[net.unix] 6300+/SIMULTASK summary

tim@tslvax.UUCP (Timothy Beres) (06/26/86)

Hello,

A few days ago I posted a rather bitter history: my attempts at determining
the availability of the 6300+ with SIMULTASK.  A horde of people
wrote, responded to the net and even called me at work.  Thanks all!

(Interesting aside: of the many people who responded to me or on the net
 from AT&T, all were from engineering, support or tech.  Not a one from 
 marketing.  Guess I was a little rough (-: )

To summarize, SIMULTASK is available.  One week after your order is
received, it'll be shipped.  All who have one, say it works great.
Runs most DOS programs (if they don't use very weird "instructions").
The basic idea is that it runs DOS in real mode but traps out instructions
that do anything that UNIX might complain about.  The filesystem is UNIX,
and DOS file calls are trapped and converted to equiv. UNIX.
As far as AT compatibility goes the results are indeed mixed.  The 8 bit
bus in the machine will host PC add-ins, but the 16 bit bus requires
"specifically-for-ATT-boards".  This is what I interpret the responses
to mean.

Everyone who responded said that the machine has had few problems
with engineering, but that getting the sucker to market has been
a disaster.  Something about an "order entry problem".

I am not converted to this machine yet.  There may be a better way to go
to get UNIX/DOS capabilities out of the same box.  I intend to take a
look, though - soon as my dealer can get one.  
 
One request:  could someone not affiliated with ATT post his/her
thoughts on the 6300+ with SIMULTASK.  Not to belittle the ATT folk,
but an independent observer might see the emperor more clearly...

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| WHO:	    Tim Beres                                                    |
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