Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!bellcore!rutgers!uwm.edu!csd4.csd.uwm.edu From: duncan@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Shan D Duncan) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: COHERENT? Message-ID: <4513@uwm.edu> Date: 16 Jun 90 17:56:31 GMT References: <4015@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> Sender: news@uwm.edu Reply-To: duncan@csd4.csd.uwm.edu Lines: 80 From article <4015@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>, by kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley): > [excessive flames about Coherents' limitations deleted] > > My $0.02 worth > > You guys would probably complain if they hung you with a new rope! > For $99, what did you expect. Interactive 386/ix, SCO UNIX 386, Everex ESIX, > and M'softs OS-2 (don't forget to add in the price of the SDK) all cost in > excess of $500. Compare what you get for $99 from Coherent, then compare > what you get for $99 from M'soft. Coherent is a multi-tasking OS, includes > a compiler that generates working code, and no doubt a whole slew of tools > that make any flavor of DOS on a PC look like a Commodore Pet. Why don't > you call M'soft and ask *them* where they hid the compiler in the DOS > distribution? PC's have been crying for an inexpensive, reliable, > multi-tasking OS for, oh lets see, seven years now. Mark Williams comes along > and gives you a compiler in the deal, and all you can do is bitch! > > Take your snivel rags home and give it a rest will'ya. If you don't want > it, then shut up. Keep using DOS, see if I care! > > kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov Jet Propeller Labs > Kaleb Keithley > > "So that's what an invisible barrier looks like" Claims, my boy, its the claims they make. That's the trouble. Interesting thought.... $500 hmmm... what do I want for $99?... what was advertised. They claim was they didn't have to charge as much as others because they did not have to pay the licensing fees. "Everything you ever wanted in UNIX AND LESS!" "Coherent is a virtual clone of UNIX" How about trying to edit a 45k text file? Tried it and got "file too large for memory". Manual says exit or the file will be truncated (they package their own version of microemacs - that has it's own problems.). The tech people said no way would I be able to edit a file that large... now if that is true or not.... I wasn't real confident in their answers. It was like pulling teeth. What about aliases? Couldn't find them. $99 is the introductory price. I think to test the market... Did they mention that it might not work with esdi controller? In trying to talk to their tech people I was told that the 386 version might be out towards the end of this year and the upgrade would be similar in price. We returned Coherent because in our case smaller was not better. Can't complain about the 60 day return policy though. I sure there is a use for this product but I find it hard to believe that one could call the present version of Coherent a "powerful multi-user. multi-tasking DEVELOPMENT system." I like the C compiler with a 2k stack default :-) Everything in quotes is from the add they have been running in Byte for the last couple of months. Oh in the comparison to SCO Xenix version 286 2.3.2 they mention a price of $1495.00 Does seem as though they are making a direct comparison now doesn't it? Sorry but I found Coherent in its present state to be more of a toy than a serious piece of software and $99 for a toy... well...