[comp.sys.mac] Don't count IBM out yet

merchant@dartvax.UUCP (Peter Merchant) (03/09/87)

In article <5083@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU>, zrm@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU (Zigurd R. Mednieks) writes:
> Corporate buyers will begin to fall in love with Apple because Apple
> will have a wide, compatible range of products that won't soon be
> obsolete. Meanwhile IBM thrashes around with the 286 vs. 386 operating
> system decision, the window system problem, and the 386 vs. PC/RT
> product planning problem.

Well, I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.  Business does not always make
wise decisions.  Besides, IBM looks like it is coming to grips with their
PC problems by making a new market.  If they can't compete in the MS-DOS PC
market, they announce their new PCs -- Excuse me -- "Personal Systems" based
on the 8086, '286, and '386.

These machines, from what the magazines say, will run DOS 3.2, but they were
really designed to run CP-DOS, IBMs own PROPRIETARY operating system.  IBMs
PC plans for the next few years will be based upon this new machine which, like
the Mac, is allegedly unclonable.  It's also supposed to connect very nicely to
IBM mainframes (through the 3270 protocol) which is something that the Mac, from
what I hear, still doesn't nicely do.

The machine will also have a nice high-resolution bit-mapped display, a
windowing operating system (which is compatible with MS-Windows), come standard
with a mouse, have a very small footprint, stop me if you've heard this...
--
"I can feel her                                Peter Merchant
 but she's nowhere in sight."

dgold@apple.UUCP (03/11/87)

In article <5797@dartvax.UUCP> merchant@dartvax.UUCP (Peter Merchant) writes:
>...  It's also supposed to connect very nicely to
>IBM mainframes (through the 3270 protocol) which is something that the Mac,
>from what I hear, still doesn't nicely do.

It's something of a myth that the Mac cannot connect to IBM Mainframes well
via 3270 protocols.  There are several products that do just that.

1) Apple makes AppleLine, which is a 3270 protocol converter which works with
   the 3270 emulation in MacTerminal.

2) Tri-Data makes the Netway 1000, which is a 3274 (?) controller which sits
   on AppleTalk, making 3270 emulation available to all the Macs which sit on
   an AppleTalk network.  Their software supports up to four concurrent host
   sessions open on a single Mac simultaneously, possibly to different hosts.
   Their software is compatible with Switcher.

3) I believe that Avatar makes 3270 file transfer software which operates on
   the Mac.  I also believe they have their own 3270 emulation product.

-- 
David Goldsmith
Apple Computer, Inc.
MacApp Group

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