rjs@trwrb.UUCP (02/25/87)
According to 23 Feb 87 issue of ComputerWorld: Apple will announce on March 2 new Macs that will run Unix and MS-DOS operating systems with add-on boards developed by third parties. The two models are the Mac SE, which uses the 68000, and the 68020-based Mac II, the "open Mac". Both computers will include cooling fans. Apple and Unisoft Systems Corp. will jointly announce a Unix port for the Macintosh. "Unix will run in the Mac, totally transparent to the user," said one source. The system will cost about $5000. The port will be a full AT&T Unix System V implementation, including Berkeley's Unix 4.2 enhancements. Phoenix Technologies, Inc., AST Research, Inc., and Radius, Inc. have developed boards to run MS-DOS applications under Intel Corp. 8086 or 80286 coprocessors on the new machines. Tha Mac SE resembles the Mac Plus chassis, has a single slot and will be available with an optional 40Mbyte internal hard disk. The slot can be used for a 68020 or 68881 processor or an Ethernet network controller. The motherboard can provide 1M to 4M of memory. The Mac II is two to four times faster than a Mac+, has six expansion slots and can run several operating systems, including Apple DOS. The video card takes up one slot. The system can provide two floppy drives and a hard disk. Apple is scheduled to announce a line of hard disks and tape backup systems ranging from 20M to 160M. The Mac II is not expected to be available for several months after introduction. Microsoft and Living Videotext will announce color versions of Excel and More respectively. Supermac Technologies plans to introduce a high- resolution color video card for the Mac II, comparable to IBM's PGA standard, according to sources who have seen the product. Forethought has designed a new presentation package for the Mac II which can produce slides and transparencies with output to Postscript-compatible printers and plotters. Many other vendors are scheduled to announce enhancements for previously released products that take advantage of the Mac II. Prices for the new Macs were not mentioned.
slf@well.UUCP (02/25/87)
The Radius part is wrong. Radius will not be releasing such a card.