Re: What has changed in the Apple world last 6 months?

[dalloff@gcfn.org (Dave Althoff Jr)]

Paul Schlyter (pausch@saaf.se) wrote:
: In article <3a2fd875@news.svn.net>, Paul Grammens <grammens@svn.net> wrote:
:  
: > Paul Schlyter <pausch@saaf.se> wrote
: >
: >> Why?  These old Apple's had enough CPU power needed by many
: >> businesses.  The extra CPU power in modern computers is mostly used
: >> for "visual sugar" (pretty-looking GUI's etc), without adding any
: >> real content.  Or for idle cycles....
: > 
: > Nope. For example, I've worked on the computers in a couple of local vet
: > offices. Their DOS based vet software packages and data are over 50 megs.
: > Imagine how long it would take to do daily backups on an Apple II.  Then
: > there is the issue of reliability and parts availability...
: > Sorry, I disagree with you.
:  
: You're talking about storage space, not CPU power.....  <g>
:  
: But of course the Apple II is hopelessly inadequate for an
: application using a 50 Meg database; however many (most?) businesses
: don't need such large databases.  Remember that most businesses are
: small businesses...

Are you sure about that?  Given the storage space and a fairly efficient
indexing system, there is nothing to prevent an Apple ][ from working
handily with a huge database.  It would have to be striped over multiple
disks or handled on a IIgs using HFS given the limitations of the ProDOS
file system, but depending on how the database is constructed and how the
data is accessed, even a ][e could make use of it.  Processing might be
rough and slow, but not impossible...

: Finally, I wonder how efficient regarding usage of disk space those
: 50+ Meg databases you referred to were.  I mean, it's just as easy
: to waste disk space as it is to waste CPU cycles....

Don't forget that under modern operating systems the files grow with the
size of the disk due to variable block sizes.  Ever have a 50k file on a
system with a big disk that suddenly becomes a 5k file when you store it on
a floppy?  And remember that some databases store records in complete
blocks...

--Dave Althoff, ][.
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