HP3000/HP 3000 FAQ

Last Updated: Thursday, February 01, 2007 02:38 PM

CD Roms for MPE Updates

3.4. CDRoms for MPE updates

3.4.1. Host based vs. PC based CDROM drives

We are considering buying a CD unit for our 992. I have heard that HP offers their manuals on CD by subscription. Does anyone use these manuals on CD and what are your likes and dislikes? What else can you do with your CD unit on your HP3000?

For myself (I use a pc-based CDROM drive);                              

Likes: infintely cheaper, easier/faster to find things (very nice search
       capability), all manuals on one disc (vs. the 60 or so linear feet
       it takes to house the paper versions), using a sharable CDROM in a
       PC (Windows for Workgroups) a whole group of people can share/access
       the drive easily

Dislikes: When you DO print something out, most items don't print much like
       the paper version (margins are off/mixed portrait & landscape pages
       don't seem to print nicely), on-board illustrations are a little
       slow sometimes

Host-based vs. PC based; PC based is much cheaper and more flexible,
       especially if you already have Windows for Workgroups or other
       software that lets you share CD drives. Of course, you can't
       generate a boot tape for your 3000 from such a drive (the other
       main useage for the HP3000-based unit). I found that the CD on a
       3000 could read pc-type data (it handles most industry standards
       for CD data) but there's not much else of use to a 3000 that's
       available on a CD (unless you archive your own data to CDs?).
       With the 5.0 host-based package that lets you share the drive
       (when not in use for updates) among PC users, it helps justify
       the cost if you want it for system updates anyway...