[comp.sys.nsc.32k] GRC python/32

sbg@ultima.cs.uts.oz (Stephen Boyd Gowing II) (08/13/90)

The programmers' society here at UTS reciently aquired a General Robotics
Corp Python/32. Our problem now is that we have virtually no software on it - 
a 256Mb HD, and a cartridge tape device (compatible with the DEC TS11
tape, according to the dox...). We're currently having a little trouble
transferring anything between this machine and the rest of the world -
it's only working serial port (at the moment) is the console, and the
tape won't write in any format readable by any of the other machines
here on campus. Nor will tapes generated on the Python/32 be read on the
other machines - we've tried Sun 3/60s, Silicon Graphics Personal IRIS,
and an old Plexus, which is really all we've got. 

   Help, please. (!!!) Does anyone actually use these machines? If so,
can you help our compatability problem? Is it our system configuration,
our physical drive (won't it read anything else??), or is it just 
misanthropic? 

   And while you're at it.... 
   
   Our serial board is also pretty dud - all 16 ports input (to the
python) O.K, but output is garbage. It also doesn't seem to be able
to keep up with the supposedly normal 9600bps rate. We've tried 
transfers between a Sun 3/50 via Zmodem/Ymodem/Xmodem, and we got a
max. transfer of about 5-6k out of a 450k file. <whimper>
 
    We're also considering putting the machine onto the universities
LAN. This would require an ethernet board, and appropriate drivers
for support of internet services. Are such things available for this
machine?

    The obvious answer for all this is "Go ask GENROCO", but they
don't seem to be very well represented here, and its probably better
to get views from real users as opposed to manufacturers.

    Any help appreciated. Anything at all for that matter.

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