[comp.unix.microport] 386/ix Applications Platform - CHEAP!

jeff@swusrgrp.UUCP ( system admin) (02/14/89)

This sounded so good I just had to put it out on the net.

A former distributor of computer products that distributed Interactive
Systems 386/ix UNIX products has a blow out deal going.

The 386/ix Applications Platform:
	386/ix Runtime UNIX V - unlimited user version
	VP/ix DOS/UNIX envoronment - unlimited version
	TEN/Plus user interface

This package normally lists for $1395.00

They have 47 copies in the shrink wrap for only $200.00 each. Yes,
you heard right $200.00 each!

The only catch is this: it's version 1.0.5, so if you want to upgrade to
version 1.0.6 it will cost $80.00 or alot more to upgrade to version
2.0.0 (which is buggy at this point). You'll still come out way ahead though.

FYI: version 1.0.5 was solid, 1.0.6 fixed some serial problems, and version
2.0.0 is the merged UNIX V and XENIX V product.

First come first serve. 

Contact Mark Hilz, Digital Data, (713) 240-7278.


-- 
Jeff Tye @ Copperstate Business Systems                   VOICE (602) 244-9391
ncar!noao!asuvax!hrc!swusrgrp!jeff         southwest!/usr/group (602) 275-2541

grabhorn@marlin.NOSC.MIL (Steven W. Grabhorn) (02/14/89)

Does anybody know anything about this product. I've been thinking of 
looking at different types of u*ix products to run on an AST 386,  
hopefully with DOS running underneath it (when I need it).  

thanks,
steve Grabhorn     grabhorn@nosc.mil

ron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) (02/16/89)

Nearly all the System V's for the 386 are Interactive Systems' port
anyway.  It's just repackaged in various ways for end user sales.
It runs DOS applications pretty well under the UNIX (it's really
the 80386 that makes this easy, not the UNIX).  They've adapted
the Phoenix BIOS.

-R

mark@gizzmo.UUCP (mark hilliard) (02/16/89)

In article <1127@marlin.NOSC.MIL> grabhorn@marlin.nosc.mil.UUCP (Steven W. Grabhorn) writes:
>Does anybody know anything about this product. I've been thinking of 
>looking at different types of u*ix products to run on an AST 386,  
>hopefully with DOS running underneath it (when I need it).  

Yes, I have used the Microport, ATT and Interactive products.  In my
opinion the Interactive version has the BEST implementation of them all.
I have opted to put Interactive on all of my machines at work (10).  I 
have 1.06 and 2.0.  The 2.0 is really better, but it does have some minor
bugs.  The drivers for several 3rd party products have not been completed
yet.



-- 
Mark Hilliard                            {ethos,fthood,u1100a}-----\
   N2HHR                                rutgers!rochester!kodak!pcid!gizzmo!mark
                                                                \-->gizzmo!mark

luis@titan.rice.edu (Luis Soltero) (02/17/89)

>Does anybody know anything about this product. I've been thinking of 
>looking at different types of u*ix products to run on an AST 386,  
>hopefully with DOS running underneath it (when I need it).  

I bought one!

here is what you get for $200.00
	boot disk                       1 disk
	386/ix version 1.0.5  core      4
	basic networking                2
	file management utils           1
	kernel configuration            3
    spell utils                     1
    terminal utils                  2
    tcp ethernet for micom          2
	vpix                            1
    ten/plus                        2

you need to plan to get of att docs. the stuff only comes w/ the system
administration manuals.

interactive has a special deal going this month.  you can upgrade to 1.06
for $100.00 and from 1.06 to 2.1 for another $100.00

you need to tell interactive that you want to upgrade to 1.06 
before you upgrade
to 2.1 or you will pay more money!  the price to go directly to 2.1 from
1.05 is $380!!!  interactive plans to release 2.1 in march.  you cannot
buy 2.0

so the bottom line is that you can get interactives latest release for $400.00.
the list price for 2.1 is way up there!!!!

if you live outside of houston you still might want to give digital data
a call.  my budy in cincinnati had the software shipped to him COD.

cheers,

--luis@rice.edu

rick@pcrat.UUCP (Rick Richardson) (02/17/89)

In article <LUIS.89Feb16142625@titan.rice.edu> luis@titan.rice.edu (Luis Soltero) writes:
>to 2.1 or you will pay more money!  the price to go directly to 2.1 from
>1.05 is $380!!!  interactive plans to release 2.1 in march.  you cannot
>buy 2.0

What a confusing state of affairs this is.  A client just picked up
the whole 2.0 release for a whopping over $2K.  We just sent in
the ISV upgrade fee for 2.0 two days ago, the day that Interactive
officially notified us of the ISV upgrade availablity.  Your info
says 2.0 can't be bought.  I wonder what I'll get.  I sure hope
it is 2.1.

-- 
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rcd@ico.ISC.COM (Dick Dunn) (02/17/89)

ron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) writes:
> Nearly all the System V's for the 386 are Interactive Systems' port
> anyway.  It's just repackaged in various ways for end user sales.

True to a first approximation...each seller (including Interactive) will
add some features, but right about the base of the system.

> It runs DOS applications pretty well under the UNIX (it's really
> the 80386 that makes this easy, not the UNIX).

This is not quite fair.  The 386 makes it possible, by providing an 8086
mode that can look like a real 8086 to a program, yet be protected and
caged in so it doesn't stomp on the rest of the universe.  The hardware
really provides a LOT of support for doing this.  HOWEVER, there's a lot of
software work involved in making things work with the UNIX world (so you
can share files, the screen, etc.)  That is, once you have the hardware
mechanism to box in the 8086 program, you have to supply the software to
reconnect the beast to reality.  Well-behaved programs are easy, but there
are various DOS program which are quite popular but quite ill-behaved--
they go around rewriting interrupt vectors, writing directly to device
registers, etc....all the things you'd never even contemplate in the UNIX
world.  They have to run, and that presents some hard problems--particu-
larly hard if you want them to run efficiently, since you can't just
emulate everything.

There's more than one 8086 DOS under UNIX gadget.  VP/ix is the one
Interactive and Phoenix (see next) did; it also shows up in some other
vendors' systems under other names.

>...They've adapted the Phoenix BIOS.

Por supuesto...but because Phoenix and Interactive were partners in the
development of VP/ix, this kind of begs the question.  (Would Phoenix use
somebody else's BIOS?)

Disclaimer:  I speak for myself, etc...but I work for Interactive, so I
might know what I'm talking about here.
-- 
Dick Dunn      UUCP: {ncar,nbires}!ico!rcd           (303)449-2870
   ...Just say no to mindless dogma.