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From: ejw@sask.UUCP (Eric Woodsworth)
Newsgroups: net.micro.att
Subject: ATT 6300+ vs. Opus board: help!
Message-ID: <389@sask.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Jun-86 15:39:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: sask.389
Posted: Wed Jun 25 15:39:32 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Jun-86 05:09:21 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: University of Saskatchewan, CANADA
Lines: 41


Many people on the net are probably battling with the tradeoffs between
PC's, which have until recently not run a decent operating system, but
for which all the software was being written, and the multiuser UNIX systems
which have been fairly expensive, and for which software, if it is available
at all, is also expensive.  Both types of machines have their definite
advantages, such as device sharing and electronic mail for the multiuser
systems, and fast response for the single user machines.

What this is leading up to is that our organization has found a few dollars
to upgrade our computing operation, and I'd like some opinions/advice to
help guide the decision.  At present we have a Zilog System 8000 and are
considering some more memory and serial ports.

An alternative, though, is a PC, possibly running UNIX, and possibly 
in a multiuser mode.  I am looking at the AT&T 6300, because I want to
have MS-DOS or PC-DOS, and am wondering about the pros and cons of the
6300+ upgrade vs. something like the Opus Systems 532 Personal Mainframe, 
which was reviewed in the May UNIX/WORLD, and which will fit in IBM-PC's
and compatibles, will support several users, and allows cooperation between
MS-DOS and UNIX.  Has anyone used both types of configurations, and do
you have any preferences?  Does Simultask on the 6300+ allow multiuser 
operation at all, and to what extent?  Is the Opus board slower than the 6300+?
What costs are involved in each?

A problem with either scenario is the redundancy of disk storage with two 
machines used by the same users, and the problem of smooth transfer between 
them.  I envisage a dedicated link between the two machines, but with only one 
RS-232 port built into the basic 6300, (any more on the 6300+?) I can't
see adding any more terminals/peripherals.  How could one make the RS-232
line support transfer requests (uucp, kermit, or crosstalk, probably) from
both ends?  Have both sides reset to call-in mode except when calling out, 
and have uucico run very frequently at both ends?  Users would undoubtedly
have to be coerced to keep their files on one machine or the other.

All comments are welcome, although flames probably won't help.

Eric Woodsworth / Canadian Wildlife Service / 115 Perimeter Rd. / Saskatoon / 
Saskatchewan / S7N 0X4 / Canada / (306)-975-{4023,4087}

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