🚀 go-pugleaf

> >Performa 6400 and the PowerMac 7500/100...
> 
> In your case, you want the machine with the most ram;) Seriously, I
> wouldn't take home a PPC Mac without AT LEAST 32MB of ram.
> 


I disagree with the literal interpretation of this point.  Take it home,
THEN buy the RAM.  The Chip Merchant in San Diego, or RamJet will save you
a good chunk of change on large amounts of RAM.  If you are uncomfortable
doing the installation yourself (watch that static electricity! ), then
perhaps your tech support office will do it for free.  You're at Tulane,
right?  They should help you out.

But, yes, you should buy lots of RAM.  Get at least 32MB total, and more
if you can afford it.

FWIW, I know some people who purchased a 6400/180 (on my advice) for their
first computer.  They are very, very happy with it.  However, you sound as
if you don't need any of the user-friendly "this is a mouse - can you say
mouse?" stuff that ships on the Performa.  OTOH, you can always yank that
introductory software off the HD.  There's no hardware penalty for its
presence.

The main hardware issues with the P6400 are the damn geopod modem, which
can always be upgraded, and the limit of 2 PCI slots, which cannot.  You
might want to ask yourself if graphics cards and their brethren will be
important to you down the road.  It sounds like they might.

-Mark

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