NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/sys/amiga/hardware-part1/1550

Internet Message Format | 1996-08-05 | 3.6 KB

Path: news.epix.net!PROBLEM_WITH_NODE_NAME!not-for-mail
From: [e-mail] (William Near)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: ZIP vs SyQuest
Date: 16 Jan 1996 20:01:01 GMT
Organization: epix.net
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On 15 Jan 1996 05:31:04 GMT, Phil Wright articulated:
<> On 13-Jan-96 11:32:45, William Near was reported to have said:
<> >On 12 Jan 1996 00:30:56 GMT, Phil Wright articulated:
<>
<> re: price of cartridges
<>
<> Given that the 270MB SyQuests sell for almost three times the price of the
<> 135MB cartridge, you have to wonder if SyQuest is making any money at
<> all on the 135s or have they just been gouging the owners of the 270s?
<>
<> In any case the point I was making in the previous article is that on a
<> pennies/mb basis there isn't much difference.

True. I still like having the extra 33 Mb per cartridge,
though. :-)

<> >> The Zip disks are nice and small and very rugged.
<>
<> >Have you compared a ZIP disk's size to a SyQuest EZ135
<> >cartridge lately? The size difference is negligable.
<>
<> True.  The difference between the overall size of the carts
<> isn't much but I carry mine around in their little audio
<> cassette style cases.  The EZ135 cartridge cases are these
<> bulky, ugly things.  The Zip disk, in its case, fits easily
<> in a shirt or jacket pocket.  The EZ135 case, if it fits,
<> makes an unsightly bulge.  They also take up more shelf
<> space.

OK, OK. :-)

<> >I'll agree that the platters used in the SyQuest's
<> >cartridges may be more fragile than the ZIP's disks. I'm
<> >neither careless nor abusive with my computer equipment,
<> >though.
<>
<> Same here but accidents happen and I'll put my money on a
<> Zip cartridge being readable after an accident.

I'm not worried about it. :-) I'll take my chances with the
EZ disks.

<> >The cases are no more clumsy than a CD-ROM's case
<> >is. Pop it open -- pop it closed.
<>
<> They are huge and clumsy.

I don't really mind them. I don't take my cartridges
anywhere, so portability in my pocket or in a slick case
isn't a factor for me. I do see your points, though.

<> ><> Zip disks can be ejected with a simple push of a button and come out
<> ><> immediately.  The SyQuest can't and doesn't.
<>
<> >Yes, that extra speed does require spin up/down time.
<> >About 5 seconds for each. Are you in that big of a hurry to
<> >swap disks? :-)
<>
<> No but when I want to swap a disk, I just reach, push the button and the
<> disk pops out.  Negligible delay and there's no way I can pop it out before
<> it's safe to do so.

I can't eject an EZ cartridge before it's safe either. When
I press the eject button, it first spins down the disk and
then pops the lever part way out. I can't force an EZ disk
out ahead of time. There is also an emergency eject hole
that can be accessed via a paper clip (like the Mac's disk
drive). This is only used when the power goes out and you
absolutely have to get that cartridge out for some reason.

--
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 Bill    ////\    [e-mail]    Bogey on IRC
 Near   ////\\\ A2000/030@50/Picasso II/Supra V.34
       //// \\\\              _____  __      _
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    Contributing Editor @ Amiga Report Magazine
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