Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!quintro!reb
From: reb@quintro.uucp (Roger E. Benz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: HP 9000/700s not running Domain/OS
Message-ID: <1991Apr2.160437.22922@quintro.uucp>
Date: 2 Apr 91 16:04:37 GMT
References: <9104011930.AA04990@hera.wri.com>
Organization: none
Lines: 60

In article <9104011930.AA04990@hera.wri.com> leland@DRAGONFLY.WRI.COM writes:
>I am happy that HP announced the 700 so I can speak of it. The 700
>is indeed a gloriously fast machine, and the performance and
>responsiveness of the machine will be an excellent competition for
>Open Windows. In fact, more than excellent.
>
I agree.  The specs make this machine look VERY nice.

>To me as an Apollo user the decision to not run Domain/OS on these
>platforms is a very very bad mistake. HP has already made Apollo users
>feel unwanted by announcing the software death of a great number of
>products that are still viable. It would not take many tweaks to the
>DM functionally to convert normal Unix users in droves.
>
I too am beginning to feel unwanted.  Why didn't HP port Domain/OS?
If their answer is because OSF/1 will do everything Domain/OS does, then
I would like to see our third party software running on it (Mentor,
Intermetrics, uniplex, Esof, AutoCad, etc).  Also, if OSF/1 is the answer to
everything, then why is HP-UX running on the 700?  Are they better than
we are?

>Note it would still take a fair amount of programming time, for in all
>fairness the prodict would have to run under X/Motif and would have to be
>available on many more platforms than Apollos.
>
>Here is what frustrates me the most about the 700. The machine
>arrived with an Apollo still packing list. It has an Apollo style
>light pattern on the front. No HP-IB interface is standard. All the
>screws on the back are the interchangeable and the machine is
>incredibly easy to service. This machine seems to be, in fact, an Apollo
>in HPs clothing. In addition, Domain/OS 10.3 has a predefined
>macro __ISP_PA_RISC which is always 0.
>
>Does this ring to you like it does to me? Did HP kill Domain/OS on the
>700? Was it planned, and even begun? You know, I bet some engineer deep
>in the guts of HP has a great story to tell about it.
>
>Pity we customers will never know.
>
>This is my opinion as an Apollo user and sys admin, and of course,
>has nothing to do with WRI.
>
>                                                Leland Ray
>                                                Wolfram Research, Inc.
>                                                (217) 398-0700
>                                                leland@wri.com


Even though we are very strong HP supporters, this is enough to make
us consider other platforms.  If apollo won't listen to us, why should
we listen to them.

As a note, we have trashed all 700 product info that we have received.
Why keep it around, we can't use the machine.

-- 
Roger E. Benz              Glenayre/Quintron
Phone = (217) 223-3211     One Quintron Way
			   Quincy, IL
UUCP: tiamat!quintro!reb@uunet or quintro!reb@lll-winken