Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!pprg.unm.edu!krukar
From: krukar@pprg.unm.edu (Richard Krukar [CHTM])
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k
Subject: Re: cheap unix machine
Message-ID: <27022@pprg.unm.edu>
Date: 2 Apr 90 20:25:06 GMT
Reply-To: krukar@pprg.unm.edu (Richard Krukar [CHTM])
Followup-To: comp.sys.m68k
Distribution: usa
Organization: U. of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Lines: 37


	I agree with the advice to look into the Motorola 3000 series.  I
recently ordered (another) one and am looking forward to getting it.  As
a university type I get a 40% price break on both hardware and software.
As a Motorolan, you might do even better.

	I recommend against the unix-pc from AT&T.  The EECE department
here at the U. of New Mexico had nothing but bad luck with them.  However,
we were using them to teach C and some computer design.  If we just let
them sit in a corner and hum, things might have worked out better.  We ended
up giving them to the library after they sat in storage for teo years.  Other
universities I have talked to did similar things with their AT&T stuff.

	In the past I have posted messages wailing about Motorolas customer
support and university support.  Here is what is happening:

	University support is now being handled by the regional sales
	offices.  These folks are fully staffed and are fairly prompt
	at returning calls and such.  They also know their products and
	have some pretty good sales/system engineers.

	Customer support seems to be improving.  I recieved some email
	specifically addressing the networking bug I kept crying about.
	The bug was fixed (I here) two releases ago.  The universities
	cost for a new operating system (version 3.6) and the associated
	network services extension will be (1600 + 950)*.6 = 1530.

	I believe that the new software will support NFS, which means I
can serve my system V boxes off of our BSD style servers.  I guess the
real test will be when I configure my Delta 1147 system as an X11R4 server
and use a DecStation or Sun to display.

	...Regards
	Richard Krukar (krukar@pprg.unm.edu)
	CHTM
	University of New Mexico
	Albuquerque, NM 87131