Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!ucbvax!RICHTER.MIT.EDU!krowitz From: krowitz@RICHTER.MIT.EDU (David Krowitz) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo Subject: Re: Message-ID: <9008011411.AA10103@richter.mit.edu> Date: 1 Aug 90 14:11:06 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 30 They would want to use Sun RPC in order to run the gobs of software which uses Sun RPC calls (like, say, PC-NFS, something which Apollo *still* does not support to my knowledge). Why is it that Apollo, and now HP, can't seem to get it through their heads that customers want, *need*, and *MUST* be able to use software packages that don't necessarily come from the vendor who provided their hardware? Many times we have NO choice as to the software we must run -- a collegue sends us their program which they developed on their Sparcstation and we can either a) spend 6 weeks of our valuable time to re-create the program on the Apollos rather than writing our papers/PhD thesis. b) buy a Sun workstation to run the software. Our research grants don't pay us to port software. They also don't pay us to publish papers 6 weeks after the same results have been reported by someone else. Which option do you think we would take? (I'll give you a hint: Since 1988, roughly 6 new professors in our department have bought workstations. None of them bought Apollos. In the past 12 months, 5 of the 8 professors who own Apollos have bought brand new color Sparcstations -- 6 machines at roughly $18,000 each after discount -- and only 2 of 8 professors who own Apollos have bought Apollos -- 5 new DN2500's at roughly $3500 each after discount -- that's roughly a 6 to 1 ratio in dollars spent). -- David Krowitz krowitz@richter.mit.edu (18.83.0.109) krowitz%richter.mit.edu@eddie.mit.edu krowitz%richter.mit.edu@mitvma.bitnet (in order of decreasing preference)