[comp.unix.i386] AT&T Unix nomenclature

fmcgee@cuuxb.ATT.COM (~XT6510300~Frank McGee~C23~L25~6326~) (07/22/89)

In article <14438@bfmny0.UUCP> tneff@bfmny0.UUCP (Tom Neff) writes:
>In article <425@nirvo.UUCP> kdg@nirvo.UUCP (Kurt Gollhardt) writes:
>>In article <14428@bfmny0.UUCP>, tneff@bfmny0.UUCP (Tom Neff) writes:
>>> I hope AT&T releases full VGA support in the next major
>>> or minor release, but I haven't heard anything.
>>AT&T System V/386 Release 3.2u includes full VGA support; I don't know
>>much about general availablity dates, but I think this is available now.
>>I don't know what, if anything, this corresponds to in ISC releases.
>This is a harmful posting without hard facts.
>The latest AT&T 3.2 I'm aware of is Version 2.1, which offers certain
>VGA graphics modes, but no tall screen text modes.  I am unaware of
>AT&T using lower case letters after any of their System V/386 releases.
>If Kurt thinks this is a real product he should supply an AT&T Comcode
>so that mortals can order it.

(I wouldn't say it was harmfull (:-)).

Internally, and for brevity, a lot of times people refer to Unix
System V/386 Release 3.2 Version 2.1 as "3.2u" or the "3.2 Update".
You can see why we call it 3.2u; the official name is rather long.
Most people realize that they are the same animal; 3.2u is the same as
3.2 Version 2.1.

As for ordering, you should probably be ordering from Price Element
Codes (PECs), not COMCODEs, since COMCODEs aren't guaranteed to include
the entire package (for instance, you can order ethernet for the 386
products through a COMCODE, but it won't include the TCP/IP to run
over it).  In general, COMCODEs are used for spare parts, upgrades,
or indicate parts of an individual PEC code.

If you order Unix System V/386 Release 3.2 from AT&T you will get 3.2
and the 3.2 Update.  If you already have 3.2 and want to upgrade, the
upgrade is available from the National Parts Service Center (NPSC) at
1-800-222-PART.  You can call them and ask for the "Unix System V/386
Release 3.2 Version 2.1 Upgrade."  It will cost you some $$ ($150 for
the Foundation Set if I remember right).  The upgrade plan expires soon
if it hasn't already (it's been available since atleast April if not
before).

As for corresponding releases, most of the 386 System V versions
started from the same basic System V Release 3.0 code.  However, most
vendors have "value-added" features that may break something else.  ISC
does have a version that is similar to AT&T 3.2, but they may not have
a version that is similar to 3.2 Release 2.1.  ISC, AT&T, and Bell
Technologies are the three main System V/386 vendors that I know of, and
they all have versions of 3.1 and 3.2 Unix that are very similar (but
not identical).

Hope this answers some of these questions.......

-- 
Frank McGee, AT&T
Tier 3 Indirect Channel Sales Support
attmail!fmcgee