Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!sri-unix!hplabs!borealis!barry From: barry@borealis.UUCP (Kenn Barry) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: Re: Sider hard disk (was Re: Expansion of early model ][e) Message-ID: <1824@borealis.UUCP> Date: Sat, 10-Jan-87 23:38:00 EST Article-I.D.: borealis.1824 Posted: Sat Jan 10 23:38:00 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 11-Jan-87 22:51:41 EST References: <8612091140.aa02744@SPARK.BRL.ARPA> <680@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP> Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA Lines: 90 Summary: A good product. From: boreas@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (The Mad Tickle Monster): >In article <8612091140.aa02744@SPARK.BRL.ARPA> AFRES.940AREFG-SE@GUNTER-ADAM.ARPA writes: >>I've been very happy with the Sider 10 meg hard disk from First Class >>Peripherals. Purchased about 18 months ago for $695 ( as I recall), I >>understand there is currently a 'Christmas Special' price available??? >>I use it mostly for CP/M and it has eaten very few files! > >I beg to differ. Mine was given to me as a Christmas present one year, >I think Xmas 1984. It arrived in mid-January (good shipping time, I must >admit), and I promptly went bonkers trying to get the thing to work. Just want to add my experiences. I've owned my Sider for about 18 months, and use it mainly for CP/M. I have never had a hardware problem with it. I nearly lost most of the disk's contents when I attempted to install their OS upgrade by just going by their documentation :-), but ended up rescuing almost all of it after talking to their tech on the phone. Overall, I am extremely pleased with their product. >[...] Called them, and got someone who didn't >know what the h*ll she was talking about AT ALL; finally got it straightened >out after about an HOUR on the phone. I thought their phone support was better than average - they actually *did* call me back as they said they would :-). I don't think the tech I talked to was a wizard, but between us we did manage to get my questions answered, and solve my problem. >The person who gave it to me bought one later, despite all of this, and >was somewhat happier. He didn't have any of these experiences, but he has >never gotten it to work with AppleWriter, which is mainly what he bought >it for. He talked to the company, and found that it cannot be used with >AW at present, for some reason or another. . . . Ended up getting a PC-AT >to use as his main computer. This is the application program's fault. Like far too much Apple software, AppleWriter is copy-protected in a way that does not allow it to be installed on a hard disk. Unless you acquire a copy that has had the protects totally removed, you're out of luck. This problem was the biggest reason that I switched from primarily using DOS 3.3 to primarily using CP/M when I got my Sider. CP/M programs are rarely protected in such an unfriendly fashion. >Another thing -- their hard-drive had to be partitioned into separate >pseudo-disks, at least for DOS3.3 The problem is DOS 3.3, not the Sider. DOS 3.3 was written to handle Apple floppy drives, not hard drives. To rewrite it extensively enough to take best advantage of a big drive would make it too different from the real thing; applications written to run under DOS 3.3 would often break. The problem is also the application programs. Even aside from copy protection, many Apple applications contain much of their own code for talking to the disks, bypassing DOS 3.3, as a way of making disk access faster, or more flexible. Such a program, even if unprotected, may require patching in order to work with a hard drive. I have had occasion to shoehorn Apple software onto both the Sider and Corvus hard drives under DOS 3.3, and found getting them to work with a Sider, was easier. They really did do a good job with the software, given the difficulties I've mentioned. DOS 3.3 is not properly modular, was not designed with the idea of adding new drivers for other drives, and this severely limits its usefulness as an OS for a hard disk. >1) you *had* to leave some space for each type -- CP/M, DOS, Pascal, and >something else (maybe ProDOS?) -- even if you weren't going to use it. The fourth OS is, indeed, ProDOS. Yes, you have to leave a little space for each, but not much, if you aren't going to use it. No big thing. Fact is, the Sider is the only hard disk for the Apple that I know of which *allows* you to use the drive with all 4 of the common Apple OS's. This was a selling-point, for me. >Note that this is just my experience. Your mileage may vary. Sorry you had such bad luck with your Sider. My experience has been much better, and I just wanted to balance the picture. Everything I have received from them (disks and hardware) was carefully packaged, and worked fine right out of the box. BTW, my only connection with 1st Class Peripherals is that of a satisfied customer. - From the Crow's Nest - Kenn Barry NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW ELECTRIC AVENUE: {hplabs,seismo,dual,ihnp4}!ames!borealis!barry