Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!lll-lcc!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!hedrick
From: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu (Charles Hedrick)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att
Subject: request for info about 7300/3b1
Message-ID: <533@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 8 Jan 88 05:34:32 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 30


[Please respond via mail to me for this one.  I don't think it makes
sense to do this sort of thing in public.]

I'm looking for an inexpensive Unix machine.  The 7300, for all its
limitations, looks like a reasonable candidate.  It seems that a local
PC dealer somehow is prepared to sell one at the firesale price.  (I
thought that was just ATT employees?)  However the dealer doesn't know
anything about the machine or its support.  Would somebody be willing
to answer some basic questions:

  - What is the difference between a 7300 and a 3b1?  Should I
	care which one this is?  Can I convert one, if it matters?
  - I'm assuming I'm going to get something whose hardware and 
	software is covered by a 2 year's accumulation of dust.
	Can I upgrade the software for a minimal fee?
  - What sort of hardware and software support is available?
	Can you tell me roughly what it costs?  I have a feeling
	that this thing is expensive enough that paying time and
	materials when it breaks is likely to be dangerous.
  - How do I find out about addon hardware and about software
	available for it?
  - Is it silly to be thinking about doing this?  If so, can anybody
	come up with another system that can run Unix which is within
	a factor of 2 of the firesale price?

Charles Hedrick
Internet: hedrick@aramis.rutgers.edu
UUCP: rutgers!hedrick
BITnet: hedrick@pisces