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From: root@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: 4.2BSD on uVaxII ??
Message-ID: <391@bu-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-May-85 21:21:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.391
Posted: Sun May 12 21:21:03 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 14-May-85 07:22:47 EDT
References: <1736@ukma.UUCP>
Organization: Boston Univ Comp. Sci.
Lines: 20

I guess what I am more or less confused about is, why are people buying
microvaxes? I can think of only a few reasons:

	1. You run VMS, so you got no choices (you fool.)
	2. DEC is giving them to you for free or nearly (good reason.)
	3. You have significant applications that require
	the architecture specifically (macro code, q-bus periphs)
	4. You have great expectations for the box.

Seems from my analysis they are slower and more expensive than similar
68K boxes and promise to remain so for years, especially I/O (rumour has
it that some of the 68020s will be approaching the compute speed of the
8600 for about 2% (20K/1M) the price this fall.) Other 32-bit processors
(3B2 etc) have a similar outlook.

Please, systems administration type responses, I'm really curious.  We
can probably save the 'service' claims, this is always contradictory,
especially when DEC loves to tell you they can't fix it cuz it's UNIX.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University