Mac LC 475 vs Centris 610 vs PowerMac

[Jon Haferman]

In article <jspaffor.1115020808B at NEWS.SRV.UALBERTA.CA>
jspaffor at gpu.srv.ualberta.ca (J. David Spafford) writes:

> I am interested in upgrading our computers in the lab.  We are looking to
> buy either a Mac LC 475 with Ethernet card, Centris 610 or PowerMac 6100. 
> The PowerMac 6100 is slightly more expensive.
> We are a molecular biology lab and want to run the following programs:
> 
>     Paup 3.1.1
>     MacClade
>     ABI SeqEd
>     Aldus Photoshop
>     MacVector
>     Microsoft Excel
>     
> Will the PowerMac run these programs in emulation mode?  And, if yes, will
> it run quicker than the regular Mac with the Motorola chip?

  I doubt any of these programs will run faster in emulation mode on a
PowerMac. I would bet that Aldus PhotoShop and MocroSoft Excel will be
available in native form for the Powermac soon; I'm not real sure about
the other programs. My guess would be that the other programs you
listed will eventually contain native code...
  If you are going to upgrade *right now*, I would probably get the
Centris 610. If you can wait four months or so, I would get a PowerMac
when the price will drop and more models will be available. By then you
would know how many of the programs you use have native code as well.


-jon haferman