Xref: utzoo comp.misc:1907 misc.headlines:2384 misc.jobs.misc:1251 talk.rumors:1056
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From: elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,misc.headlines,misc.jobs.misc,talk.rumors
Subject: Re: Doom and Gloom, as they say, revisited (computer market failures)
Message-ID: <3330@killer.UUCP>
Date: 16 Feb 88 07:41:56 GMT
References: <1568@uhccux.UUCP>
Organization: Bayou Telecommunications
Lines: 28

in article <1568@uhccux.UUCP>, lee@uhccux.UUCP (Greg Lee) says:
> From article <1903@saturn.ucsc.edu>, by fiatlux@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (David Vangerov):
> + I might point out that a lot of bussinesses are realizing that
> + you can turn a 286 or 386 box into a very nice mini system with
> + little cost in relation to what a mini system from DEC or Sun
> + might cost. Just slap in some more memory, add a large disk, get
> + a few ports for terminal lines and get Xenix for it and you're
> + off and running for a lot less than what DEC or Sun charges.
> A "lot less"?  It would be interesting if you would post the details
> of the cost comparison you made.

Well, I did a similiar cost comparison some time ago. A decent Sun or DEC
system, with Unix, came out at about $12,000 for a usable system. A 286 clone
with 4 serial ports & Microport Sys V would have come out at about $3500 at
the same time. Current 386 prices are running about $1500 more than 286
prices, so add it up... around $5,000 for a quite reasonable Unix system. Of
course it doesn't have the graphics of a Sun, or the support of a MicroVAX.
But for CPU-oriented stuff, it's about the same speed (i/o suffers because of
the slow IBM i/o bus). Handles about the same number of users, too. Quite
reasonable, for, say, a small business that needs 3 or 4 terminals right now
but someday hopes to become a BIG business (in which case their software and
databases can be moved to larger machines that run Unix).

--
Eric Lee Green  elg@usl.CSNET     Asimov Cocktail,n., A verbal bomb
{cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg              detonated by the mention of any
Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191              subject, resulting in an explosion
Lafayette, LA 70509                    of at least 5,000 words.