billb@amcad.UUCP (Bill Burton) (12/09/88)
I'm looking for a cheap alternative to a PC LAN for four users. They
will be using the XYWrite word processor (Network version) which is a
character based (not graphics) program. A modem with Kermit will be
used to transmit documents to our publisher.
We are seriously considering PC-MOS 2.20, a multi-user version of MS-DOS
runing on an 80386 based PC with Wyse 60 PC compatible dumb terminals.
This appears to be the most cost-effective route to go for our needs --
providing there are no compatibility problems and that it is a solid
product.
We tried out XYWrite under PC-MOS on a Compaq 386/16 with a dumb
multiport board and a couple of Wyse 60 terminals running at 38.4 KBPS.
The screen updating was reasonably fast -- about one half second to
repaint the screen. By using a 20MHz '386 with a smart multiport board
I'm hoping the screen updating will be somewhat faster. On an 8MHz AT
compatible running MS-DOS, the screen updating appears instantaneous
(XYWrite is a very fast program).
Would be interested in your experiences with this product. If you know
of any reviews of it please let me know. We need to make a decision
within the next week on so!
Other alternatives we are looking at are 8MHz AT compatibles with 20MB
drives connected with the TOPS Flashcard running at 770 KBPS or Novell
ELS2 running in EMS on one of the machines. In this case, the other
machines would not have hard disks. Both of these are more expensive
than the PC-MOS/80386 combination.
Still another alternative would be to use an 80386 PC with terminals running
either Xenix-386 with VP/ix or Microport-386 with Merge 386. This would
be only slightly more expensive than PC-MOS. However, I'm not sure how
well XYWrite would run under VP/ix or Merge 386.
Please e-mail your replies.
Thanks,
Bill
--
William D. Burton, Jr. @ American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Cambridge, Massachusetts Voice: +1-617-576-5023
UUCP: ...!talcott!amcad!billb
Internet: billb%amcad.uucp@husc6.harvard.edu