davis@clocs.cs.unc.edu (Mark Davis) (03/01/89)
In article <2013@pur-phy> qz@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu.UUCP writes: > >I am going to buy an IBM AT compatible computer through mail-order. > ... Any other suggestions >are also welcome. The computers I am looking are : > ... The machines cited in the original article are all reputable machines from vendors that have been in business for more that a year. I don't know the specifics on any of the machines, and they probably change from time to time. (For example, I know that Zeos has changed their mother board since they started.) Personally, I care about what is inside instead of what the label says. If I wanted a label, I would buy IBM. If I wanted a store, I would buy Tandy (there are how many thousand Radio Shacks?) However, for internals, the Premier Innovations 1000 (or 286) is a very nice box: WD 12.5 Mhz mother board with 512K expandable with SIMMs to 4 MEG built-in 1:1 HD MFM controller built-in FD controller supporting 1.44Meg 3.5" built-in EGA video controller built-in 2 serial, 1 parallel, 1 mouse port 3 unused slots (empty because of above built-ins) Astec 200 Watt power supply Full size AT case with room for 3 HH +1 FH or 2HH drives 1.2 Meg FD drive (with options for 1.44, etc) Samsung 14" EGA monitor Seagate 251-1 28ms 40Megbyte disk Phoenix BIOS with drive types 1-47 Now, none of this stuff is super high quality. On the other hand, it is all made by established vendors and the specific models involved are widely used and known to be reasonably reliable. This is one nice computer with room for expansion (for a reasonable 286 PC). The power supply has the extra leads, the box has the room and the mother board has the slots to do lots of interesting things. I ran Norton's SI and got 13.5 for the CPU. I think it actually has 120 NS SIMMs and is running one wait state, but I ran out of time to check. The board is suppose to run 0 waits, but I did not investigate. [If you can tell the difference between 13.5 and 15.1 from the keyboard without a watch, you are an unusual person.] It is very price performance competitive as long as you get an EGA display. After suffering for 4 years (and still suffering) with a hercules/mono combination, I think you want at least EGA. Most of the applications I use really don't take advantage of VGA, so I don't miss it. The only thing I did not like about the machine was the feel of the keyboard. Others that tried it did not complain about the keyboard. To each his own ... This machine is available from Discount Data Systems (They advertise in Infoworld, phone number on request) for about (quoted from faulty memory) $1750. They give good service on the phone, configure and ship the systems in a day and have good warrantly and return policies. I think that USA Flex (advertises in Computer Shopper) has a similar system manufactured by Premier. Other vendors have similar systems (same major components) at similar prices with different names on them. I have no connection with Discount Data Systems. One of my clients just bought this system on my recommendation. I got to set it up and play with it for a few hours and I think it is fine. Hope this helps - Mark (davis@cs.unc.edu or uunet!mcnc!davis)
ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) (03/03/89)
I'm not sure about this, but I think that the Austin has a lot of IO build onto the board, such as the video controller. This seems like a great idea, but then what happens when you want to upgrade, like to VGA, RLL, etc? !!