[comp.unix.xenix] What sort of support is there for Tandy 6000HD?

jeff@stormy.atmos.washington.edu (Jeff L. Bowden) (01/15/89)

Do they still make/sell them?  

I'm asking because a friend of mine can pick one up cheap ($100-200) and we're
trying to figure out how much work it will be to bring it up as a BBS or
USENET node.  It comes with Xenix, (I didn't make a note of the version,
unfortunately) 1MB RAM, 15MB hard disk, and BASIC.  I was amazed to find that
it doesn't come with a C compiler.  I was even more amazed when the Tandy
dealer we went to showed us a list of software we could order which include
F77, COBOL, Pascal and BASIC but not C.

There are several things I am interested to know.

	1) Has anyone ported GNU C to the 6000?  If so how can we get
	   executables for it?

	2) How difficult/expensive is it to add more mass storage?

	3) How difficult/expensive is it to add more memory?

	4) What version of Xenix is considered minimal to be used as a USENET
	   node?

	5) Is it possible to add more RS232 ports to it?

	6) Is it a good deal at $100?  $200?

Since I have just now subscribed to these newsgroups I have no idea whether
such questions as this have been asked frequently in the past.  Given this it
would probably be best to respond via E-Mail.  I will summarize to anyone who
asks.
--
"...lies, damned lies, and heuristics."

jpr@dasys1.UUCP (Jean-Pierre Radley) (01/17/89)

In article <JEFF.89Jan14171447@stormy.atmos.washington.edu> jeff@stormy.atmos.washington.edu (Jeff L. Bowden) writes:
>Do they still make/sell them?  

No.

>I'm asking because a friend of mine can pick one up cheap ($100-200) and we're
>trying to figure out how much work it will be to bring it up as a BBS or
>USENET node.  It comes with Xenix, (I didn't make a note of the version,
>unfortunately) 1MB RAM, 15MB hard disk, and BASIC.  I was amazed to find that
>it doesn't come with a C compiler.  I was even more amazed when the Tandy
>dealer we went to showed us a list of software we could order which include
>F77, COBOL, Pascal and BASIC but not C.
>There are several things I am interested to know.

Your dealer is retarded in the gray-matter department. Like many other
Xenix/UNIX offerings, Tandy sells run-time, and then development system.
The machine you're considering has run-time, but it's the development
system which has the compiler. Let him look up the Tandy catalogue for the
dev.sys., not for compilers.

>	1) Has anyone ported GNU C to the 6000?  If so how can we get
>	   executables for it?

Don't know. I compiled lots of stuff with Tandy's.

>	2) How difficult/expensive is it to add more mass storage?
>	3) How difficult/expensive is it to add more memory?

1-Meg. is the normal maximum, and served me quite well for several years.
If you want more memory (why?) or more har drives, call Bob Snapp at
513-891-4496.

>	4) What version of Xenix is considered minimal to be used as a USENET
>	   node?

Use Tandy's 3.2 core system. the 3.2 developemt system is not out yet, but
the 3.0 will do.

>	5) Is it possible to add more RS232 ports to it?

Tandy admits to supporting five. Nine have been done, but slow... If you
want even more than that, again call Snapp.

>	6) Is it a good deal at $100?  $200?

Sure.
-- 
Jean-Pierre Radley		Honi soit		jpr@dasys1.UUCP
New York, New York		qui mal			...!hombre!jpradley!jpr
CIS: 76120,1341			y pense			...!hombre!trigere!jpr