Why shouldn't I shouldnt I install software to my external HDD?

SSD:

1. Any internal drive would be faster than an externally connected HD via USB 2.0(regardless of SSD or HD).
2. External drives should be for data storage only due to the relatively slow speed of USB 2.0 and the fact they can be fairly easily corrupted by drops/liquids/etc (at some point we all forget about them being in our bags and do something stupid with our bag... i.e. get angry and throw it!).

There is no reason why you shouldn't if you have space.

The reason people say get an external HDD is because sometimes 64 GB/128 GB just isnt enough for most people, so they use an external HDD. If you have enough space, use the SSD for sure. The speed difference is in a world of its own.

Xcode from the Mac App store is 1.81 GB.

...

Stanoefc said:

I have a MBA 11", 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM and I'm planning to install Xcode on it and just wanted to know;

1) why shouldn't I install it to external HDD
2) why should I install it to SSD?

3) what would you install it on? SSD or external HDD?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

The external HDD will probably operate at a speed 90% slower than the internal SSD. If you are ok with that then put it on an external.

To be honest most of Xcode has to be on main HD.
I'm not sure if you can install it on external

Jordan9 said:

Xcode from the Mac App store is 1.81 GB.

Click to expand...

Note that this is the compressed size. I checked my "Developer" folder on my hard drive (ie, where XCode 4 and all the includes files and whatnot installs), and it's 7Gb - and I'm quite sure I don't have much "clutter" in there at all, it's pretty much a fresh install.