Re: hardware needed for contractors

["Arlen P. Walker" <arlen -dot- walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>]

Doug asserts:
>Arlen writes, regarding the PowerMac:

>***************
>..It runs everything a 286-based PC will run, at speeds approaching that of a
>486SX. This software is supposed to be updated by the end of the year to do a
>full-scale 486 emulation, with no speed loss.
>***************

>Although the Mac compatibility you describe is impressive (far better than I
>would have expected) "speeds approaching that of a 486SX" isn't all that fast,
>especially given the price of the machine.  As for new software at the end of
>the year; well, how long has it been now since Microsoft promised us a
>WinBasic-like macro language in MacWord?  And for how many years was System 7.0
>going to be available "before the end of the year?"

Agreed 486sx isn't blazing speed, but you only need it if you're trying to
run DOS/Windows apps. If you want speed running Intel-based apps, buy an
Intel-based machine. Personally, I don't have it on my PowerMac, and don't
really foresee a time it'll be necessary. There's nothing I've needed to do
that the Mac isn't able to do quite well, thank you.

>My point being, I'm still skeptical about this idea that the PowerPC/PowerMac
>computers will allow effortless switching between apps with different native
>environments; I've got to believe they're going to compromise one environment
>or the other for a long time to come.

Agreed. But it's *possible* to run Windows apps at acceptable speeds on a
PowerMac. It *isn't* possible to run Mac apps on a windows machine, period.
You'll always get the best performance out of apps native to your
processor. But having a machine that *can* in a pinch get to apps and data
from another can be quite useful.

Have Fun,
Arlen

arlen -dot- walker -at- jci -dot- com
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