Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84 chuqui version 1.7 9/23/84; site daisy.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!drutx!ihnp4!nsc!daisy!david
From: david@daisy.UUCP (David Schachter)
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.arch
Subject: Re: 386 Family Products (8086 sucks debate)
Message-ID: <133@daisy.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Nov-85 02:30:32 EST
Article-I.D.: daisy.133
Posted: Wed Nov 27 02:30:32 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Nov-85 07:58:10 EST
References: <7687@watrose.UUCP> <552@scirtp.UUCP>
Reply-To: david@daisy.UUCP (David Schachter)
Organization: Daisy Systems Corp., Mountain View, Ca
Lines: 31
Xref: watmath net.micro:12869 net.arch:2181

In article <552@scirtp.UUCP> dfh@scirtp.UUCP (David F. Hinnant) writes:
>In this 'age' of new! and improved! software (SuperCalc --> Lotus 1-2-3
>--> ??) I don't think maintaining the bridge between applications on
>microprocessor driven systems is as important as it once was (any may
>still be) with mainframes.   Applications software simply changes too fast.
>
>-- 
>				David Hinnant
>				SCI Systems, Inc.
>				...{decvax, akgua}!mcnc!rti-sel!scirtp!dfh

Daisy Systems has invested a few hundred person-years in writing and
debugging software for CAE applications.  Portability to us is very,
very important.  Our software ran adequately on 8086s and quite nicely
on 80286s.  The ability to run '286 software on the '386 without change
but at twice the clock rate, is a big win for us and for our customers.

It is easier to port code to different processors in the same family
than between families. At least, judging by experience porting code
between members of the '86 family and porting the same code to other
processors.

By preserving backward compatibility, Intel allows old software to run
while new software is written.  For Daisy's customers, this means they
can preserve their old knowledge (how to use old programs) and learn
how to use new '386-only programs at whatever speed they want to learn.
Backwards compatibility means not forcing your customers to convert.
That's worth a lot.

[I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY WRITING ABOVE.  NO ONE ELSE IS.  THIS ARTICLE
DOES NOT REPRESENT OFFICIAL DAISY OPINION.]