Previous Posts on iMac.
Lee;
Assuming your sincerity, I suggest you do some homework (plenty
of info out there) before mouthing off. PCI itself is a means
by which to add expansion cards. It has nothing to do with
peripherals. USB is the upcoming standard for PCs which AAPL
decided to adopt so Mac users would have the widest, cheapest
source of peripherals.
soup
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Reply to LaTimes on iMac Pan.
latimes.com
Mr. Piller;
IMO, your article on the iMac is unfair and inaccurate. I'm a
long time Mac-user and have sold and supported Macs to both
professional and SoHo users, so I speak with some experience.
>This wouldn't be a big deal except that the iMac renders
previous Mac peripherals obsolete, not a small problem for the
small fry.<
Newer Technologies has already announced a multi-port USB
adapter for old devices. Expect it to sell for well less than
$100. And that price should come down. Also because it will be
the new PC standard, prices for *new* peripherals should be
significantly lower.
>Instead the iMac goes to universal serial bus--the new PC
standard, which does have advantages over SCSI. Unfortunately,
USB works only sporadically due to rampant software-driver
problems, and, pathetically enough, it's slower than SCSI. ...
Windows 95 doesn't support USB effectively<
There's nothing inherently wrong with USB. (Just because Win '98
is shipping with 3000 documented bugs, you shouldn't tar Macs
with that brush.) No reason to expect the iMac wont retain
Apple's famed plug-and-play. Yes, it's slower than SCSI but
certainly adequate for Zip-type storage devices and scanners and
its certainly faster than the serial/ADB ports.
>The iMac gets rid of SCSI--a reliable, genuinely plug-and-play
technology that supports many hundreds, if not thousands, of
peripherals, from scanners to printers to storage drives.<
SCSI is dated technology fairly finickly, with ID #conflicts, 7
device limit, 7' max length, all devices must be turned on
before booting computer, no hot-swap-ability. My 9500 has a maze
of SCSI, serial and adb cables in back. A single USB port is
simpler. For a consumer level device like the iMac, the USB is a
*much* better idea. (The new FireWire technology will become the
standard for the high-end "Pro" line.)
Note: For those with an investment in SCSI peripherals, Apple
roadshow reps have said that the an adapter for the iMac's
100/10BASET ethernet connection would be available.
macsonly.com
>All this reminds me of my painful little modem experience. What
small-business Mac user needs the potential hassle of setting up
a USB floppy drive?<
Current Macs that use external floppies - the Powerbook 2400
only need to be turned off to connect. USB devices wont even
need that much consideration.
Bottom Line, an iMac buyer's getting a 500 mhz Pentium II
(equivalent), great 15" monitor, ATI Rage Pro graphics, SRS
sound, 100BT and USB compatibility, 33.6 (highly likely 56K)
modem top quality keyboard and mouse and to-die-for styling for
$1300. In addition, the software will include
Apple(nee-Claris)Works, Filemaker, Quicken, Explorer, AOL 4.1
and a games bundle. This is a *very good* deal.
C'mon in the interests of balanced reporting you should be
including this stuff.
-------------------------------
I'm Getting My iMac Together and Taking It On the Road. (Report
on AAPL taking the iMac on a User Group tour.)
via Macsonly
>A few members of the audience gave Mike and J.D. a bit of a
hard time over the iMac not having a floppy drive and described
how, in their view, that and the lack of a 56K modem were
marketing strategy goofs. The Apple guys held their ground.
The arguments are that floppies are yesterday's technology and
are dying out and the 33.6K modem is what most of the ISPs
support today and will in the near future, i.e. 56K modems are a
waste of money at the dead end as its better to have the 100Mbps
Ethernet for the future--cable and ADSL (asynchronous digital
subscriber line). I think they convinced me.<
>On USB, he assured the audience that there would be every kind
of USB peripheral available when the iMac ships in August. Visit
the USB web site to see for yourself. This includes floppy
drives, scanners, modems, printers, etc. He extolled the virtues
of USB being cross-platform, hot swapable, faster than serial
and ADB and SCSI-2 ports and supporting up to 127 connected
devices. In the Q&A period, it was stated that there will
probably not be a USB to SCSI interface but there might be an
ethernet to SCSI interface developed by a third party.< |
