Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wlbr.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!scgvaxd!wlbr!steve From: steve@wlbr.UUCP (Childress) Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.pc,net.micro.mac Subject: AT&T UNIX-PC aka PC7300 aka SAFARI IV Message-ID: <311@wlbr.UUCP> Date: Wed, 24-Apr-85 03:38:02 EST Article-I.D.: wlbr.311 Posted: Wed Apr 24 03:38:02 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 27-Apr-85 03:42:52 EST Organization: Eaton IMS, Westlake Village, CA Lines: 103 Xref: watmath net.micro:10137 net.micro.pc:3770 net.micro.mac:1168 ... ... Well, here are MY personal views on the AT&T UNIX-PC or PC7300 or whatever they're calling it.... >>> The following are NOT necessarily the views of my employer... etc I looked over the PC7300 for about two weeks. Config: 1MB RAM, 10MB disk, one floppy, mouse, multiplan, wordprocessor X, GSS windows. This machine is competing with the IBM-PC/AT ... not with the micros using R232 dumb terminals. BOTTOM LINE: For the price ($5-7Kea >>LIST<< for a practical machine) I think it is the most remarkable machine I've yet seen. I had a Lisa 2 for a week and was really dissapointed in it -- to the extent that I was eager to return it to the loaner. And as for the MAC mode on the Lisa -- phooey -- though the graphics routines are nice, they are using a hard (impossible) to learn interface conforming to no standard -- and because Apple has yet to write the DOS (!), the MAC/LISA/XMAC are, in my opinon, er, ah, er, ah, "of limited professional utility". But lots of sign-painters are now looking for new jobs. So for the price (and AT&T is heavily discounting (will retailers?)) I believe the thing far and away has the best price/performance to date. Now for some detailia: Highlights: o Unix sys 5.0 with C/T's DEMAND PAGING extensions o 10MHz 68010 with DEMAND PAGING VIRTUAL MEMORY (at this price?) o GSS Windows package o Approx 760 X 340 monochrome (green) bit mapped display o Drawing speed very acceptable -- comparable to MAC o Built in 300/1200 baud modem o Standard RS232 and Centronics ports o Advertised as a 1-3 user system. I suggest 2 max, if related work o Standard 512K memory using 64K chips (THEY NEED 256K chips) o 3 expansion card slots -- 1st one always used to get to 1MB (don't try 1/2 meg!) o Expansion slots are screwy bus -- AT&T promises to reveal (IF THESE WERE IBM-PC or AT compatible slots, AT&T and C/T would have an unquestionable winner. As is, they put it right into a Catch-22 -- just like the Tandy 2000!) o Fill up slots to go to 2MB. Maybe more w/256K chips? someday? o DSDD floppy -- claimed 600KB (double track) -- TEAC o Very fine windows package to enable even executives to use the UNIX-PC's applications packages and to do routine system administration, eg, backups, restores, user-enrolls, etc o Nicely integrated spreadsheet (supercomp20) and choice of vi or several fullup wordprocessors, formatters, nroff et al o Microsoft BASIC and WORD o DBASE III and Multiplan, I think o Bunches of compilers, eg., the LPI lineup o TELEPHONE manager, highlights: o Hookup 2 phone lines and 1 phone instrument o autodial w/mini-DBMS for dial-a-human; dial-a-cpu o autoanswer and logins o pickup phone and window pops into view; then dial-a-x o mini-DBMS to track current and historical notes o automatic call record keeping and on and on.... Many of the more popular (ie., useful) MS-DOS programs available now and more coming RSN... Response time v.s., say, MAC? Program loading is 10X faster on PC7300 due to hard disk. new window is about the same. AH, BUT THE 7300 can run lots of concurrent proceses in separate windows (if you like). I did so, watching several pretty pictures gyrate and listening to the page faults beating upon the disk! Time to compile, assemble, link the 'printf("hello, world")' example was around 30 seconds as compared to 10 or so on a Plexus P60 and a Vax 750. That's a heck-of-a price/performance ratio, in my book! Seriously, the concurrency enables the typical user to have "interrupted work flow" (phone rings while editing, gotta call xyz NOW, recall the memo without laborously abandoning the work at hand ... you know, practical stuff that the MAC can't do. Nor can the MS-DOS'ers, without a good, fast RAM-disk and a LOT of help from keycap macros. Soooooooooooooooooooo.... The highly integrated keyboard and mouse and applications distinguish this computer from the field. As does a virtual memory Unix on a cheap machine. I like it. It's really too bad about the expansion slots ... maybe they'll offer lots of cards to preclude the Catch-22. Steve Childress Eaton IMS R&D Group MS 43 31717 La Tienda Drive Westlake Village, CA 91360 (818) 889-2211 X2148 {trwrb, scgvaxd, ihnp4, voder, vortex} !wlbr!steve or ...wlbr!wlbreng1!steve