psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (09/19/87)
In article <135@splut.UUCP>, jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard) writes: > In article <297@picuxa.UUCP>, gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) writes: > > Now that it has been officially announced, check out the AT&T 6386 > > PC. Super machine. Will run DOS and/or UNIX (yes, that's an "and/or". It > > will run both simultaneously.) It is a super machine. > > Yeah, but how compatible is it? > > Considering the list of things that won't work quite right on a 6300, I hope > AT&T (Olivetti?) did a better job of engineering this time around. I've lost > track of the things that wouldn't quite work on AT&Ts. Like what? In all the playing around with software that I've done on my 6300 (not a Plus) at home, I've run into *one* problem with compatibility. (RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA couldn't initialize a floppy disk. I brought the disks to the Program Store, and it formatted fine on their clone. From then on, no problems on the 6300; it could *write* the floppy just fine. A bit later, I found a fatal bug in the program, but that one showed up in the store, too.) I run many copy protected and self-booting games just fine. I've heard of programs that were incompatible with the 6300 display, but I've never seen one. On the other hand, I run Smalltalk/V, Generic CADD, and PC Paintbrush, all of which take advantage of the 640x400x2-color "super hi-res" mode, and Windows looks nice, too. And as Jerry Pournelle is so fond of pointing out, 6300 color text is as good or *better* that EGA color text. In all honesty, I've heard the 6300 Plus has a few more compatibility problems, but I don't know any off hand. As has been pointed out before, the 6300 Plus is an XT compatible with a 286, and special hardware to run DOS under UNIX better. It is *not* an AT compatible. (BTW, the IBM XT/286 *did* have an AT-compatible bus. It didn't have an AT-compatible chassis; too short for the boards to fit!) > I thought the 6300+ would run DOS and/or Unix? > Jay Maynard, uucp: {hoptoad!academ!uhnix1}!splut!jay It does, and quite well. SimulTask(R) runs MS-DOS as a process under UNIX System V Release 2. I've even see Windows (640x400x16-colors, with a DEB board) run under UNIX. The 6386 will run *eight* MS-DOS sessions under 386 UNIX System V (Release 3, I think). -Paul S. R. Chisholm, UUCP {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,vax135,mtune}!lznv!psc AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.
crs@cpsc6b.cpsc6a.att.com (C. R. Seaman) (09/21/87)
In article <1131@lznv.ATT.COM>, psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) writes: < In article <135@splut.UUCP>, jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard) writes: < > In article <297@picuxa.UUCP>, gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello) writes: < > > Now that it has been officially announced, check out the AT&T 6386 < > > PC. Super machine. Will run DOS and/or UNIX (yes, that's an "and/or". It < > > will run both simultaneously.) It is a super machine. < > < > Yeah, but how compatible is it? < > < > Considering the list of things that won't work quite right on a 6300, I hope < > AT&T (Olivetti?) did a better job of engineering this time around. I've lost < > track of the things that wouldn't quite work on AT&Ts. < < Like what? In all the playing around with software that I've done on < my 6300 (not a Plus) at home, I've run into *one* problem with < compatibility. [...] < < -Paul S. R. Chisholm < I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind. It sounds as if Jay has confused the problems of early 6300+ systems with the 6300. I have never (I don't buy many games) experienced any compatibility problems on my 6300 (after almost 3 years), but I saw the problems with the early 6300+'s. Even those problems have been corrected, but that's not the point. The 6386 WGS is an INCREDIBLE machine. It has features such as EGA *and* VGA (the new PS/2 video system) support, as well as tremendous processor speed, and support for more memory than the PS/2. Couple that with the ability to run UNIX System V Release 3.1, OS/2, MS-DOS, and who knows what else, and it becomes the most versatile "Personal Workstation" available. BTW - Like Paul, My opinions are just that... MINE! -- Chris Seaman | o\ /o crs@cpsc6a.att.com <or> | || See "Attack of the Killer Smiley"! ..!ihnp4!cpsc6a!crs | \vvvvvv/ Coming Soon to a newsgroup near you! | \____/