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From: vg55611@ihuxy.ATT.COM (gopal)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: 6300 bugs?
Message-ID: <2150@ihuxy.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 25-Sep-87 10:57:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxy.2150
Posted: Fri Sep 25 10:57:39 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Sep-87 01:54:13 EDT
References: <290@gvgspd.UUCP> <862@sask.UUCP> <1409@homxc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 39
Xref: mnetor comp.sys.ibm.pc:8282 comp.sys.att:1313

In article <1409@homxc.UUCP>, rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) writes:
> > 	I would settle for the name of one program that will run on one or 
> > more IBM compatibles and won't run on the AT&T 6300. For that matter I'll 
> > settle for a commercial package that will run on an IBM (not marketed by IBM
> > because they check machine ID) and not on a 6300.
> Maybe the stock system setup is 100% compatible (I'm not saying this
> but I can't think of any software that I have ever heard of that 
> doesn't work on the stock AT&T PC 6300).  But, just try to add an
> EGA card!  I know this is a pain.  There are certain problems with the
> way the EGA memory is handled, etc.  In this respect, it is not a 100%
> compatible.

Sure, it is not a 100% compatible - that is because it is better.  The problem
with adding an EGA card etc. is due to the fact that the the 6300 comes with
a built-in video display board (on the orig. IBM PC, you had to add a card !) - 
naturally, when you want to disable something that is built-in, it may not
always be easy.  You buy a 6300 and you don't have to worry about buying,
and installing a video card - both involve time and money - same thing goes
for the built-in parallel and serial ports.  A user that buys a 6300 can
usually gets the final system he/she wants - can run most of the software he/she
wants to run right off the bat!

The compatibility you are talking about is perhaps better described by the
words "mirror image".

AT&T sells a video bridge adapter and also a spider chip so that you may 
install third-party video boards - and as far as I know, the latest ROM BIOS
supports EGA.  I don't know what problems you have had in trying to install
an EGA card - but on my 6300 plus, I have an EGA card running and have had
absolutely no problems with it!

And have you noticed that you don't have to pay extra bucks to get a high
resolution graphics mode (640x400) which, I find, most of the major packages
have support for!

Think again.

Venu P. Gopal
ihnp4!ihuxy!vg55611