PICHER@MAINE.BITNET (Michael W. Picher) (03/03/89)
Could somebody possibly sum up the advantages of using a 386sx over say a 20 MHz 286??? Can they 387 be used at high speeds with the 386sx?? Mike ------- Michael W. Picher, Picher@Maine.Bitnet University of Maine ! (207) 581-3936 Picher@Maine.Maine.Edu Computer Info. Services ! 117 Neville Hall :-----> UMNews Operations Manager Orono, Me 04469
woan@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Ronald S. Woan) (03/03/89)
In article <1215PICHER@MAINE> PICHER@MAINE.BITNET (Michael W. Picher) writes: >Could somebody possibly sum up the advantages of using a 386sx over >say a 20 MHz 286??? Can they 387 be used at high speeds with the >386sx?? Well, the quick and dirty answer is that the 386sx allows you to run 386 specific software that is becoming a little more prolific. For example, you could run windows/386 or the Desqview 386 utilities. The '386 architecture has quite a few extra commands and a more powerful mmu. It also has a mode that allows operating systems set up virtual 640k DOS sessions easily (I think Desqview takes advantage of this). What's the downside? It costs more to build a '386sx box than a '286 box because the chip generally costs more. By the way the '387sx is generally used in conjunction with '386sx and not the regular '387 because the '387 requires a bigger databus, like the '386 itself. Cheers, Ron P.S. if anyone finds a decent '386sx replacement module for the '286, let me know. I can't bear to scrap my current system, so will buy a new '386 or RISC box this year, but would love to upgrade anyway. | "This whole right brain, left brain thing is just a plot on the part | | of the humanities depart. to excuse their never having learned any science"| | Roger Dell, Prof. of Mathematics | | Ronald Woan, woan@cory.berkeley.edu |