If these >are FAQ or the subject of recent discussions, a pointer to a >comp.sys.mac.* archive would be helpful. >1) Memory capacity >As memory continues its drop in price, I believe future Mac software >will require much more of it. The literature says the LC is limited to >10 Mbytes and the IIsi to 17 Mbytes. What are these limits based on? >Will they be different when 16 Mbyte SIMMs are available? How many SIMM >slots does each of these machine have and what are the speed >requirements? Mainly the available space for SIMM slots. With System 7.0 on the IIsi, you don't really need all that much RAM, and you can emulate Virtual memory. See your Apple dealer for RAM upgrades. 70 ns RAM is typical for 20 MHz machines though. >2) Video performance >How do the LC and the IIsi differ in their built-in video support? Does >using the built-in video slow down the machine? Is there a black&white >mode which can be used to reduce this slowdown? The LC has a custom video controller : it can display 512*342 in 2, 16, and 32768 colours (with VRAM upgrade), and 640*480 in 2, 16, and with the VRAM upgrade 256 colours from 16,000,000. There are performance hits, but this is true with any Mac. It is just that without the 68882, you tend to notice spreadsheet slowness and other tasks. The IIsi is more like the Mac II's original video card : 640*480 in 2, 4, 16, and 256 colours. >3) Expansion slots >Both the LC and the IIsi appear to have expansion slots of some sort but >how many and what kind? (Neither appears to be a Nubus slot.) Do you >think the expansion slot on the LC is a dead-end? LC has a little space that is I think a PDS slot. But in a *very* funny formfactor. The IIsi has 1 slot that is more like normal NuBus, but uses a different connector. It also has a PDS slot. >4) Other functional differences >I understand that the LC cannot support virtual memory. However, I can >buy LOTS of real memory for the price difference between the LC and the >IIsi. This could still be a problem if the LC has architectural limits >which prevent it from being able to access lots of real memory. In the end, virtual memory is still going to cheaper than real memory, and if you're going to spend an extra $1k, you may as well get the IIsi anyway. >Are there other important functional differences between the LC and the >IIsi? Which of these might prevent some software which I buy in the >future from running on the LC? Not really. Since so many people are already buying LCs I am sure that many low to medium packages will build in support for it, or at least workarounds. High end packages may still need the extra that a 68882 provides, and Mac II compability is always a bonus. >Thanks in advance for your insights into these questions and for any >other observations on the LC and IIsi which you feel are important. >...Lou >-- >Louis F. Fernandez Sequent Computer Systems >lfernandez@sequent.com Mail Stop SPL1-722 >503-578-5113 (voice) 15450 SW Koll Parkway >503-578-5271 (fax) Beaverton, OR 97006-6063 -- Andrew Vanderstock s902255@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au