Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!wuarchive!husc6!popvax!kovar
From: kovar@popvax.harvard.edu (David C. Kovar)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Comments on the portable Mac
Message-ID: <3495@husc6.harvard.edu>
Date: 27 Dec 89 17:10:03 GMT
Sender: news@husc6.harvard.edu
Reply-To: kovar@popvax.harvard.edu (David C. Kovar)
Organization: Health Sciences Computing Facility, Harvard University
Lines: 62


  I purchased a Macintosh Portable about a week ago now and I thought I'd
give some non-technical opinions on it.

1) The case is, in general, nice. It looks good, carries well, and holds
   the portable. Unfortunately, I have a number of problems with it.

   a) It's designed like an old typewriter case: the majority of the case
      hinges up. When you have the portable in your arms it's difficult
      to get the case to lie flat to put the portable in it. This design
      would make sense if it allowed you access to the ports on the back
      but it doesn't: you have to take the machine out of the case to
      connect anything to it.

   b) The large pocket in the top of the case is difficult to use. I certainly
      wouldn't be able to keep papers in it very easily. The smaller pocket
      for the charger, mouse, et al, tends to allow everything to fall out
      when you're after just one item.

   c) The case picks up an amazingly strong static charge. I have to be
      careful to discharge myself when lifting the portable out.

 2) Subjectively, the machine is as fast as my SE. In other words, I don't
    notice that it is actually slower. I do notice the time it takes to
    spin up the disk after it's been put to sleep.

 3) I'm quite pleased that I can haul my office around on my portable. All
    of my client information, documentation, billing, network tools,
    spreadsheets, etc are at hand wherever I go. Makes life a lot easier.

 4) I'm not hampered, yet, by only 2MB of memory. System 7.0 will change
    that. And if I start doing development I may run into a lot of problems.

 5) I adapted to the track ball quite rapidly. I would not want to do any
    drawing with it, but for day to day tasks its fine.

 6) The screen also takes some getting used to, but once you do, it is also
    quite acceptable. Very sharp! You tend to get a bit of a "3-D" effect
    that you learn to ignore. It does require decent lighting, there is
    no doubt about that.

 7) It's heavy, but not unbearably so. The handle and the strap on the case
    are comfortable (I wish they'd put backpack straps on it) so I can carry
    it a fair distance. I've sat with it on my lap for long periods with
    no problems.

 8) They keyboard feels very good. Much better than the one on my SE/30.

  That's about it for the moment. I'm very pleased with the machine. I'm
not sure I would have bought it without the academic discount, but for
$5200 it's definitely worth it to me.



-David C. Kovar
	Consultant				ARPA: kovar@popvax.harvard.edu
	Eclectic Associates			BITNET: corwin@harvarda.bitnet
	Ma Bell: 617-646-0428			MacNET: DKovar

         "It is easier to get forgiveness than permission."

[All opinions expressed are my own. Noone else assumes responsibility for me.]