GTHEALL@PENNDRLN.BITNET (George A. Theall) (07/31/88)
Hello netlanders! Well, August 1st is just around the corner,
and here I am eagerly awaiting release of Suitable Solutions'
286 chip-replacement board for the Rainbow. Has anyone heard
anything about this recently (last 2 months)? What type of
software/memory expanders are planned to accompany the board?
Is anyone still using a Rainbow? Is anyone listening????
George
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/*--------------------------------------------*/harri@sky.COM (Harri Rautiainen) (08/01/88)
In article <Added.oWwc4Ty00Ui3QBBk8m@andrew.cmu.edu> GTHEALL@PENNDRLN.BITNET (George A. Theall) writes: > > Hello netlanders! Well, August 1st is just around the corner, >and here I am eagerly awaiting release of Suitable Solutions' >286 chip-replacement board for the Rainbow. Has anyone heard >anything about this recently (last 2 months)? What type of >software/memory expanders are planned to accompany the board? > > Is anyone still using a Rainbow? Is anyone listening???? > I am still using my Rainbow and find it adequate for my home computing needs. Also, I am monitoring this news group constantly, and am interested in possible enhancements to the Rainbow product. Harri Rautiainen
bcw@rti.UUCP (Bruce Wright) (08/02/88)
In article <Added.oWwc4Ty00Ui3QBBk8m@andrew.cmu.edu>, GTHEALL@PENNDRLN.BITNET (George A. Theall) writes: > > Hello netlanders! Well, August 1st is just around the corner, > and here I am eagerly awaiting release of Suitable Solutions' > 286 chip-replacement board for the Rainbow. Has anyone heard > anything about this recently (last 2 months)? What type of > software/memory expanders are planned to accompany the board? > > Is anyone still using a Rainbow? Is anyone listening???? > We have been told by the people at Suitable Solutions that the 286 board for the Rainbow will be out sometime in early September. Don't know how close they are to meeting that schedule, but as of a couple of weeks ago they thought they would make it by first week in September. Software: Suitable Solutions is expecting to be coming out with MS-DOS V3.1 for the Rainbow just about now (early August). The main hangups were getting the agreement worked out with DEC, and printing the documentation, so I expect this to be reasonably on-time. You can always use Code Blue which with the 286 would give you a little more IBM compatibility. It would NOT however give you full AT compatibility - for example the graphics modes are totally different. Memory: The 286 board is much like many of the 286 enhancement boards for the IBM-PC and XT - that is, all you get is a faster processor and a cache memory for faster memory access - you do NOT get extended or expanded memory. So the Rainbow will still be limited to 896K. I expect that for many people this will not be a big point - that's still 256K more than a standard PC, and a PC with a 286 enhancement board is a very popular and useful box. But if you really need the extra memory you will be better off going with a real AT class machine, even though that may mean a good deal of pain in getting new software. We are planning to get one of the boards as soon as they become available. I can post a review if there is interest but it will be at least a month... Bruce C. Wright
iav1917@ritcv.UUCP (alan i. vymetalik) (08/02/88)
In article <Added.oWwc4Ty00Ui3QBBk8m@andrew.cmu.edu> GTHEALL@PENNDRLN.BITNET (George A. Theall) writes: > > Hello netlanders! Well, August 1st is just around the corner, >and here I am eagerly awaiting release of Suitable Solutions' >286 chip-replacement board for the Rainbow. Has anyone heard >anything about this recently (last 2 months)? What type of >software/memory expanders are planned to accompany the board? > > Is anyone still using a Rainbow? Is anyone listening???? > >George > Hi George and the rest of net-land... Well, Suitable Solutions just mailed me their "August Sale" brouchere (arrived 8/1/88). And, guess what it contains? Many people out there knew months ago about Suitable Solutions' rumored 80286 board for the Rainbow. Well, they're still working at it and by the sound of the advertisement, it will be out soon. I quote... "Coming Soon! SPEED! Our "Turbow" 80286 accelerator board for the Rainbow, now in development, will run all your Rainbow software (including Code Blue applications) 3 to 4 times faster. Imagine a Lotus spreadsheet that now takes 20 seconds to recalculate, finished in 5 seconds! Or a WordPerfect search-and-replace that now takes 30 seconds, finished in less than 10 seconds! Imagine the Rainbow outperforming an IBM AT! Turbow for the 100B Rainbow will be available this fall. " Contact Julie Starr at Suitable Solutions (408)-727-9090 for more details. I'll post more info as it comes into my hands. Enjoy, Alan All e-mails to: {allegra | seismo}!rochester!ritcv!iav1917 All flames to: !lostnode!hades!flmbckt ------------------------+-------------------------------------------- Alan I. Vymetalik | Standard Disclaimer: The above statements Prism Software Designs | and opinions belong to the author. Any 44 Arborwood Crescent | resemblence to statements found in actual Rochester, New York | reality is simply coincidence. And, as 14615-3807 | always, the above opinions have absolutely (716)-458-4932 (8-10pm) | nothing to do with the little, fat man (leave message) | putting $100 bills in my pocket. ------------------------+--------------------------------------------