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From: engst@batcomputer.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Magic Sac
Message-ID: <2978@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: Fri, 20-Nov-87 22:06:24 EST
Article-I.D.: batcompu.2978
Posted: Fri Nov 20 22:06:24 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Nov-87 16:38:22 EST
References: <460@aucs.UUCP> <57900011@sfu_cmpt> <1275@csib.csi.UUCP>
Reply-To: engst@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Adam C. Engst)
Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 53
Xref: utgpu comp.sys.mac:8840 comp.sys.atari.st:5951

In article <3548@uwmcsd1.UUCP> hammen@csd4.milw.wisc.edu.UUCP (Robert Hammen) writes:
>In article <289@lakesys.UUCP> martin@lakesys.UUCP (Martin Wiedmeyer) writes:
>>
>>	Perhaps you might have overlooked the Magic Sac for the Atari ST. It
>>runs Mac software 20% faster than on the Mac....:-) (the clock's a little
>>faster....)
>The Magic Sac works with the 64K ROMs, and even Apple has announced that they
>will no longer support the 64K ROMs anymore - most new commercial applications
>that I have seen require the 128K ROMs.

This is true, however, David Small is reportedly working on adding features
of the newer ROMS.  Also, there is a lot of Mac software which still runs on
those poor outdated 64K ROMs.

>Also, if I am not mistaken, there is
>no way to interchange disks between the two machines (read Mac disks in an ST
>or read ST disks in a Mac), this really isn't a viable alternative.

Not true.  Data Pacific just released the Translator One, a box which plugs
into the ST's MIDI ports and somehow modulates the signals coming from the
normal ST drive so that the emulator thinks they are coming from an odd Mac
drive (I have more trouble with Mac drives on Cornell's public Macs than any
other computer system we have percentage-wise, though I heard the C-64 had a
similar problem).  The only problem is that it only currently allows MFS
(though double-sided) disks.  Again, Small is working on getting it to
support HFS.

>I was also
>under the impression that the speed difference was related to the Mac's 
>handling of the video display (a problem which the SE and some third party
>RAM upgrades, most notably the MonsterMac, don't have).

That wasn't what I heard, but since I don't know I won't comment.

>>	Marty
>Robert Hammen	Computer Applications, Inc.	hammen@csd4.milw.wisc.edu

In general, I would say that the Magic Sac makes sense for some people,
namely those who don't need a Mac exclusively (emulation is never as good),
those who are strapped for funds yet want use of some Mac products, and
those who want a faster Mac with a bigger screen for less money, despite all
the problems with an emulator.  It also makes a lot sense for those who
already happen to own an ST and can't afford another computer.  It certainly
will never replace or probably even compete much with a Mac.  But it is
still a wonderful hack!

                                              Adam Engst



engst@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu

pv9y@cornella.bitnet