[comp.sys.mac] 386 v '020/Small wkstns vs. big pc's

richard@gryphon.UUCP (01/01/70)

In article <2239@emory.uucp> phssra@emory.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) writes:
>In article <46807@seismo.CSS.GOV> dsc@izimbra.CSS.GOV (David S. Comay) writes:
>>
>>	1. i want to run affordable software in a windowing
>>	environment.  there are few programs in that class available on
>>	the sun or for that matter, the apollo.  there are quite a few
>>	programs including pagemaker, more, ready set go, etc that are
>>	extremely useful and resonably affordable (at least compared to
>>	the per cpu charges for things like interleaf) available today
>>	on the macintosh ii.
>
>This is certainly true, but that will hopefully change as more
>programs are developed with interfaces for UNIX-based window systems
>such as X and NeWS (e.g. TeX).

The distinction between big 'personal computers' and small
workstations is starting to blurr. Interleaf for the mac
costs $2495, there are a number of "messing with text"
programs around that price for (at least) the Apollo.

>The type of software one wishes to run is definitely an important factor.
>For more traditional programming, though, you have to keep in mind that
>UNIX boxes like Sun workstations come with a lot of standard software,
>such as editors, compilers, and debuggers.  Buying these for the Mac
>adds up very quickly.

Plus things like distributed filesystems and multitasking.

>>
>>	3. the macintosh ii is expandable while the sun 3/50 is not.
>>	if you want to compare hardware and their costs, a comparision
>>	between a sun 3/160 and a macintosh ii would be more useful.
>
>This depends on whether you need to expand it or not.  Many people will
>be satisfied with ethernet, disk and tape drive as the only peripherals.

True. The Apollo though, is both cheap and expandable (AT slots).

>
>*                                     Scott Anderson
>  *      **                           gatech!emoryu1!phssra
>   *   *    *    **                   phssra@emoryu2.{bitnet,csnet}
>    * *      * *    * **
>     *        *      *  * 
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                         (pfffft)


-- 
Richard J. Sexton
INTERNET:     richard@gryphon.CTS.COM
UUCP:         {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard

"It's too dark to put the key in my ignition..."