observer@cs.utexas.edu (03/28/90)
In the coming months several workstation makers are expected to announce Sun Sparcstation-compatible machines. These machines are expected to offer users competitive performance at low prices. Assuming all this is true, is there a market for a low cost Sparc- based Sun-compatible workstation? Or, for perhaps $1,000 - $2,000 extra per machine, is it worth it for Sun users to have a fully compatible Sun machine for easier system administration -- the genuine article? Solbourne obviously has taken the "high road" and is adding value with multi-processors and OS enhancements. However, is there a need on the other end of the scale? You opinions requested. Janet A. Allen The Sun Observer observer@pcinews.lonestar.org
roberts@studguppy.lanl.gov (Doug Roberts) (03/29/90)
In article <6115@brazos.Rice.edu> pcinews!observer@cs.utexas.edu writes: > In the coming months several workstation makers are expected to announce > Sun Sparcstation-compatible machines. These machines are expected to offer > users competitive performance at low prices. Assuming all this is true, is > there a market for a low cost Sparc- based Sun-compatible workstation? Or, > for perhaps $1,000 - $2,000 extra per machine, is it worth it for Sun > users to have a fully compatible Sun machine for easier system > administration -- the genuine article? Solbourne obviously has taken the > "high road" and is adding value with multi-processors and OS enhancements. > However, is there a need on the other end of the scale? You opinions > requested. Given that I need a 22 MIPS desktop Sun or Sun-compatible SPARC _NOW_ (as compared to whenever Sun will have their SS2 available*), and given that I will be able to upgrade said 22 MIPS (4.8 MFLOP) Solbourne to about 27 MIPS in July, and given that I will be able to stick a second CPU in the machine to get 40 MIPS (& ~9 MFLOPS) any time I develop the need, and given that I can expand the Solbourne to a full 256 MB memory, and given that I can purchase the machine _TODAY_ at about 2/3 the price of a 16 MIPS, 2.x MFLOP Sun 4/330 I'd say the compatibles have a nice market notch waiting for them to fill. *Note: The 4/90 does not fit the bill: it is not a desktop machine. Douglas Roberts | Los Alamos National Laboratory |I can resist anything Box 1663, MS F-609 | except temptation. Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 | ... (505)667-4569 |Oscar Wilde dzzr@lanl.gov |