🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 22 Apr 1996 00:15:22 +0100, Ian Wilson <ian@wilsoni.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

> 
> Email to Evesham:
> I have decided that it is time to retire my antique but still very
> well working PC for a more powerful and feature enhanced machine.
> 
<snip>
> 
> Looking at your recent advert in PC PLUS dated May 1996 I think that
> the Platinum Triton SE - P133 - 2Gb has most of the features that I
> will require but I have a few questions:
> (note: the Platinum Triton SE has Intel advanced Endeavour 
>        motherboard + Intel 430FX PCIset + Diamond Stealth 
>        64VideoVRAM 2MB card + Corsair 512kb Pipeline-Burst cache 
>        + 16MB EDO RAM + Creative Integrated sound using Creative 
>        Labs vibra 16 chipset + TEAC CD-56E six speed CD-ROM + Vale 
>        EcoScan 17 monitor. )
> 
<snip Q1>

> Question 2:
> I see that you use the Diamond Stealth 64Video VRAM card but I have
> seen bad reports from people trying to get any service from
> www.diamondmm.com and a highly recommended video card appears to be
> the Matrox Millenium 4M.  Can you give me a Pro and Con comparison 
> of the equivalent models of these cards?
> 

Millenium is quicker than Stealth64Video. Maybe not much. Diamond have had
ropey Win95 support in the past, sorted out now I think, but this might be
important to you.

Make sure you need a 4M card. 2M is enough for 800x600x24bit or
1024x768x16bit, so 2M should be fine for most people. Some 2M cards can be
upgraded to 4M later, and this can save >100UKP cf 4M version.

> Question 3:
> In view of the small size of my current hard disks I simply zip files
> to diskettes for backup every couple of months.  I can see this being
> a much bigger problem with larger hard disks.  What back up system
> would be most appropriate for me?
> 

Several, tape is available, as is removable hard disk at a similar price.
The cheapo option is to use a spare hard disk (eg 1Gig for 150-200UKP) if
you're worried more about drive failure than data security. Removable hard
disks are better for occasional full backups, rather than regular
incremental backups (go for tape/optical).

> Question 4:
> I am totally undecided about Windows versus Windows95.
> Most of the Windows95 comments that I have seen have been about
> missing drivers but I assume that this is irrelevant to me since 
> if you are supplying hardware then naturally all required drivers 
> will be with it.

Shouldn't be an issue at all, even Diamond have got a good set of drivers
out now (see above)!

> What are the significant things that would be good
> reasons for going to Windows95 or staying with Windows?
> 

Not much really, but arguably better Internet support on 95. If you're
happy with your 3.1 setup, might be best to stick with this. However, some
32 bit apps need 95 or NT, so you may want 95 for future purchases. If
you're getting a lot of bundled software, you may have to get 95 to run it.

> Question 5:
> Can I install my IBM 4072 Execjet printer on the Platinum Triton SE
> and will it work OK under Windows95. I do little printing and am 
> very happy with the quality of the print output of the Execjet.

IBM 4072 Execjet driver is included with Win95. So no software problems,
but check the cables.

--- 
Hemal Popat
hemal@popath.demon.co.uk