esa@kvvax4.UUCP (Esa K Viitala) (05/24/84)
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Anybody out there have any pointers about the Generic
MC68000 sV.2 port of AT&T's, which according to my
knowledge is due June 30th 1984 from Motorola and
should then be announced by AT&T.
Especially I'd be glad to hear from the sales people in N Carolina.
Any info appreciated, please mail me direct, I'll summarize
on news if necessary.
--
Esa K Viitala {decvax,philabs}!mcvax!kvport!kvvax4!esa
A/S Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk,CTG4,P.O.Box 25,N-3601 Kongsberg,Norway
tel. 473-739644 tlx. 71491 vaapn nesa@kvvax4.UUCP (Esa K Viitala) (06/14/84)
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Some weeks ago I posted an article, in which I asked for any
info about a rumor of AT&T preparing the announcement of
some sort of "Generic MC68000 Unix Port".
Here's the promised summary of the answers I got.
I don't think they have a M68000 sV.2 version yet. The version they
have is sV.1 (or whatever number the first version has). I think
it will be some time before they have a 2.0 version for the 68000,
a time frame I have heared is 1Q85.
Thinking of all the problems we have had to find out who we can get
the sV/68 source from and what licences we need, the actual port
seems to be a minor, simple, technical problem.
The UNIX* System V/68000 is a System V release 1 version of the UNIX
operating system. It runs on an EXORMACS box (68000-based).
THe source code can be ordered from AT&T (as with any of our UNIX system
products) and the media can be 9-track tape or EXORMACS-readable
winchester disks. I am not sure what media Motorola intends to support.
If you want specific details (e.g. price, available dates, licensing
arrangements, etc) you should contact the sales office in N. Carolina, USA.
The number is 1-800-828-UNIX.
Motorola is also advertising the product with their specific enhancements.
You should contact them for their product details.
The port is indeed delayed. If Motorola can come up with a binary version
that can be reconfigured for different I/O configurations WITHOUT having
sources for the kernal etc. it will probably be out this fall. The problem
is not insoluble as DEC has done just that with their ULTRIX binary licences.
I would expect the price to still be in the 10K$ range but that's just a guess.
I'm still interested in any additional info, so if you have
anything worth adding, please, mail me or post it to the news.
There were some others, too, who were interested in the subject
and had found it awfully painful to get any information about
it.
AT&T sales people, Motorola people? Are you listening?
--
Esa K Viitala {decvax,philabs}!mcvax!kvport!kvvax4!esa
A/S Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk,CTG4,P.O.Box 25,N-3601 Kongsberg,Norway
tel. 473-739644 tlx. 71491 vaapn nshannon@sun.uucp (Bill Shannon) (06/21/84)
I just called Chuck Greene, (919) 279-6547, at AT&T to ask him more about System V/68000 licensing. (I got no answer at the 1-800-828-UNIX number, does it really work?). Two important points: - upgrading from System V/VAX to System V/68000 costs $16000. - you can get System V/68000 directly from AT&T, you don't have to go to Motorola. System V/68000 is designed for the Exormacs environment. Motorola has also ported it to their VME/10 system; this may be what you get when you buy the system from Motorola (for $2000). To get the system from Motorola you must have a System V/68000 source license. Hope that helps clear things up. Bill Shannon Sun Microsystems, Inc.
jk@plx.UUCP (jk) (06/26/84)
One more piece of information for those contemplating getting a 68k port from Motorola...it does not include the sgs files. At least the tape I saw did not. I also understand that even if one gets the sgs files from Motorola they are not V.2 so you do not have things like FLEXNAMES and COFF. I suppose you could buy the 68K/SGS package from ATT but that's an additional $17.5K plus hefty royalties. We've decided to port the vax V.2 sgs stuff over to the 68k ourselves. Anyone else run into these issues yet? ..!decvax!sun!plx!jk John Kullmann (Plexus Computers, Inc)
mats@dual.UUCP (Mats Wichmann) (06/27/84)
My information is gathered from numerous conversations with AT&T people and
Motorola people, especially Bill Lowery. However, the story changes almost
weekly, so this may not be the latest version.
Motorola did a port to the 68000 of AT&T UNIX System V, Release 1. This port
was *NOT* intended to be an enhancement of the standard AT&T UNIX System
(unlike what many porting houses try to provide: UniSoft, MicroSoft, HCR, etc).
It was specifically intended to be an extremely vanilla port. Prior to beginning
the port, Motorola was handed a document describing acceptance criteria for
AT&T. They did the port, and in due time had it validated and accepted by
AT&T. Most of the rumors flying around pertain to the gray area of the time
between the port being up and running and AT&T validating it.
Motrola will send you source code for the port NOW for $2000 (plus media cost).
The catch is that you must have an AT&T System V source license with AT&T and
it *MUST* be specified as a 68000 Version (*NOT* VAX version) source license.
Those of you with a VAX source license will need to have it converted or
purchase an `additional CPU' license, specified as 68000 Version. Until
validation, this license was not available, therefore Motorola was unable to
ship the product.
Some clarification is still necessary with respect to AT&T's position on
processor-type-specific licenses, a new idea for most people. Such things
as conversion details (switching from Vax to 68000, for example) are still
not completely straight. It is rumored to be easy and cheap (like free).
I have not gone through the procedure, so I don't know for sure.
System V, release 2 is due to be completed by Motrola 3Q or 4Q of '84.
Presumably, the same shipping restrictions will apply - no valiadtion
from AT&T, no product shipped. Validation consists, apparently, of checking
each line of code with the original, so there are no substantial rewrites,
except in very processor-specific stuff (kernel, compilers, PS, debuggers).
Do not expect Sys V, R 2 before '85, in my humble opinion.
Mats Wichmann
Dual Systems Corp.
...{ucbvax,amd70,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!mats
P.S. - apparently, there was a session at the recent Usenix show, where
Motorola may have discussed some of these details. I did not attend, so
I don't know. If someone has info from there that conflicts with or
is an addition to what I have mentioned, please post comments.