On Sun, 16 Nov 1997, Austin Brower wrote:

> Hello all,
>      After experimenting with NetBSD/Mac68k 1.2.1 on my high school=B9s M=
ac IIsi, I have decided to buy my own Mac to use NetBSD on.  Since I am bas=
ically a poor teenager, I looked into buying an older II series Mac.  I cam=
e up with two choices:
> Mac IIcx - 8mb RAM 80mb HD and 8-bit video w/mouse for $99
> Mac IIsi - 5mb RAM 40mb HD w/mouse for $99
> (These are both from Small Dog Electronics)
>=20
>      My problem is this: what system would be the best for NetBSD?  The
> IIcx is slower, processor-wise, than the IIsi, but the IIsi only has 5mb
> RAM and a small HD.  Which would be the most bang for the buck?=20
>=20
=09The 40MB disk is probably going to be too small to run anything
=09usable (80MB will be tight).

=098MB/16Mhz should definitely be better than 5MB/20MHz, until you
=09upgraded the memory the extra MHz won't really help much...

=09Plus the IIcx should have three nubus slots (in case of ethernet
=09cards etc), against the si which has only a PDS slot - if the IIsi
=09has the PDS to nubus adapter that would definitely help...

=09You'll need a PMMU, plus an FPU would be helpful... Check before
=09you buy, NetBSD will not run without an PMMU, plus X11 will be
=09much slower without an FPU.
=09
=09Between those two _I'd_ definitely go for the IIcx, even though
=09the IIsi is cuter :)

=09Note: I don't run NetBSD on my macs yet (just on sparc/i386), but
=09I used to run it on sun3 (also m68k) kit, and particularly if you
=09plan on compiling or running X, you are going to _really_ notice
=09that extra 3MB (plus want more of course :)

=09=09David/abs

   _.oXo._   Too complex to explain, too simplistic to admit.   _.oXo._