Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!nghiem
From: nghiem@ut-emx.UUCP (Alex Nghiem)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Sota 286i and 386i Accelerator Cards
Message-ID: <26379@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 19 Mar 90 06:05:11 GMT
References: <1990Mar19.003132.29661@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
Reply-To: nghiem@emx.UUCP (Alex Nghiem)
Organization: UTexas Computation Center, Austin, Texas
Lines: 54

In article <1990Mar19.003132.29661@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> gec@cscosl.ncsu.edu writes:
>I am interested in collecting comments on either of these IBM PC
>accelerator cards (Sota 286i / 386i).
>
>Questions:
>
>(1)  Can you add additional memory to the accelerator card? How much.

In its standard configuration, both SOTA's use the existing PC's memory and
I/O peripherals. There are optional boards that allow you 
to add up to eight megabytes of memory and a 16 bit floppy 
and hard disk controller. However, with all the options added, 
its cheaper to buy a new machine.

>(2)  Does the 386 use a 386 or 386sx? Does it come with 32bit memory?

The 386 is an 386sx. It sells for about 460.00 open market with no
options.

>(3)  Any compatiblity problems?

The Sota will work with 8086 PC's while the Intel 386/PC will only work
with true 8088 IBM PC compatibles. The Sota can also run OS/2;
however, it is obvious to me that if you want to run OS/2, you 
have to buy all the options.

>Granville Errol Casey, Jr.
>NCSU Computer Science Department 
>Email Addresses:  gec@cscosl.ncsu.edu
>		  gec%cscosl@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu

The Sota 386SX is a better, later design than the Intel 386/PC. 
Everything on a Sota fits on a half card while the Intel is a full card. 
The Intel has no 16 bit floppy/ hard disk controller option. My
bottom line is what do you get for the money. The Intel 386/PC can be
easily bought at a discount. The Sota was not as available as the 
Intel the last time I checked and the Sota was not bundled with 
any 32 bit memory. In the past, some vendors bundled Windows/386 with
the Intel 386/PC.

Additional note: it seems that Intel and Sota play different games: 
Sota attempts to make their product conform will all software. 
Intel attempts to make all software conform with their product.
If a software developer conforms to the latter, the software should
work on the former.
__________________________________________________________________________
This article is posted for factual information only. Any misrepresentation,
if any, is purely unintentional. Any opinion expressed or implicit in
these remarks are solely my own.

nghiem@emx.utexas.edu
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nghiem@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
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