Re: Why the Apple II was on the right track...

[shack@onyx.southwind.net (Randy Shackelford)]

Sheldon Simms (sheldon@atlcom.net) wrote:
: In article <5em56j$pkc$1@darla.visi.com>, nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates) wrote:

: > In article <5elp3q$r3k$1@scramble.lm.com>,
: > Matt Portune <mportune@telerama.lm.com> wrote:
: > >My workplace had some spare parts floating around, so I got a bigger
: > >hard drive and more RAM for the Performa.  Too bad I can't even open
: > >the system to install it.  I can't believe, because I don't have a
: > >torx screwdriver with a 20 foot neck, I can't get into this mac.

Gee willikers, it's such a {fiscal | technical | social} hardship to call up
Macwarehouse and spend $9 for the torx tool, case cracker, and antistatic
wrist strap you need to crack open one of those babies. With this logic, //c's
must not be cool since you can't just pop the top and there aren't any expans-
ion slots once you're there.
 
: >    Funny. 4 phillips screws are all that separate you from most
: > PCs. [Excepting a few Compaq Deskpros I've run across with annoying
: > star-shaped screws]

: Funny, my Mac II opens just like my IIgs. Push two tabs and pull up. My
: Centris 650 has one phillips head screw (that I never screw in) and then
: you just slide the case forward and up. (BTW the screw is fixed so that
: it can never fall out and get lost). In both cases, adding a new hard
: drive amounts to "plug", "power on". Adding memory is "open lid", "snap",
: "power on". Adding a video card is "open lid", "plug", "power on". No
: screwing around with dip switches, whacked up drivers, configuration
: files, IRQ conflicts, etc... I guess I'm just a lazy moron since I prefer
: not to have to get my hands dirty.

The compact Mac IIs (IIcx, IIci) and Q700 aren't even that tough. Pull up on
two tabs and lift off. Apple advertises the 7500/7600 box as allowing a user
to crack it open, swap out memory, hard disk, or processor card, and slap it
back together in thrity seconds. I have a QT movie showing how it's done.
The 800/840/8100/8500/9500 form factor makes you loosen four thumb screws
to lift the front, top, and sides off in one piece. Getting it back on is a 
bit of a bitch. Apple has the new 8600/9600 boxes which are designed to be
accessible like the 7500/7600. But they have a problem - they're butt ugly.
--
Randy Shackelford
shack@southwind.net