>Are they SCSI? or MFM ?
They are a stock MFM drive with a special controller that connects to the Lisa's parallel port (and use an Apple proprietary communication protocol like the Widget and ProFile).
Unlike SCSI, you can use a parallel port Lisa drive with any Lisa operating environment. SCSI is supported only in MacWorks Plus/MacWorks Plus II.
>Are they any easier to keep running / replace than Widgets ?
Since spare parts for a Widget would likely need to come from another Widget, they might be easier to keep running.
However, since the MFM drives may be, um..., 'modest' quality (Kalok brand) and are otherwise rather old, and not so easy to replace, they might be just as much of a nuisance as the Widget.
One possible advantage is the onboard firmware is reportedly capable of performing a low-level format (unlike the Widget, as far as I know). A possible disadvantage is that there may be serious bugs in some of the early firmware versions.
If you are working on a collection, then I would think you should start with the Widget. If you are after a working system, one of the modern IDE based ProFile substitutes would be a more maintainable alternative.
HTH, James
James MacPhail "Think not of engineering as art, uo957_at_email.domain.hidden but of art as engineering" Sigma Seven Systems Ltd. james_at_email.domain.hidden <http://SigmaSevenSystems.com>
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