HIT-->TECH: Purchasing Mac 5200's

[Evie Funk <funkx005@GOLD.TC.UMN.EDU>]

Dear LM_NET Friends,
Here are the responses I received to my questions
about Mac 5200 computers.  Thanks so much to all of
you who took the time to reply.
I will include my original Target message with the
replies following. If anyone out there has additional
information on this topic, send it to me, and I will
post a second HIT.  - Evie

TARGET:
Dear LM_NET Techies,
 We are completing construction on a new media center and we need to make a
decision on computers.  I've been following the discussion about Apple 5200's
and as a result, I'm somewhat hesitant to go ahead and place my order for these
machines.  Also, I wonder if it will be a mistake to order computers with only 8
RAM. The price on the 5200's is pretty good right now, though.  Any advice for
me? I'll post a HIT on any responses I receive.  Thanks so much!

Evie Funk / funkx005@gold.tc.umn.edu
Hopkins West Junior High
Minnetonka, Minnesota

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Dear Evie,
        For what its worth,(FWIW) I'd recommend upping the RAM to gain a little 
future
w/these 5200. Right now I'm running on 8MB and it seems to crash more often than
not. If ya got the extra cach (HA!) go for it, in the articles I'm reading
plenty of new software and updated software the minimun requirements are now
stretching to 16MB Ram.
        Cool one this morning here in Eureka, Montan. -7F. Sky is clear and the
somewhat full moon is highlighting the mountain nicely. Good
holidays to you and yours.
        Dave Gay
        <labdlg@homer.libby.org>
******************************************************
Evie and all,

In the December issue of MacWorld there was a brief article about how Macintosh
had "discovered" about 500 (supposedly) of the 5200's produced had a bad chip.
They are offering a free diagnostic utility which will
detect if a particular machine. I left the article at school, but I know it is
availble through AppleLink and Compuserv. They will also mail you a disk if you
call. They have a specific number set up to deal with this problem and I will
post it on Monday Evening.

Cheryl W. Stevens
Library Media Specialist
Willimantic, Connecticut
cheryls@neca.com
******************************************************
I still think it's a good machine (I love the design) but if you're buying a
whole media center full I'd buy up a bit. 8mb isn't enough for Netscape; it's
also not enough if you've got games or CDs kids tend to leave open. My sense is
that a system update should take care of the problems I've experienced thus far.

+   Peter Butts              +  "One man gathers what
+   East Middle School       +   another man spills...     +
+   Holland, MI 49423        + pbutts@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu  +
******************************************************
Evie,

We are in the same boat with the Power Mac 5200s.  We will have a new lab next
year. Just this week I have started considering moving a step up to the Power
Mac 7200.  They will cost just a little bit more, and they will not be obsolete
as soon as the 5200s.  I understand they come with a built in Ethernet card.
If there is any chance of networking then you may want to call Apple for more
information about a recent price reduction on the 7200s.  I ran a spreadsheet
yesterday that showed purchasing 7200s for our network will be less expensive
than 5200s because we will not have to buy Ethernet cards!

I hope the technical problems that were posted to LM_Net were exclusive to the
5200.  I am waiting on a fax from Apple with a the specs. for the 7200.  Are you
getting your prices directly from Apple?  Call them at 1-800-800-2775.

Best Wishes,
Vanessa
vmanson@pen.k12.va.us
Vanessa R. Manson
Library Media Specialist
Eastern Mennonite High School
******************************************************
I posted a problem message with 5200's first.  I guess I encountered problems
before others.

My problem turned out to not be the computer but the fact that I was using an
old version of RAM Doubler.  You need at least version 1.6.

After I got that squared away, all of mine seem to be doing pretty well.  You
may encounter some software incompatibilities with the 603 processor but that
is probably the price of progress.

If you use Microsoft Works 4.0, be sure you have at least version b.

I would go for it.  They are really nice computers.

Al Olson, Media Specialist                        (319) 653-6818  Voice
Washington Sr. High                                   OlsonAlanH @aol.com
Washington Community School
Washington  IA  52353
******************************************************
Hi Evie,

We have only purcahsed a few 5200's here, and so far I have not heard of any
major complaints. Appearantly the new PowerBook 5300 is very bad.

My guess is that there is a "fix" for any bad boards or chips by now. Remember
the #1 rule of hardware purchase: Never buy any machine with a low
serial number!

Doug Johnson, District Media Supervisor  I.S.D. 77, Mankato Public Schools
Box 8713, Mankato MN 56002-8713
Voice: 507-387-7698
Fax: 507-387-2496
E-mail: palsdaj@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
or:     djohns1@west.isd77.k12.mn.us
http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/staffdir/staff2/Johnson_Doug.html
****************************************
Dear Evie, I would not purchase a computer with less than 16 MG of memory.

Emily J. Honaker
EMILY_H@treca.ohio.gov
******************************************************
We purchased 11 Mac LC 580 CDs in October.  They were delivered in 6 days.  We
have had no problems.  They have 750 or 800mg hard drives and 8 mb RAM.  We
currently are running 30 programs including CDs on each one.
I will be adding 14 more this week.  They list for $1349.  We got the Reference
CD bundle with each for $200 more per unit.  The reference bundle includes
Groliers 95, Rosetta Stone (Intro to 5 languages), My
First Incrdible Amazing Dictionary, Time Almanac, Animals 2.0, Hyperstudio, The
Rainforest, 3-D Atlas, and 8 more.  Great package deal.
Can't beat it--even with catalogs and local sales.
From: Phillip G Weldon <pweldon@tenet.edu>
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End of HIT :-)