On 3/19/02 chuck goolsbee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I've been brewing my response all weekend Sidney. (as my wife would > confirm, I frequently think a long time before I open my mouth.)
WISE MAN, Chuck, great for a long and happy marriage... ;-) > > I have a hard time calling myself a 'fanatic'... I love my 2400c, but > I am not fanatically devoted to it. It has a few shortcomings (RAM > limit, vRAM limit, and lack of replacement batteries being the big > ones) that I can't overlook. I can live with them, for now. What I > love about my 2400c, and makes me use it everyday with joy are: the > size and weight (or lack thereof), the amazing luck I have had with > battery life, startup speed, and long-term stability with this > particular machine (despite being a frankentosh of now three 2400c's) > ... and of course the completely personalized custom green > digital.forest paint job and clear green keyboard! =) I haven't thought of myself as a fanatic either (just an inveterate tuner/tinkerer), and my "fanaticism" isn't any more fanatic than your "fanaticism"--I haven't even painted mine yet! Seriously, I'd have been long gone too were it not for "size and weight (or lack thereof)" and its diverse utility. BUT, if anyone else re-reads your lines above, it certainly sounds sufficiently devoted (if we don't impute "fanaticism" to anyone ;-)--it's objectively way beyond what a normal user des to their computer. We've all been quietly "seduced" by the 2400--sufficiently good to keep getting the job done sufficiently well (way beyond its expected service life)...until something "sufficiently" better comes along to fit our individually complex calculus of needs. BTW I've gotten 200 extensions (w/max fonts) and a richly configured desktop to boot now on OS 8.6 in 60 sec--much faster than on other partitions but I never figured out what exactly was prolonging previous boots to 150-200 sec. > To answer your main question... > > I'd buy a 500-600 MHz upgrade if: > * The price was between $300 and $500. --Depends on size of run > * It was offered as a self-install --very tough for a manufacturer to warranty this risk (but not impossible) > * I knew it would last at least a year (backed by a warrantee) --tougher by prior two points (but possible if install risk minimized) These points have to be negotiated. Chuck, you know very well what manufacturers' typical positions are--would you be willing to install for others for a fee? Actually I'm surprised that a server farm and Unix pro like you hasn't gone over to OS X already. Some parting thoughts on ram. Actually I find 112 mb w/RD surprisingly adequate. What would be great with massive ram--and the 2400 is one of the last to allow this--is to boot from and run a large ram disk. This machine would then fly faster than any 667 MHz G4 in most ops BUT newer Macs don't allow ram disk bootup because of open firmware, just as they don't allow bootup/repairs from the PCMCIA card slot. Meanwhile, in Classic, I often open and run a dozen programs with 2-4x increased memory allocations without bumping into ram limitations. The bigger problem is that even on desktops with 512 mb - 1 gb ram, keeping 20 programs from bumping into each other in a stable stack for prolonged operations is somewhere between tough and impossible. I defy those having 512 mb - 1 gb ram to show they really need it and use it efficiently--unless they are doing Photoshop and animation all day--in which case this forum is not the right place. Sidney Ho OK, back to work and outta here for a while... ---------- Duo/2400 List, The friendliest place on the Net! A listserv for users and fans of Mac subportables. FAQ at <http://www.themacintoshguy.com/lists/DuoListFAQ.shtml> Be sure to visit Mac2400! <http://www.sineware.com/mac2400> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Need help from a real person? Try. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------- Dr. Bott | 10/100 Ethernet for your 2400 is finally here! MPC-100 | <http://www.drbott.com/prod/mpc100.html> RoadTools $30 PodiumPad available at Apple retail stores, $20 Traveler CoolPad at Staples. Both in white for iBooks at <http://roadtools.com> Midwest Mac Parts ][ <http://www.midwestmac.com> After-market parts for Macs. ][ 888-356-1104 ][ MacResQ Specials: LaCie SCSI CDR From $99! PowerBook 3400/200 Only $879! Norton AntiVirus 6 Only $19! We Stock PARTS! <http://www.macresq.com>
