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From: debra@alice.UUCP (Paul De Bra)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: looking for a 386 box to run AT&T Unix
Keywords: Any cheap boxes around?
Message-ID: <9092@alice.UUCP>
Date: 23 Mar 89 17:01:47 GMT
References: <2437@sbcs.sunysb.edu>
Reply-To: debra@alice.UUCP ()
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T, Bell Labs
Lines: 28

In article <2437@sbcs.sunysb.edu> cchen@sbcs.sunysb.edu (Chyouhwa Chen) writes:
>Hi,
>
>I need information about 386 machines that can run AT&T Unix, 
>specifically 20M hz machines. I understand that AT&T 6386, Everex, 
>Dell, ALR, and AST are OK. But what about those boxes at the lower 
>budget end, like Micro Express, Proteus, Gateway, CompuAdd, SIA, etc.  
>Are they a good idea to run Unix at all?  Any compatibility problems?
>This is going to be a major investment, so any information that can
>help me avoid later regret will be MUCH appreciated.  Thanks a bundle.

Articles in PC-Magazine and the likes may be a bit misleading. Some 386
boxes are assembled and sold directly by one company, like Micro Express,
Proteus, Gateway, CompuAdd, etc. Their list price and their retail (single
unit) prices are thus the same.
Others like IBM, Compaq, Everex, AT&T, etc, are sold through dealers. Hence a
big price difference between the list-price and the actual retail price.
When you compare dealers carefully the price difference between these
so called expensive machines and the lower budget end becomes marginal.
On a fully equipped Everex Step 386/25 (4Mbytes, 145Mbytes ESDI drive, 60Mbyte
tape, Paradise VGA+16) the difference with brands like Micro Express and
the likes was less than 10%.

Paul.
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