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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!duke!unc!mcnc!ecsvax!john
From: john@ecsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: IBM XT/370 and VM/PC details
Message-ID: <1396@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Oct-83 12:03:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.1396
Posted: Wed Oct 19 12:03:48 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Oct-83 02:07:22 EDT
References: ecsvax.1388
Lines: 54


Today's Wall Street Journal also reported that IBM announced a 3270
Personal Computer that provides windowing capabilities somewhat like the
Apple Lisa.  The price of the 3270 PC ranges from $4290 to $7180.

The Journal also reported that some analysts saw the XT/370 as "a response
by IBM to the growing presence of desk-top computers that make use of...
Unix...."  If these unnamed analysts are correct, the implication seems
to be that IBM does not plan to include Unix in its top of the line
PC's, or at least not now.  Doesn't this leave open an opportunity
for one of the personal computer (or minicomputer) companies to
do this?  It seems to me that three companies in particular, Apple, DEC,
and Hewlett-Packard, have made serious business mistakes by ignoring or
delaying implementations of Unix on their microcomputers.  For instance,
Unix System III is available from Unipress Software for the Apple Lisa,
but the Lisa's 5 megabyte hard disk is not adequate, to say the least.
So you must buy two 5 megabyte Profile disks, which you will throw
away if and when Apple produces or markets a larger capacity hard disk.
Surely Apple could ask someone else to design and build a twenty-
megabyte hard disk for them.

DEC's inability to accept Unix is well known, but the problem
here is particularly forceful when Unix is compared with the
Professional (?) Operating System (POS) for the DEC Professional
325-350.  How anyone could think this operating system preferable
to Unix is hard to imagine.  Although DEC has announced a
Programmer's Tool Kit so that BASIC programs at least will no
longer have to be compiled on a large 11 system before they can
be run on the microcomputer, this Tool Kit is not yet available.

Similarly, Hewlett-Packard has focussed its resources on yet
another IBM PC like machine;  But H-P had planned to announce
a Unix system for its 68000 system as early as last April.
Apparently the 150 took a higher priority.

Even within the smaller microcomputer companies Unix appears to
be stalled.  TYX corporation of Virginia has ported three-user
Xenix to the Victor 9000, and the system works just fine,
but apparently someone near the top at Victor wanted to
control the port of Unix to the Victor, with the result that
right now no version of Unix is available for this very well
designed computer.

Perhaps Radio Shack's lack of conspicuous success with the Model
16 Xenix system has made companies reconsider their plans for
Unix, but are Radio Shack's results a good model?

john hogan
nc educational computing service
box 12035
research triangle park, nc 27709
(919) 549 0671

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