Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!lll-winken!uunet!dg!rec From: rec@dg.dg.com (Robert Cousins) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Selling through Businessland Keywords: NeXT, RISC, MACH, multiprocessing, bundled software Message-ID: <123@dg.dg.com> Date: 3 Apr 89 14:48:14 GMT References: <1554@neoucom.UUCP> <121@dg.dg.com> <1749@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> Reply-To: rec@dg.UUCP (Robert Cousins) Organization: Data General, Westboro, MA. Lines: 126 In article <1749@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> zdenko@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Zdenko Tomasic) writes: >In article <121@dg.dg.com> rec@dg.UUCP (Robert Cousins) writes: >>Actually, since there are now a number of more powerful machines >>available at lower cost, one wonders how successful this tactic > ^^^^^^^^^ > True, but what do you get with it? > How much in disks, memory for the low price? > What about software costs? Is it included? I was trying to keep this from being a DG commercial, however, to answer your questions does force me into product specific comments. Please note that my comments here are mine alone. I am not speaking for DG and am a developer and am not in marketing and therefore some of the "what is included" may be wrong. Anyway, here goes. For a less biased review, I recommend reading the April MIPS magazine article. The basic system comes with the monitor (1280 x 1024, 70 Hz), X-windows, DG/UX (DG's multiprocessor industrial strength Unix which is both SVID and BSD compliant and 88K BCS/ABI compatible), NFS, a C compiler and misc. utilities along with 4 megs of RAM (expandible to 28 megs now, 112 with 4 megabit chips). Needless to say, the keyboard, mouse and IEEE 802.3 interfaces are also included. Software developers can apply for heavily discounted machines under the Design/Win program. > >>will actually be. The new wave of 88000 based workstations (which >>do an honest 17+ MIPS) are available with Unix, monitor, etc. for > ^^^^^^^^^^ > Speed is intriguing, but how does it perform with respect > to i/o? Does the rest of the system keep up with CPU? Very well. > Are there compilers available to take advantage of the new > capabilities? Actually, yes there are quite a few in 88/Open's Software Initative and by the end of the year, there will be quite a large number of software vendors with packages running on ABI compliant machines. Some names include GreenHills, Oasys, Frame Technology, MicroFocus, Language Processors (LPI), Hunter Assoc., Phoenix Technology, Insignia along with several DBMS companies and numerous applications packages. The compilers all generate 88K code which harnesses the power of the machine. > Which languages? Other software? Languages including C, F77, ADA, Lisp, PL/I, Cobol, Basic, and I think even an RPG compiler (I'm not sure on that). Most of those languages will be available from more than one source, usually in name brands which people will recognize. THis is all the result of the 88/Open's Software Initiative and its ABI which allows software developers to host to one 88K machine and have guaranteed compatibility with all other ABI compliant machines. Developers are jumping at this opportunity to place their software onto this new generation of high powered platforms with a single port. > >>approximately the same cost. I know, I managed the DG AViiON AVX 400 > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > With equivalent software and peripherals? While there is seldom a situation where two products are 1-to-1 comparable, there is much similarity between the configurations as pointed out above. > >>development here at DG which fits in this class. Anyone who has ever >>used a machine of this class will never want to move back to the >>(now) relatively slow '030. [Stuff deleted] >. . . . but one should exploit multicpu capabilities of >MACH first with several '030s (and later 88K) including paralellizing DG/UX is ABI compliant, supports multiple processors and is available to anyone to license. >compilers. . . . . > >In short, NeXT won't be obsolete tomorrow if they keep developing >and start materializing the cube's potential. The new RISC machines >have speed advantage, but also a lack of new software disadvantage. >Perhaps both can somehow merge for users benefit (let's hope >so). I disagree. There are not currently more than 40 developers working to develop NeXT compatible hardware and software offerings of the class and magnitude of those in 88/Open. The list of ISV's supporting the software initiative includes: Absoft, Applied Logic Systems, Cognos Software Dolphin Server Technology Frame Technology Franz, Inc. Hunter Systems Informix Software Insignia Solutions Language Processors (LPI) MBP SOftware Micro Focus NKR Research Oasys Opus Systems Phoenix Technologies Pick Systems Progress Software Relational Technology Retix Silicon Valley Software Southwind Software Tadpole Technology Telesoft Translation Systems Uniplex Unisoft Wollongong Group Wordperfect Not bad, huh? >-- >___________________________________________________________________ >Zdenko Tomasic, UWM, Chem. Dept., P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 >UUCP: uwvax!uwmcsd1!uwmcsd4!zdenko >ARPA: zdenko@csd4.milw.wisc.edu Robert Cousins Speaking for himself, not DG.