wilk@cinnet.com (Ken Wilkinson) (04/19/91)
We have at work 2-3b2-400's and a 300 which are surplus.
I called a used computer dealer (Computer Horizons) to get
a price. He said that with the expected merger of the
ATT and NCR businesses, that suddenly the WHOLE WORLD
is dumping these beast! He only "offered" $500 for three 3b2's
and three terminals. Now I'm wondering if maybe I should take
these beast home (and give some to my employees). What would the
net consensue be for these as a home computer? What is the MIPS
value? The version of th operating system is SYSV rel 2.2 I think.
Could a latest version be found and for how much? Do I really want
to do this or not? Suggestions?
Ken
{cinnet.wilk}gulik@motcid.UUCP (Gregory Gulik) (04/24/91)
wilk@cinnet.com (Ken Wilkinson) writes: > > We have at work 2-3b2-400's and a 300 which are surplus. > I called a used computer dealer (Computer Horizons) to get > a price. He said that with the expected merger of the > ATT and NCR businesses, that suddenly the WHOLE WORLD > is dumping these beast! He only "offered" $500 for three 3b2's > and three terminals. Now I'm wondering if maybe I should take > these beast home (and give some to my employees). What would the > net consensue be for these as a home computer? What is the MIPS > value? The version of th operating system is SYSV rel 2.2 I think. > Could a latest version be found and for how much? Do I really want > to do this or not? Suggestions? Lucky you! I've been running a 3B2/300 at home for almost 2 years. The biggest problem with them is that it takes so long to boot up and shutdown. You can't (as in physically) just turn off the thing! It does take about a minute to power down. That's why I decided to start up a public access Unix site with it! It's been running almost continuously for the last year and a half. Unfortunately, I started having some hardware problems lately, but were very easy to fix. Heck, at those prices, pick up two! The downside is that the machines are VERY slow. The 300 does about a MIP, and the 400 does almost 2 (but can be tweaked to be faster than that). If you don't want them, contact me and I might buy them off of you, or at least buy off some of the accessories. -greg -- -- Gregory A. Gulik mcdchg!motcid!gulik || greg@gagme.chi.il.us || gulik@depaul.edu
isolated@alix.UUCP (20 James D. Corder) (04/26/91)
In article <1991Apr19.105712.13001@cinnet.com> wilk@cinnet.com (Ken Wilkinson) writes: > > We have at work 2-3b2-400's and a 300 which are surplus. > I called a used computer dealer (Computer Horizons) to get >a price. > >He only "offered" $500 for three 3b2's >and three terminals. >Now I'm wondering if maybe I should take >these beast home (and give some to my employees). > >What is the MIPS value? The version of th operating system is SYSV rel 2.2 >Could a latest version be found and for how much? Do I really want >to do this or not? Suggestions? > >Ken >{cinnet.wilk} Hello Ken:-) Yes, 3B2s make a GREAT home machine. I took my 3B2/300 SYSV 2.2 home, and have been using it ever since. Your employees will love them, if they are UNIX PEOPLE:-) However, they won't be able to afford to fix them if they break. Nor, will they be able to afford to up grade them:-( You can purchase a Sun Workstation cheeper than you can add a second hard drive and upgrade to SYSV3 on a 3B2/300:-( I have been told that the 3B2/300 with 2mg of ram operates at .6mips. That is slower than most 386 machiens. As for chaning from SYSV2 to SYSV[3/4], it would cost too much. For the price that AT&T would sell the upgrade for, you could purchase someone else's machine with the new version already on it:-( Said. I love my 3B2/300, but AT&T is driving the machines out of existence. It is getting harder and harder to defend my little 3B2 machine:-( I love it, but wish I could upgrade it. When I look at the price I paid, and vew the current "USED" prices, I could cry. The 3B2, the Edsel of the computer world. It came before its time, then died fast. Good luck Ken, James D. Corder ...osu-cis!alix!jdc ...att!osu-cis!alix!jdc alix!jdc@cis.ohio-state.edu