24 Mar
2001
24 Mar
'01
6:30 p.m.
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 22:54:01 -0500
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
From: Jeff Hellige <jhellige(a)earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: AAUI
Reply-to: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
>The Apple II floppy was incredibly ingenious, and
a great value, the Mac
>floppy the biggest ripoff this side of mil/nasa. That stinking floppy drive
>was $170 from Apple until it was discontinued, and nothing but the Apple
>unit will work in a mac.
Apple FDs very cleverly designed on the cheap and turns around
charging a leg and arm for it. Thanks alot, that's why I didn't
get FDs w/ apple II and sick mono monitor (fixed it, just a little
tiny cap) when I was given one years ago. :-P
Not too far from that truth for any pc (on the cheap and simplest
bunch of ttls and two power IC for stepper and motor). FDs in early
days till '93's. Not so with all Mac floppy drives. It has
microcontroller on it, this is reason Mac didn't poll it as much.
Mac FD does inform OS when floppy is inserted. Also more safer
because you must "close" the floppy in order to eject it, also more
automatic when install software or swapping disks, also importantly
it is quality built and runs quiet. I rather much like these
features.
The closest thing on PC is cdrom drives. Lockable by software and
ejectable on command by software. But on PC is not as seamless as
Mac drive stuff does.
Snip!
which is why one can't just pop a PC drive into an
Amiga either. Not
all platforms use passive components that require user intervention
at all times.
Amiga FDs is more closer to PC FDs with minor mods to it, even
pinouts matches.
Apple can't be blamed for the lack of drivers for
various
cards though. I have used any number of PC PCI boards in my PCI
Mac's, including USB, Firewire and video boards. The slots
themselves are compliant with the PCI standard. It's just a matter
of lacking 3rd party drivers.
Snip!
Apple isn't a perfect company but most of the
designs are
solid and they aren't afraid of taking chances to try to advance the
technology, or occasionally just to make the sale.
True.
No matter how annoying apple did to their hardware over the years, I
noticed a difference: quality and recalls, sometimes refunds if
seriously required. Yes, there is some bad quality in some, mostly
in monitors and few rare machines over the years, overally that's
minor, choose another better monitor, change hd drives. etc.
Drop few files to extend the mac for software and hardware. Add
or remove hardware, Easy, I wish that was that way on peecees but
not very totally, windows's pnp steps on pnp bios many times.
The computer users and quality parts is the difference to upkeep and
reliablity of their computers. And some bonus, I can buy used Macs
and load very useful OS of some version choices I can put on. 608,
7.0.1 w update, 7.5.5, drive the pc monitors w/ homemade adapter
cable. Many older odd ones like 7.1 and newer OSes can be had
direct from apple for under 100 dollars. Not bad.
Cheers,
Wizard
Jeff