Re(2): Re(2): [SunRescue] Offerings

[James Lockwood]

On Mon, 16 Aug 1999, Reagen Ward wrote:

> I also love the older PMac cases.. The 7100 was a joy, the 7600 was better in
> some respects and worse in others.  The best I've ever used was the HP 712.

I'd have to give the Mac IIcx chassis (shared by the IIci and Q700 among
others) my vote for best design in the Mac category.  Easy-open top,
everything is right where you'd expect, and if you needed to pull the p/s
it was trivial.

> Flip-off top, no screws for the floppy or hard drives, and the HD was packed in
> some weird heat-conductive and impact-absorbing foam.  Wonderful stuff.  If
> only it were more upgradeable (like the Suns are.. You can make an old SS5 very
> fast with Ross HyperSPARC modules, and I hear that you can even pop an Ultra in
> there.  With an old HP, you get to.. well.. leave it the way it is.

ITYM "TurboSPARC", at least if you're going to stick with the SS5 mb.  If
you replace it then all bets are off, naturally.

There's an UltraSPARC upgrade kit for the SS5/SS20 going around for $2k+,
but I don't see why anyone would want to go for it when it actually would
cost less to build an AXi-based box (and that would leave you with two
machines when you were done).  I also have grave doubts about the ability
of the pizzabox 5/20 to dissipate heat.

The HP boxes are neat since they have fallen in price so much.  For what
you would spend on a decent SS5 you can get an HP 735/135 that will beat
it in just about any category.  Expansion has always been a problem,
though.  I have a 712 because it's the cheapest way to keep an HP/UX box
in the house, but there's very little you can add to it.

I'll give my Sun 4/660 "best design" credits.  Boards are easy to access,
and the little p/s hinges are just beautiful.  All welded and ground down
joints, it's amazingly strong.  IMHO better than the /x30 and /x70
chassis.

> The absolute worst I've opened so far is the e150.  Someone on this list warned
> me, and I didn't listen.  Sheesh, that thing was very weird.  Multiple layers
> of sheet metal, tons of formed foam, all to get at a standard looking board.

Yep.  Evil and demented.  I only ever had to maintain one of them, and now
it's 3000 miles away and I'm at a different job.  I think I've recovered
now.

The worst part of all is trying to get the outer skins back on after
you're done, it makes an E450 seem easy.  Second worst is probably
replacing the internal boot drive, it is most definately not hot
swappable.

-James