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From: psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: AT&T PCs (was: Which 80386 system to buy?)
Message-ID: <1131@lznv.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 18-Sep-87 18:17:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: lznv.1131
Posted: Fri Sep 18 18:17:02 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Sep-87 05:48:19 EDT
References: <133@ncrcpx.UUCP> <256@etn-rad.UUCP> <209@trwrc.UUCP> <135@splut.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T
Lines: 46
Keywords: 80386 systems
Summary: work fine for me!

In article <135@splut.UUCP>, jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard) writes:
> In article <297@picuxa.UUCP>, gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) writes:
> > Now that it has been officially announced, check out the AT&T 6386
> > PC.  Super machine.  Will run DOS and/or UNIX (yes, that's an "and/or".  It
> > will run both simultaneously.)  It is a super machine.
> 
> Yeah, but how compatible is it?
>
> Considering the list of things that won't work quite right on a 6300, I hope
> AT&T (Olivetti?) did a better job of engineering this time around. I've lost
> track of the things that wouldn't quite work on AT&Ts.

Like what?  In all the playing around with software that I've done on
my 6300 (not a Plus) at home, I've run into *one* problem with
compatibility.  (RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA couldn't initialize a floppy disk.
I brought the disks to the Program Store, and it formatted fine on
their clone.  From then on, no problems on the 6300; it could *write*
the floppy just fine.  A bit later, I found a fatal bug in the program,
but that one showed up in the store, too.)  I run many copy protected
and self-booting games just fine.  I've heard of programs that were
incompatible with the 6300 display, but I've never seen one.  On the
other hand, I run Smalltalk/V, Generic CADD, and PC Paintbrush, all of
which take advantage of the 640x400x2-color "super hi-res" mode, and
Windows looks nice, too.  And as Jerry Pournelle is so fond of pointing
out, 6300 color text is as good or *better* that EGA color text.

In all honesty, I've heard the 6300 Plus has a few more compatibility
problems, but I don't know any off hand.

As has been pointed out before, the 6300 Plus is an XT compatible with
a 286, and special hardware to run DOS under UNIX better.  It is *not*
an AT compatible.  (BTW, the IBM XT/286 *did* have an AT-compatible
bus.  It didn't have an AT-compatible chassis; too short for the boards
to fit!)

> I thought the 6300+ would run DOS and/or Unix?
> Jay Maynard, uucp: {hoptoad!academ!uhnix1}!splut!jay

It does, and quite well.  SimulTask(R) runs MS-DOS as a process under
UNIX System V Release 2.  I've even see Windows (640x400x16-colors,
with a DEB board) run under UNIX.  The 6386 will run *eight* MS-DOS
sessions under 386 UNIX System V (Release 3, I think).

-Paul S. R. Chisholm, UUCP {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,vax135,mtune}!lznv!psc
AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com
I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.