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From: bees@druxy.UUCP (DavisRB)
Newsgroups: net.micro.apple,net.rumor
Subject: Re: Lisa/2, Mac's BIG BROTHER?
Message-ID: <982@druxy.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-Feb-84 17:29:54 EST
Article-I.D.: druxy.982
Posted: Wed Feb 15 17:29:54 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Feb-84 05:41:26 EST
References: <190@vaxine.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 41


Here are some answers to your questions.

[ Anything in quotes is taken from "Apple 32: A Developer's Handbook",
draft 2/6/84 version 1.3 ]

> Q:  How much does Lisa/2 benefit from Mac's chips and other internals?
> Same ROMs, IWM, PLA's or anything?

The Lisa 2 has "hardware advancements for media compatibility", which
means the incorporation of the Sony microfloppy.  And, "operating
system and disk-performance improvements enable Lisa 2 Systems to load
and save documents 50 to 200 percent faster."  The Mac ROM routines
that allow the Lisa 2 to run Mac software are not in ROM in the Lisa 2.
I have not read about any improvements to the Lisa motherboard.

> A:  Yes the SCC is the Zilog chip, perhaps "2 meg serial" should be read "2
> 1 meg serial", for indeed it does support 2 serial ports.  (But is it a
> pain to program!)

Between all the articles I've read, I've seen 1Mbit, 1Mbyte, 2Mbyte and
even 4Mbyte.  But, in fact, you are correct.  Apple says "1MBaud with
external clocking", and if one signal change is one bit, then 1Mbit
is correct.

> Q:  Will there be an external hard disk for Mac, or is the disk port too Sony?

Hard disks are already in the works from Davong and Tecmar.  It isn't
clear to me whether they are to use the external disk port, or one
of the serial ports.  I would hope they use the disk port, since the
controller is already set up for that port, and the two serial ports
are *supposed* to be for a modem and a printer.

> Q:  Who is working on Un*x for Mac?  A Blit emulator Mac?

I'd like an answer to this one, too.  As I understand it, unlike the
Lisa 2, the Mac was not designed to handle multiple processes.  So, I
don't know if these things are feasable.

     Ray Davis     AT&T Information Systems Laboratories     Denver
     {ihnp4|hogpc}!druxy!bees                         (303)538-3991