Subject: Re: Z50 - CF card or Microdrive?
To: Robert Brown <shox@shox.org>
From: Andrew Diller <dillera@sudanacid.com>
List: port-hpcmips
Date: 03/25/2002 11:59:13
--On Saturday, March 23, 2002 5:39 PM -0800 Robert Brown <shox@shox.org>
wrote:
> Hi folks.
>
> I just got my Z50 and it looks great. Now comes the difficult question:
> storage. Should I pick up a 340mb microdrive (Currently the Iomega drives
> are going for $135 including shipping on Ebay) or should I spring for a
> 512mb CF card for $182?
>
>
I used a 380cf card for a while, but didn't have enuff room for pkgsrc. I
just picked up a 1gig microdrive and am VERY happy with it. It seems much
faster - and it probally is while writing.
You'll need the 1 gig if you plan to play with pkgsrc. I never got the
cross-compilier to work right. The Z50 is a bit slow, but tolerable when
building its own stuff. It took it about 5 hours to build openmotif from
pkgsrc.
You absolutely need the high-cap battery. Since the z50 won't suspend,
you're stuck with the screen sucking down juice (i keep x going on mine)
all the time. With a fully charged hicap battery, X and the microdrive, I
still get about 6-8 hours before I have to recharge. Way better than any pc
latop that I have.
The Microdrive makes some clicking noises, but other than that is very
quiet.
-andy diller