pedz@pedz.austin.ibm.com (Perry Smith) (01/14/90)
I've got the wait and see approach to buying a computer because of the fact that with each year the prices drop and the power goes up plus the fact that I have no real persoanl use for one. I am curious about the current state of the machines though. If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a true multi-process environment? I'd like to have BSD Unix (or mach). I'd like to be battery powered although I could live with being severly hampered in battery mode if I could have all the power I needed once I got to a place where I could plug it in. As far as power, of course I'd like to have as much as possible. I think 5 mips would be plenty though. I'd also like to have an expandable disk system where I could have a limited amount of disk in battery mode and a huge amount of disk when I finally got back home. I don't expect all the disk to be housed in the laptop. Unix by itself is big plus I like to use emacs and TeX and some other huge packages so I need quite a bit of disk space. But I don't need this when I'm sitting on a plane (for example). Oh, while I'm blowing smoke rings -- I'd like eventually to be able to run some sort of X windows or similar package. This is actually not a big deal since emacs gives me all the environment I need. The advantage of emacs as an X client though are sorta neat and I'd love to be able to have those capabilities as well. Has the technology even approached such a beast? If so, who makes it and how much is it going to set me back? (I'm willing to go pretty high if I really like what I see.) Thanks, pedz
ron@woan.austin.ibm.com (Ronald S. Woan/2113674) (01/15/90)
In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com>, pedz@pedz.austin (Perry Smith) writes: |>If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a |>true multi-process environment? What we're looking for is basically a laptop '386 or '68030 then... Well, there's an ad for the NEC laptop '386 in this week's Business Week magazine. If I remember correctly, it's pretty large of a laptop, but it can house 8meg of RAM and a 100M hardfile. They also mentioned some kind of power station dock (I guess for hardware expansion as a desktop machine). Toshiba also has a laptop '386(?) |>I'd like to have BSD Unix (or mach). Let's see now, BSD for the '386... Well the SUNOS shipped with the SUN '386i most closely fits the bill, but do they sell it seperately from the '386i system? I don't think so. Anyway, Interactive (or was it Intel) announced the first Sys V.4 implementation for the '386 recently which would be the next best thing as OSF/1 isn't coming out anytime soon, it seems. I assume that it can run minimally with 100M hardfile and 8M of RAM as most PC-UNIXES seem to now. |>I'd like to be battery powered although I could live with being |>severly hampered in battery mode if I could have all the power I |>needed once I got to a place where I could plug it in. Battery powered machines without CMOS cpus/RAM and with floppy or hard drives tend not to be able to function long between chargings these days (<3 hours). I know the Toshibas have battery options, but does the NEC '386 (I'll have to call just to get the brochure)? |>As far as power, of course I'd like to have as much as possible. I |>think 5 mips would be plenty though. That's about a 20MHz '386(Compaq '386/20 was rated at >5MIPS), right? |>I'd also like to have an expandable disk system where I could have a |>limited amount of disk in battery mode and a huge amount of disk |>when I finally got back home. I guess a SCSI port would be nice then and a couple 330M Wren's... |>I don't expect all the disk to be housed in the laptop. Not with today's disk technology; though the Sparcstation uses 3.5" 110M drives.. |>Unix by itself is big plus I like to use emacs and TeX and some |>other huge packages so I need quite a bit of disk space. Plenty of PC-UNIXES out there with GNU EMACS and TeX running. Heck, I have a full TeX running under PCDOS and FREEMACS/MICROEMACS are both pretty good EMACS clones. No ELISP though... |>Oh, while I'm blowing smoke rings -- I'd like eventually to be able |>to run some sort of X windows or similar package. Well the NEC has full monochrome VGA with its built-in monitor, and Interactive has an awefully nice X-Window implementation with their Unix that supports VGA very nicely. |>Has the technology even approached such a beast? If so, who makes |>it and how much is it going to set me back? Well, I guess a summary would be that such a beast does (mostly) exist today but not as a package offered by manufacturers. It will also cost mega bucks (all UNIX machines cost a lot). Maybe in a few years, battery technology, etc.. will develop to a point where this dream machine (plus 10 MIPS more for me) will become an affordable reality. Ron +-----All Views Expressed Are My Own And Are Not Necessarily Shared By------+ +------------------------------My Employer----------------------------------+ + Ronald S. Woan (IBM VNET)WOAN AT AUSTIN, (AUSTIN)ron@woan.austin.ibm.com + + outside of IBM @cs.utexas.edu:ibmchs!auschs!woan.austin.ibm.com!ron +
dewey@dell.dell.com (Dewey Coffman) (01/16/90)
In article <2944@d75.UUCP> @cs.utexas.edu:ibmchs!auschs!woan.austin.ibm.com!ron writes: >In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com>, pedz@pedz.austin >(Perry Smith) writes: >|>If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a >|>true multi-process environment? > >What we're looking for is basically a laptop '386 or '68030 then... >Week magazine. If I remember correctly, it's pretty large of a laptop, >but it can house 8meg of RAM and a 100M hardfile. They also mentioned > >Intel announced the first Sys V.4 implementation for the '386 >recently which would be the next best thing as OSF/1 isn't coming out >anytime soon, it seems. I assume that it can run minimally with 100M >hardfile and 8M of RAM as most PC-UNIXES seem to now. > >|>Oh, while I'm blowing smoke rings -- I'd like eventually to be able >|>to run some sort of X windows or similar package. > >Well the NEC has full monochrome VGA with its built-in monitor, and >Interactive has an awefully nice X-Window implementation with their >Unix that supports VGA very nicely. > >|>Has the technology even approached such a beast? If so, who makes >|>it and how much is it going to set me back? > >Well, I guess a summary would be that such a beast does (mostly) exist >today but not as a package offered by manufacturers. It will also cost >mega bucks (all UNIX machines cost a lot). Maybe in a few years, >battery technology, etc.. will develop to a point where this dream >machine (plus 10 MIPS more for me) will become an affordable reality. > More or less, you've described the Dell 316LT. A 15 lb, 16 MHZ 386SX, runs on battery packs or external power supply. The VGA monchrome screen runs full screen DOS programs under Dell UNIX using VP/ix or you can run the X Window System (X11R3) with Motif. The prices start around $3500 for the laptop, but as you add more memory and larger drives for UNIX the price climbs to around $6000. For more info call Buck Allan at 1-800-727-3355 ext 7308 Tell him you saw this on USENET. or you can send inquiries to info@dell.com, uunet!dell!info If your going to UNIFORUM, stop by the Dell Booth to see the Dell UNIX System 3.2.1 and X11R3 with Motif on the Dell 386LT. We will also be showing System V.4 on the Dell 325 in UNIX International booth as well as in our both. If you desire to see System V.4 on the laptop, stop by and let the salesmen and marketers know. Dewey Coffman Dell Computer Corp Austin, Texas
km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) (01/16/90)
I think the real Unix laptop to lookout for is the much rumored Sparc laptop
from Toshiba. I haven't seen any firm information, but all the trade magazines
predicted one in 1990 after Toshiba licensed Sparc (and SunOS) from Sun.
--
Ken Mandelberg | km@mathcs.emory.edu PREFERRED
Emory University | {decvax,gatech}!emory!km UUCP
Dept of Math and CS | km@emory.bitnet NON-DOMAIN BITNET
Atlanta, GA 30322 | Phone: (404) 727-7963dwf@hope.lanl.gov (David W. Forslund) (01/16/90)
I've heard a rumor that the new Toshiba Laptop Sparcstation has been announced at around $7K. Can anyone confirm the rumor and/or give specs? -- David Forslund Advanced Computing Laboratory MS B287 Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM 87545 (505) 665-1907 (dwf@lanl.gov)
df@cs.purdue.EDU (dan) (01/16/90)
In article <foo.bar> pedz@pedz.austin.ibm.com (Perry Smith) writes: > ... >If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a >true multi-process environment? I'd like to have BSD Unix (or mach). In the latest _Byte_ they have a quick look at a "portable mainframe" manufactured by Opus Systems. Basically, it's a 20 or 25 MHz 88000 risc machine that uses a 16MHz 80386sx for i/o, screen updates, ect. It runs Unix, X Windows, Motif, etc. >I'd like to be battery powered although I could live with being >severly hampered in battery mode if I could have all the power I >needed once I got to a place where I could plug it in. As far as >power, of course I'd like to have as much as possible. I think 5 mips >would be plenty though. I'd also like to have an expandable disk >system where I could have a limited amount of disk in battery mode and >a huge amount of disk when I finally got back home. I don't expect >all the disk to be housed in the laptop. Unix by itself is big plus I >like to use emacs and TeX and some other huge packages so I need quite >a bit of disk space. But I don't need this when I'm sitting on a >plane (for example). It weighs in at 22 lbs (ouch!), reportedly runs at 17 or 21 Mips (zoom), uses a VGA gas plasma display; but only has 2 Meg of RAM and a tiny 40 Meg Hard disk. The thingy runs on the brain dead AT bus, and the 88000 card is in one of the three slots that comes inside of it. It allows you to run DOS and Unix simultaneously on it. Since the short review didn't mention batteries, I would assume it needs a plug. Hope you like it -- it costs $13995 for the 20MHz version. -- dan df@medusa.cs.purdue.edu
kelly@uts.amdahl.com (Kelly Goen) (01/16/90)
In article <2944@d75.UUCP> @cs.utexas.edu:ibmchs!auschs!woan.austin.ibm.com!ron writes: >In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com>, pedz@pedz.austin >(Perry Smith) writes: >|>If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a >|>true multi-process environment? >Interactive has an awefully nice X-Window implementation with their >Unix that supports VGA very nicely. Unfortunately when trying to install ISC 2.02 on such a beast the install scripts at least insist upon treating the VGA as a CGA in the top half with attendent garbage characters in the Bottom half...with an occasional totally garbaged screen thrown in for good measure... At first that particular combination looks good but there are still some gotchas... I know I have precisely that combination... fortunately I have other CPU's to run ISC so am now wating to see if 2.2 treat the prospeed any better than 2.02 did...
ron@woan.austin.ibm.com (Ronald S. Woan/2113674) (01/16/90)
In article <5134@dell.dell.com>, dewey@dell.dell.com (Dewey Coffman) writes: |> More or less, you've described the Dell 316LT. A 15 lb, 16 MHZ |> 386SX, runs on battery packs or external power supply. The VGA |> monchrome screen runs full screen DOS programs under Dell UNIX |> using VP/ix or you can run the X Window System (X11R3) with Motif. I hope that I didn't sound like I was pitching for NEC, but their ad just happened to catch my eye... In fact I'd have pitched an IBM, if I had thought that we made something in the laptop range (actually, I own some Dell stock too). Isn't a 16MHz 386SX a bit underpowered for even Dell's UNIX implementation (Interactive), especially running X and Motif? Why do people even bother with the 386SX? It's not CMOS, so why not a '386DX then... Personally, I haven't seen X/Motif running well on any machine rated at under 5 or 6 MIPS. I guess I had better get a brochure from Dell too... Gosh, it looks like I may be forking over some big bucks soon, as my own dream system seems to be materializing. Ron +-----All Views Expressed Are My Own And Are Not Necessarily Shared By------+ +------------------------------My Employer----------------------------------+ + Ronald S. Woan (IBM VNET)WOAN AT AUSTIN, (AUSTIN)ron@woan.austin.ibm.com + + outside of IBM @cs.utexas.edu:ibmchs!auschs!woan.austin.ibm.com!ron +
ericbr@microsoft.UUCP (Eric BROWN) (01/17/90)
In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com> pedz@pedz.austin.ibm.com (Perry Smith) writes: >I've got the wait and see approach to buying a computer because of the >fact that with each year the prices drop and the power goes up plus >the fact that I have no real persoanl use for one. I am curious about >the current state of the machines though. > Well, while it's not state of the art, HP sold a portable Unix box a couple of years back. (The HP Integral comes to mind, although I'm not sure of the name.) It had a 68K, 2 meg of ram, gas-plasma display, and Unix in ROM, along with a ROM file system. I don't recall whether or not it had a hard disk; I do know that it had 3 1/2" floppies, though. You might run into one of these in the used computer outlets. Eric -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eric Brown ...!{sun, uunet, uw-beaver}!microsof!ericbr These are my opinions. If they were Microsoft's, you would pay $500 for them. ----------------------- Long Live the New Flesh! ----------------------------
hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) (01/17/90)
In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com> pedz@pedz.austin.ibm.com (Perry Smith) writes: >I've got the wait and see approach to buying a computer because of the >fact that with each year the prices drop and the power goes up plus >the fact that I have no real persoanl use for one. I am curious about >the current state of the machines though. Wow. My home computer is about 5 feet from my bed. Takes me about two seconds and one handspring to reach it. I can't imagine life without a personal machine. (I've done it tho [gasp!!], camping & such. We're talking genuine withdrawal here...) Ok, 'nuff idle chatter... > >If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a >true multi-process environment? I'd like to have BSD Unix (or mach). Would be nice, doesn't sound too unreasonable. >I'd like to be battery powered although I could live with being >severly hampered in battery mode if I could have all the power I >needed once I got to a place where I could plug it in. As far as >power, of course I'd like to have as much as possible. I think 5 mips >would be plenty though. I'd also like to have an expandable disk >system where I could have a limited amount of disk in battery mode and >a huge amount of disk when I finally got back home. I don't expect >all the disk to be housed in the laptop. Unix by itself is big plus I >like to use emacs and TeX and some other huge packages so I need quite >a bit of disk space. But I don't need this when I'm sitting on a >plane (for example). You can get all of this in an Atari ST. 'Course, I don't think you'd want to lug a few megabytes of TeX font files everywhere you went, but ya never know. You can run TeX and GNU emacs tho (the real thing, not just a lobotomized micro-version designed to fit into machines with 64K address spaces... }-) }-) }-), and if you got the hacking urge whilst traveling, gcc and friends as well. The just-passed-FCC-certification-will-be-released-Real-Soon-Now Atari STacy is slated to come in configurations with 2 and 4 Meg RAM, stock, and a 40M internal hard drive. You can hook up to SCSI whenever you're home tho, and eat as much disk as you want then... > >Oh, while I'm blowing smoke rings -- I'd like eventually to be able to >run some sort of X windows or similar package. This is actually not a >big deal since emacs gives me all the environment I need. The >advantage of emacs as an X client though are sorta neat and I'd love >to be able to have those capabilities as well. Way back in the days of X10, all I ever did with X was use Xterm and Xtrek. I hear that Xrn and Xmh are pretty cool these days, but I haven't tried 'em yet. In any case, there's UnixWindows for multiple terminal window stuff, and things like Uniterm for VT220/Tek4010 emulation, and a helluva lot of games... > >Has the technology even approached such a beast? If so, who makes it >and how much is it going to set me back? (I'm willing to go pretty >high if I really like what I see.) This may not be everything you're looking for, but it doesn't seem too far short of the mark. Given the way technology advances, it's probably not even as long as a year away. -- -=- PrayerMail: Send 100Mbits to holyghost@father.son[127.0.0.1] and You Too can have a Personal Electronic Relationship with God!
wcs) (01/17/90)
In article <PEDZ.90Jan13130300@pedz.austin.ibm.com> pedz@pedz.austin.ibm.com (Perry Smith) writes: ]If we totally disrequard price, is there a laptop which runs Unix in a Sure. I first saw it about 5 years ago - a DG-1 with VENIX on 2 720-KB floppies - really limited, but the real stuff. Minix is nicer with a hard disk, but a 2x1.44 or even 2x720 machine with enough memory is surprisingly capable. Most 386 laptops can run System V, either from AT&T, SCO, or ISC. 386s are still a bit heavy, and it's not much fun if you only have a 20MB disk. An intermediate solution is to get a light-weight 286 box and run one of the Xenix flavors or Microport if it still exists - or Minix for low $$. The AT&T System V/MLS secure operating system people have a couple of 386s that they carry around to give demos. If you don't mind a little weight and AC power, a Toshiba with the red VGA screen can be really impressive. > I'd like to have BSD Unix (or mach) .... EMACS ... TeX ... X With a good emacs (MicroGNU?) and csh if you like the stuff, you can learn to like System V. Really. I haven't tracked Minix for a couple years, but it's a lean and mean communications kernel is you want something like a micro-Mach instead. AT&T's emacs is TECO-flavored instead of GNU-flavored (though there's a lispy add-on), and it's small, fast, and clean. For TeX you'll need a real disk, though there are DOS TeX's around as well as UNIX. X is ok on VGA; if your screen is much less than that you might as well use text. Now, if only that GridPad were a 386 .... next year? It already comes with a hard disk if you're willing to use a thicker heavier beast, and it's really not that expensive ( <$5K, though I'd rather spend <$1K.) -- # Bill Stewart AT&T Bell Labs 4M312 Holmdel NJ 201-949-0705 erebus.att.com!wcs # ho95c has gone the way of all VAX/785s, so I'm now on erebus.att.com
mcneild@spock (Doug McNeil) (01/17/90)
In article <DWF.90Jan15145730@hope.lanl.gov> dwf@hope.lanl.gov (David W. Forslund) writes: > >I've heard a rumor that the new Toshiba Laptop Sparcstation has been >announced at around $7K. Can anyone confirm the rumor and/or give >specs? > I've seen the Toshiba 8500 Sparcstation laptop at a local Unix show recently. The people working the booth didn't know that much about and I didn't get a spec sheet (I don't think I'm in the market), but from what I have gleamed its a 12MIPS system with a plasma display resolution of 640X480 (VGA). I believe it can handle 1024X768 on an external monitor. The system I saw had a 100MB HD and there is room for another drive. The package looks identical to the 5000 series. The prices for this system was around $11000(CDN), if memory serves. There was some confusion as to weither it had 4MB or 8MB, I suppect the latter for the price. So $7000-$8000(US) sounds in the ballpark. I think I'll wait for the Tatung Sparcstation which my local dealer promices for under $8000(CDN) -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------> "Smokin" Doug McNeil | uunet!mitel!spock!mcneild Mitel Corporation, Kanata, Ontario | (613)592-2122 "Got any dragons you need slain?" RAH |
tomf@haydn.Colorado.EDU (Thomas Fredericks (Sys Admin)) (04/29/91)
Anybody have any info on laptops running unix? By this I mean real Unix boxes like the sony, not a pc running Unix. Tom... -- ================================================================================ tomf@boulder.colorado.edu "Illusion is stronger than reality..." ================================================================================
rob@lighthouse.com (Rob Kedoin) (04/30/91)
I recently received information on the BriteLite(TM) made by RDI Computer Corp. I have never used the machine, so I can't post a review. I just saw an ad for it in Unix World and called them for more info. If anyone has one, I'd love to hear a review :-) I have no affiliation with RDI - just as a curious consumer. Features: - Sun IPC board - 13.5lbs including NiCad battery - 3.6" X 12" X 15.6" - 8Mb RAM expandable to 48Mb - 120Mb Hard Drive - 3.5" floppy disk - Ethernet interface - 2 serial ports - SCSI 2 interface - full-sized, full-travel Sun-4 workstation keyboard - two hours continuous use on batteries, six hours in standby - LCD backlit monochrome with 640 X 480 (there's an optional 1152 X 900 screen) - 15.8 MIPS, 1.7 MFLOPS, SPECmark 10.0 - $10,800 for the above. They also have an optional product, the Companion(TM) which lets your BriteLite run Macintosh applications... For more information you can contact: RDI Computer Corp. 6696 Mesa Ridge Road - Building A San Diego, CA 92121 Ph: 619.558.6985 Fax:619.558.8943 Rob Kedoin rob@lighthouse.com Lighthouse Design, Ltd 6516 Western Avenue Chevy Chase, MD 20815
rory@fps.com (Thomas (Rory) Bolt) (05/01/91)
In article <1991Apr29.144702.26756@colorado.edu> tomf@boulder.Colorado.EDU writes: >Anybody have any info on laptops running unix? By this I mean >real Unix boxes like the sony, not a pc running Unix. > Tom... > Check out RDI's sparc based laptop... Runs SunOS 4.1.1 and is based on Sun's IPC board. 8-48 Megs ram, 120 Mbyte disk, thicknet & 10baseT, SCSI, serial, external monitor ports, monochrome LCD, 2 hour battery (I think...). Under 15 pounds. Probably other features I have left out. RDI is located on Flanders Road in San Diego, CA. Sorry I don't have their phone number with me... Claimer: I have had associations with RDI in the past. No endorsements should be implied, etc. For informational purposes only.
anthony@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber) (05/01/91)
In article <1991Apr29.144702.26756@colorado.edu> tomf@boulder.Colorado.EDU writes: >Anybody have any info on laptops running unix? By this I mean >real Unix boxes like the sony, not a pc running Unix. A MS-DOS box running unix is a real unix box. It just happens to be sold primarily as an MS-DOS machine. As long as it has a 386 or better processor it should have no problem running unix. -- <-:(= Anthony Stieber anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu uwm!uwmcsd4!anthony Psion Mailing List subscriber submissions psion ----------\ the (human) moderator psion-owner -------+--@csd4.csd.uwm.edu subscriptions and file requests psion-request ----/
toddb@probe.EBay.Sun.COM (Todd Bernhard) (05/01/91)
In article <1991Apr29.144702.26756@colorado.edu> tomf@boulder.Colorado.EDU writes: >Anybody have any info on laptops running unix? By this I mean >real Unix boxes like the sony, not a pc running Unix. The following is from UNIX Today, Monday April 29, 1991, page 1......I WANT ONE! ---todd U.K. FIRM TO LAUNCH FIRST NOTEBOOK SPARC MACHINE Cambridge, England - This fall, a British manufacturer plans to start shipping what may be the world's first notebook SPARC workstation. The manufacturer, Tadpole Technology, says the 5.5-pound battery-powered machine is rated at 18 MIPS, will run System V Release 4.0 or SunOS, and should sell for less than $6,000. ...Initially, it will ship with a 120-MByte disk, but [CEO Bob] Gilkes said that he expects disk capacity to increase substantially next year. Instead of a workstation's high-resolution monitor, the S1's screen will be a 640-by-480-pixel VGA paper-white LCD display. To support non-X Sun binary applications, Gilkes said the machine will have switchable screen modes. It will either show a full-resolution 640-by-480 section of a 1,280-by-960 standard display, or the entire 1,280- by-960 screen could be shrunk down and shown in low resolution on the S1. The machine will also have 8 Mbytes or 32 Mbytes memory, 64k-byte cache, 1.44-Mbyte floppy drive, built-in Ethernet interface and serial port and a 2,400/9,600-baud fax modem. Instead of a mouse, the S1 will sport an integrated tracking device that Gilkes said he cannot yet describe because its developer has not announced details of the product. ...The S1's batteries should allow 2.5 hours continuous use, or 3.5 to 4 hours in typical use, and should be rechargeable in two hours. Measuring 11.75 by 8.5 inches and just 1.9 inches thick, the S1 will have a magnesium case for durability and to cut down radiation emissions, Gilkes said. ...For the S1, the company is taking a 25-MHz SPARC processor and other parts from LSI Logic and is squeezing them onto an AT bus board. The Texas office of Tadpole can be reached at 512-338-4221. -- Todd Bernhard, Sun Micro, US Field Mktg - Milpitas, CA 408-276-1542 toddb@Sun.COM ....!sun!toddb (Having the Right to be Wrong does NOT imply the Obligation.)
chaplin@keinstr.uucp (chaplin) (05/03/91)
In article <17271@celit.fps.com> rory@fps.com (Rory Bolt) writes: >Check out RDI's sparc based laptop... Runs SunOS 4.1.1 and is based on Sun's >IPC board. 8-48 Megs ram, 120 Mbyte disk, thicknet & 10baseT, SCSI, serial, >external monitor ports, monochrome LCD, 2 hour battery (I think...). Under >15 pounds. Probably other features I have left out. I saw an ad for this unit in a magazine and thought "Probably got *crummy* display resolution." Then I got a brochure in the mail. The standard unit is equipped with 640x480 monochrome LCD (ho hum) but options include 1100x900 monochrome and color (hmmmm...). Sounds *really* good on paper, but I'd sure like to see it... -- Roger Chaplin / Instruments Division Engineering / uunet!keinstr!chaplin CI$: 76307,3506 / voice: (216) 498-2815 / FAX: (216) 248-6168 "In the last analysis the customer is the independent auditor. In the merciless light of real use, every flaw will show." - Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.
caserta@athena.mit.edu (Francesco Caserta) (05/07/91)
In article <1991May2.205640.524@keinstr.uucp> you write: |> In article <17271@celit.fps.com> rory@fps.com (Rory Bolt) writes: |> >Check out RDI's sparc based laptop... Runs SunOS 4.1.1 and is based on Sun's |> >IPC board. 8-48 Megs ram, 120 Mbyte disk, thicknet & 10baseT, SCSI, serial, |> >external monitor ports, monochrome LCD, 2 hour battery (I think...). Under |> >15 pounds. Probably other features I have left out. |> |> I saw an ad for this unit in a magazine and thought "Probably got *crummy* |> display resolution." Then I got a brochure in the mail. The standard unit |> is equipped with 640x480 monochrome LCD (ho hum) but options include |> 1100x900 monochrome and color (hmmmm...). Sounds *really* good on paper, |> but I'd sure like to see it... |> -- |> Roger Chaplin / Instruments Division Engineering / uunet!keinstr!chaplin |> CI$: 76307,3506 / voice: (216) 498-2815 / FAX: (216) 248-6168 |> "In the last analysis the customer is the independent auditor. In the |> merciless light of real use, every flaw will show." - Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. Is the brochure that you got in the mail the one from PARITY? I also received it a week ago. They make big claims, as the one you mention in your posting, that is high resolution color display. Is all this stuff really available and at which price? Personally, it's the first time I hear of PARITY. If this is what you were talking about, I will be glad if you know if there is someone who has had some experience with them. I'm looking for a sparc laptop with a good color display, and as far as I know PARITY is the only one claiming to have it. Thanks. Francesco Caserta
chaplin@keinstr.uucp (chaplin) (05/08/91)
In article <1991May6.194942.20326@athena.mit.edu> caserta@athena.mit.edu (Francesco Caserta) writes: >In article <1991May2.205640.524@keinstr.uucp> you write: >|> In article <17271@celit.fps.com> rory@fps.com (Rory Bolt) writes: >|> >Check out RDI's sparc based laptop... > >Is the brochure that you got in the mail the one from PARITY? > >Francesco Caserta Yep. Like I said, I haven't actually seen the unit, just the advertisement. I looked at the ad, then pitched it in the trash. My company just 5 months ago bought me a 386 laptop (DataWorld LP320), so I may as well forget about getting a laptop Sparc in the forseeable future :-| -- Roger Chaplin / Instruments Division Engineering / uunet!keinstr!chaplin CI$: 76307,3506 / voice: (216) 498-2815 / FAX: (216) 248-6168 "In the last analysis the customer is the independent auditor. In the merciless light of real use, every flaw will show." - Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.