Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!mordor!styx!ptsfa!ihnp4!cuae2!ltuxa!we53!sw013b!dj3b1!killer!jfh From: jfh@killer.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k Subject: Re: New Cheap Unix Boxes Message-ID: <789@killer.UUCP> Date: Tue, 21-Apr-87 19:01:45 EST Article-I.D.: killer.789 Posted: Tue Apr 21 19:01:45 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 25-Apr-87 08:22:30 EST References: <339@hqda-ai.UUCP> <2926@ecsvax.UUCP> Organization: The Unix(tm) Connection, Dallas, Texas Lines: 47 Keywords: unix cheap Summary: Whoa - reality check In article <2926@ecsvax.UUCP>, emrozek@ecsvax.UUCP (Ed Mrozek) writes: > In article <339@hqda-ai.UUCP>, merlin@hqda-ai.UUCP (David S. Hayes) writes: > > > > I recently received an advertising flyer for a pair of new > > Unix systems. They are > > > > MPulse model 10, $2995: > (read the blurb) > > MPulse model 20, $4995: > (read the blurb) > > Looks neat, huh? Anybody have any experience with these yet? > > I called today to get additional information. If I remember the discussion, > there are approximatley 200 of the model 10 in user's hands and about 40 of the > 20's out in the field. They will substitute a 100M disk for both of the units > for an additional $1500.00. They have a "spare-in-the-air" type maintenance > arrangement (sorry, I didn't ask the cost on this). They were quite > comfortable with my request for refs. > > Until I saw the blurb I had never heard of them. They do have a few machines out there. Mostly Pinnale 1A's. The Model 10 is probably a relabled Pinnacle XL and the 20 is most likely a relabled Pinnacle XL020. As for 200 of the Model 10's, I don't think they built 200 of the XL's before this hoopla, and I don't think they ever had 40 020 boards made, much less sold (last count, XL's were at about 90 or so, and 020's were about 10.) The spare-in-the-air maintenance is called 'exchange maintenance' and works quite well. Unfortunately they laid off the guy that handles that this week. You guess what is broken, and they FED-EX one out next day air. You return the broke one by SNAIL-MAIL or whatever. As for never-heard-of-before, they sell about 90+% of their machines in Europe. And they do have some large users. The big problem is PC's are too popular here in the states, and their market in Europe is drying up. As an aside, these systems do run CP/M 68K - Contact TDI software at the same address (or +1 214 340 4942). I don't know if they have any licenses left still. They also run the P-System, for all that is worth, in fact they run P-system and Unix concurrently. (Why, you ask ?) - John. (jfh@killer.UUCP) Disclaimer: I speak for myself. I really did work for these guys, but they never listened, and know I don't speak for them anymore.