tim@tomcat.Caltech.Edu (Tim Kay) (01/23/87)
All of a sudden, many, many computer manufacturers offer 80386-based machines. I'll name a few: Compaq, Zenith, Kaypro, Computer Classifieds. I'm wondering how compatible they are going to be. Since so much is done by the 80386 chip itself, it is difficult to mess up the compatibility. In other words, will the 80386 Unix kernels run on all the machines above (in fully protected mode)? Will Phoenix's VP/ix run under these various Unix ports? Are the 32-bit buses compatible. Can we use the same memory boards in the various 80386 machines? Timothy L. Kay tim@csvax.caltech.edu Department of Computer Science Caltech, 256-80 Pasadena, CA 91125
bobr@zeus.UUCP (01/24/87)
Most of the 80386 systems available provide little in the way of new busses. The Compaq 386 has a single 32 bit slot for a non-wait-state memory card. Two boards are available for that slot, one fitting 256Kb chips for a max of 2MB and the other fitting 1Mb chips for a max of 8MB RAM. The rest of the slots are a mix of AT an XT compatible slots. The other machines from what I've read mostly provide a similar mix of AT and/or XT slots, while a Multibus II board provided by Intel has a real 32 bit bus. -- Robert Reed, Tektronix CAE Systems Division, bobr@zeus.TEK