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From: roy@nlm-vax.ARPA (Roy Standing)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: MacBottom and Levco 2 Meg Mac
Message-ID: <1007@nlm-vax.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 17:37:21 EST
Article-I.D.: nlm-vax.1007
Posted: Wed Nov  6 17:37:21 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 20:53:59 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: NLM/LHNCBC, Bethesda, Md.
Lines: 69


I have used a MacBottom 10Mbyte drive for several weeks now.  I upgraded
that machine to 2Mbytes RAM (Levco Monster Mac) more recently.

MacBottom advantages:

 1. non-invasive
 2. transportable to other Macs
 3. user can create/delete and resize volumes
 4. the Finder can be locked -- it is always the Finder
    used when returning to the desktop

MacBottom disadvantages:

 1. slower than Hyperdrive
 2. decreasing a volume's size wipes out the volume directory
 3. must boot from a floppy
 4. no security features

Levco advantages:

 1. large RAMdisk available
 2. switcher can really strut its stuff
 3. can boot as 512K Mac by use of Reset and Interrupt switches
 4. can populate board for 1Mbyte, 1.5Mbyte, or 2Mbyte
 5. Expansion connector will support SCSI hard disk

Levco disadvantages:

 1. doesn't pass Mac diagnostics in Monster Mac mode
 2. violates Mac warranty (newer clip-on version may change this)
 3. requires use of a fan (albeit VERY quiet)

Interactions

MacBottom provides a special shutdown program to be used instead of the
system shutdown command.  The MacBottom application adds parking the
hard disk's heads on the landing track.  GOTCHA: MacBottom has a switch
to select whether the heads should land at the hub or rim depending on
the manufacture of the drive but MacBottom doesn't tell you what drive
you have and where its heads should be parked.

The MacBottom shutdown program doesn't work properly on the Monster Mac.

Summary thoughts

MacBottom is nice but 10Mbyte is just not enough in my environment.  The
lack of any security is a real problem.  Since the boot floppy must be
left out and it allows anyone to create/delete/resize volumes it is a
disaster waiting to happen.  There should be a way to block users from
changing volume paqrameters.  As presently constituted, the system is okay
for a single user environment but not for a multi-user one.

Levco's Monster Mac is GREAT, if your pattern of use takes advantage of
it.  I tend to give myself a RAMdisk with about 800K and setup Switcher
with MacTerminal, BINHEX, Packit, DA/Font Mover, DA Sampler, MacWrite,
and Finder.  This works great for uploading/downloading stuff to/from
the most useful of newsgroups -- net.sources.mac.  I find that I tend
to get a lot of mileage out of Switcher, I change the loaded applications
as I move between tasks and reboot very rarely.

If I had to choose between the Monster Mac and MacBottom I would choose
Monster Mac becuase my pattern of use really exploits it.  Others I've
spoken to would find the hard disk more useful.  Fortunately, I don't
have to choose and, warts aside, like both products.

Disclaimer: The above comments are my personal opinions.  They are not
            necessarily shared by anyone else, nor endorsed by anyone
            else.