mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (04/20/89)
A couple of days ago, I remember someone saying that the release of a new
cheaper EtherTalk device was due shortly. Well, here is a press release for
a device that is $495. I don't know if this is the device that was spoken
of (I thought that the price mentioned was around $300 but my memory may be
slipping at my old age of 20 :-), but the price is better than most. (I
believe that it was Mr. Rosen who made the original posting.)
-Michael
Anyway, here is the information that I have:
Compatible Systems Announces Ether+, SCSI to Ethernet
Contact: Ann Beauprez
Compatible Systems Corporation
PO Box 17220
Boulder, CO 80308
(303)444-9532
AppleLink: D0921
COMPATIBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES ETHER+
A $495 SCSI TO ETHERNET CONNECTION FOR MACINTOSH COMPUTERS
Boulder, Colorado, March,1989
Compatible Systems announces Ether+, a low cost SCSI(Small Computer Systems
Interface) to Ethernet adapter for use with the Macintosh family of computers.
Priced at $495, Ether+ is an external box that connects to the SCSI port of the
Macintosh, or becomes part of a SCSI peripheral chain. Standard Ethernet and
thin Ethernet("Cheapernet") are both supported by the same box.
The product comes complete with driver software which conforms to Apple's link
access specifications, allowing such popular networking software as AppleShare,
TOPS, and Novell to run at full Ethernet speeds. In addition, Ether+ includes
monitoring and management software which provides statistical information on
network performance.
"Ethernet provides an industry standard way to overcome the problems caused by
LocalTalk's low data rates," said Jack Wehr, product manager at Compatible
Systems. "Our product provides an economical method of taking advantage of
that standard on the Mac."
Although traditionally a method of connecting high-end workstations and
minicomputers, Ethernet has more recently become heavily used in IBM PC
compatible networks. At 10 million bits per second, Ethernet has a raw data
rate approximately 40 times faster than LocalTalk/AppleTalk's 230 thousand bits
per second.
Scheduled to ship in June, Ether+ will carry both a 30 day money-back guarantee
and a one year warranty.
--
Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas
Apple Student Rep ARPA: mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu
Ball State University AppleLink: ST0374 (from UUCP: st0374@applelink.apple.com)alexis@ccnysci.UUCP (Alexis Rosen) (04/23/89)
In article <6851@bsu-cs.bsu.edu> mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Michael Thomas Niehaus) writes: >A couple of days ago, I remember someone saying that the release of a new >cheaper EtherTalk device was due shortly. Well, here is a press release for >a device that is $495. I don't know if this is the device that was spoken >of (I thought that the price mentioned was around $300 but my memory may be >slipping at my old age of 20 :-), but the price is better than most. (I >believe that it was Mr. Rosen who made the original posting.) No, this isn't what I was referring to. It may well be a good product, though. It is priced the same as Adaptec's Nodem, so it's not an immediate winner on price. The real question is how well it performs compared to the Nodem. I don't know anybody who actually uses either of these, and I'd sure like to find out... The device I was referring to was a $295 EtherTalk NIC (plug-in card), not a SCSI box. And I have heard confirmation from yet another source. So I really do think it's coming at MacWorld. Sure would be nice... --- Alexis Rosen alexis@ccnysci.{uucp,bitnet} alexis@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (last resort)