chip@ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) (08/16/89)
According to root@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder):
>Computone boards seem very popular with Xenix users.
Not this Xenix user.
My company bundled (past tense) Computone Intelliport-6 boards with our
Xenix-based systems. Our field return rate on Intelliport-6's has been
greater than 50%. That's right: More than half of them returned on their
shields.
We spent much more on Federal Express and UPS than we would have spent
buying a more expensive, but reliable, alternative. Not to mention the lost
customer goodwill when their systems' serial I/O would just stop.
Avoid Computone. We're changing over to Arnet, ourselves.
--
You may redistribute this article only to those who may freely do likewise.
Chip Salzenberg | <chip@ateng.com> or <uunet!ateng!chip>
A T Engineering | Me? Speak for my company? Surely you jest!davef@lakesys.UUCP (Dave Fenske) (08/17/89)
In article <24E97939.7243@ateng.com> chip@ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) writes: > >Not this Xenix user. > >My company bundled (past tense) Computone Intelliport-6 boards with our >Xenix-based systems. Our field return rate on Intelliport-6's has been >greater than 50%. That's right: More than half of them returned on their >shields. > There are actually several good boards available and everyone seems to have their own favorite. In defense of Computone, I've sold roughly 10 of them in 1987. At this time, only ONE (1) board ever experienced any problems. In that one case, there were 2 dead channels on an eight port board. Does that make the previous article incorrect? No, I don't think so. If you consider that any given serial board might end up in one of over 100 different computers, which run one of six different operating systems, and then who even can begin to guess at the myriad of different applications, not to mention the different versions of the various operating systems........ Hopefully, you get the picture. There are a lot of variables. If you REALLY want to be safe, forget the AT clones and buy a nice Altos or NCR Tower where everything comes from the same source. If you do want the clones and someone's serial card, ask around and see if you can find someone else who's using the SAME board, with the SAME computer, with the SAME operating system.
thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier) (08/18/89)
In article 7822, Dave Fenske writes - > Hopefully, you get the picture. There are a lot of variables. If you REALLY > want to be safe, forget the AT clones and buy a nice Altos or NCR Tower where > everything comes from the same source. Dave, you and I have talked many times on the phone, so you know not to take this personally, but... I thought that a "nice Altos or NCR Tower" was an oxymoron, kinda like military inteligence... ;-). Actually I am only half kidding. I guess I like piecing my systems together, dispite the problems that involves. I CERTAINLY don't like going to companies that won't tell you what software of THEIRS to purchase unless you are on a service contract with them! That's one place where places like Computone, Digiboard, SCO, and others of their kind really shine... Pre-sales support, something Altos and NCR know NOTHING about. Matthew. Snail Mail: E Mail: Matthew J. Thurmaier ...!{allegra,harvard,seismo}!shorty!matt The Computer Classroom matt@shorty.wisc.edu 6701 Seybold Road, Ste. 122 Madison, WI 53719 (608) 271-2171 "why am I ALWAYS going somewhere?" >>-matt-->
bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) (08/18/89)
In article <24E97939.7243@ateng.com> chip@ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) writes: >According to root@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): >>Computone boards seem very popular with Xenix users. >Not this Xenix user. >My company bundled (past tense) Computone Intelliport-6 boards with our >Xenix-based systems. Our field return rate on Intelliport-6's has been >greater than 50%. That's right: More than half of them returned on their >shields. >Avoid Computone. We're changing over to Arnet, ourselves. Sorry guys, I couldn't resist. I think we had this "flame" not very long ago. Well I will interject one more time.... Apparently a few people have had problems with Computone boards, but we have replaced StarGate boards with Computone, have tried Digiboard, and various other board, and have had EXCELLENT results with the Computone, (reliability, functionality, and performance). We have about 20 in the field, so this is not a light comment. I know some people may disagree, (and I'm sure I'll get flamed AGAIN), but I had to stick my comments here. .. -- .. Computer Consulting Service .. Bob Willey .. .. P.O. Drawer 1690 .. uunet!consult!bob .. .. Easton, Maryland 21601 .. (301) 820-4670 .. ...............................................................
mikej@lilink.UUCP (Michael R. Johnston) (08/19/89)
chip@ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) writes: >According to root@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): >>Computone boards seem very popular with Xenix users. >Not this Xenix user. >My company bundled (past tense) Computone Intelliport-6 boards with our >Xenix-based systems. Our field return rate on Intelliport-6's has been >greater than 50%. That's right: More than half of them returned on their >shields. This has not been my experience with Computones. I've installed 10 of them in our franchise offices over the past 6 months and to date have not had a single problem with any of them. The only problem that I uncovered was trouble using them (Intelliports) in an HP Vectra RS-20c (with caching). I called them about the problem and they promptly sent me an updated device driver. I consider the boards strongpoint to be the fact that it can be configured almost entirely through software. The only jumper that need be set on the motherboard is the interupt # and even that I've never had to set. I've used all the boards from the 4 porter to the 16 port unit. They are utilized with interactive terminals and Hayes 2400 modems. -- Michael R. Johnston System Administrator rutgers!lilink!mikej LILINK Public Access Xenix (516) 872-2137/2138/2349 1200/2400 Login: new