🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <413o8i$o5t@dockmaster.phantom.com> steveg@phantom.com (Steve G.) writes:

interesting FAQ, and advert :^)

>***SECTION 10: IOMEGA ZIP vs SYQUEST EZ135
>SyQuest has released a new drive called the "EZ135" (formerly known by 
>its code name, "Roadrunner"). This drive costs ~$230 for an external 
>version (~$200 for an internal version) and uses ~$25 cartridges that 
>store 135-MB each. EZ135 weighs about 2 lbs (twice as much as the 
>diet-conscious Zip), but is also about twice as fast.
>There are many mixed messages about which drive will ultimately prevail. 
>However, I personally feel that the Zip drive will be the winner for 
>several reasons. Here's why:

>* The Zip drive is cheaper. Zip costs $200 for external, while EZ135 is
>~$30 more.
for a measly $30 you get twice the speed and an extra 30MB. How 
can the ZIP compete with that?
Furthermore, the Zip drive is now available 
internally from >Power Computing and soon as an end-user installation kit, and 
chances are >it will cost considerably less than the EZ135's internal price of 
$200.>* Zip cartridges are smaller, lighter, and more transportable. EZ135's 
>cartridges need to be stored in the same sort of padded carrying case as 
>"standard" SyQuest cartridges, making then considerably more bulky to 
>transport. As a result, you'll likely see less of them being used with 
>portable computers and, consequently, with desktop machines.>* Zip already 
has a substantial market lead over SyQuest. Historically >speaking, the Mac 
market hasn't had much in the way of brand-loyalty. >SyQuest drives became the 
predominant standard not because of any >outstanding features, but simply 
because they were cheap in comparison to >the more expensive Bernoulli drives. 
Similarly, the Zip is cheaper than >EZ135.
but if people compare the speed, storage space? an extra 300MB per 10 disks is 
nothing to sneeze at!
>* The Zip is being offered as optional equipment in 
Power Computing's Mac >clones (and hopefully -- eventually -- Apple's own 
products), whereas the >EZ135 is not. This has the potential to give the Zip 
drive an even larger >market share.
>* Though EZ135 is faster, Zip is already fast enough for the majority of 
>users. QuickTime movies, sound files, and similar time-intensive files 
>play just fine from Zip. Only a comparatively few users will actually 
>_need_ the additional speed that EZ135 offers, and when you consider this 
>in relation to everything else, the EZ135's speed becomes a 
>not-so-important factor.
what 'everything else'? people may not _need_ the speed, but I think they will 
_want_ it :^)
>* EZ135 cartridges hold about 30-MB more data after formatting, 
true, but >is that enough to justify a more expensive, heavier drive?
I generally don't walk around with my drives :^)
 I don't think >so. Again, the fact that the Zip is so easily transportable 
makes it the >better drive, regardless of the data storage capacity. If 
SyQuest's new >drive were to hold, say, 200-MB or more it would be a 
considerably >different story.
>* People may be angry at SyQuest for "holding out" on the community. More 
>than a few users have wondered out loud why SyQuest didn't introduce the 
>EZ135 before Zip came on the scene. The most logical answer is that 
>SyQuest was making so much money off its other, lower-capacity drives 
lower capacity? only the 5-1/4" 44MB and 88MB, everything else is over 100MB

>that they didn't want to rock the boat by introducing the EZ135. Only 
>when Iomega started severely cutting into SyQuest's market did SyQuest 
>respond with the EZ135. In short, it seems that SyQuest was more 
>interested in lining its own pockets instead of advancing the technology. 
>While this is probably good for business, it doesn't make the users any 
>happier.
"more than a few users"? I haven't heard ANY users even mention it, quite 
frankly.

>It's ultimately a simple matter of time deciding which drive will 
>prevail, but if I had to place money on the outcome, I'd bet on Zip.
let me guess. you own stock  :^)
>- - - - -
>***SECTION 11: IOMEGA JAZ-THE NEXT GENERATION
now this is a good thing! on my Xmas wish list!
wonder how Syquest will respond?

>steveg@phantom.com
>==========