Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!ucdavis!iris!lim
From: lim@iris.ucdavis.edu (Lloyd Lim)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Don't toss those SIMMs
Keywords: 256K, 1M, SIMMS, SOFTSTEP, Computer Care
Message-ID: <3769@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>
Date: 7 Mar 89 03:14:18 GMT
References: <1198@nic.MR.NET>
Sender: uucp@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu
Reply-To: lim@iris.ucdavis.edu (Lloyd Lim)
Distribution: usa
Organization: U.C. Davis - Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Lines: 38

In article <1198@nic.MR.NET> dfazio@gonzo.UUCP (Dennis Fazio) writes:
>[...]  At the risk of sounding like a
>commercial pitch, here is a summary of the info on their products.
>[...]
>Prices are current as of March 1, 1989:
>[...]

To provide some balance, here is my humble opinion:
While these upgrades are a great idea, they are not as cost effective as
they seem.  I looked at these a couple months ago and decided not to buy them.

Plus/SE upgrades:
1. You're limited to 2Mb, if you want more, you throw away your investment.
2. If you might buy a new machine, note that you can't transfer them to a
	Mac II and Softstep IV & V don't interchange between Plus & SE.  If this
	is a problem, you throw away your investment.
3. The cost of Softstep I is quoted as $425 to give you 2Mb.  At current
	prices, $400 will get you 2 1Mb SIMMS and give you 2.5Mb.

II/IIx upgrades:
1. The cost of Softstep II is quoted as $950 to give 4Mb.  At current prices,
	$800 will get you 4 1Mb SIMMS for 4Mb.

Most likely Softstep will drop its prices to come in line with current
prices but I think it's likely that SIMM prices will continue to fall in the
next months.  As long as you get SIMMS that are 120ns or better, you'll
have no problem moving them among machines if you have to.

The only upgrade I see as being really useful is III if you're lucky enough
to have tons of 256K SIMMS lying around and you don't have space problems.

Just adding my opinion for buyers considering these upgrades.

+++

Lloyd Lim     Internet: lim@iris.ucdavis.edu
              Compuserve: 72647,660
              US Mail: 146 Lysle Leach Hall, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA 95616