Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!walt.cc.utexas.edu!nghiem
From: nghiem@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Alex Nghiem)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Can I run IBM PC software on Mac II?
Message-ID: <14370@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 22 Jun 89 02:06:09 GMT
References: <137@zip.eecs.umich.edu>
Sender: news@ut-emx.UUCP
Reply-To: nghiem@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Alex Nghiem)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Lines: 20

[Inquiry about how to run DOS programs on the MAC]

Your best bet is probably the AST co-processor. Be sure to get
the latest version of the driver software from technical support,
though. The version supplied with our board had mouse driver problems.
Raw 8088/80286 and Bios compatibility is excellent (Thanks to the
cooperative venture of Apple, AST, and Phoenix), but there is 
still some problem in the IO interface, such as the
MS-DOS Epson emulation<-->Apple talk printer interface,
which I have not had time to fully examine. 

There may have been an 80386 board in the works, because the driver I 
received from AST Tech support was marked MACX86 instead of the original 
name of MAC286. However, I've heard that the AST Mac division was 
sold to Orange Micro. If the board is released, Orange should support
it. I do not know what Orange's tech support for the AST boards will be like.

The is also a program called SoftPC. I've never used it. But salesmen say
it is ideal for limited PC processing. It is much cheaper that buying
the AST Board.