rpw3@fortune.UUCP (05/16/84)
#N:fortune:5900022:000:2373
fortune!rpw3 May 15 16:41:00 1984
In case anyone hasn't seen it by now, go read the stories in the
May 9th Wall Street Journal (page ??) and the May 14th Computer
Systems News (front page) on the IBM Token-Ring LAN "announcement":
"...unveiling a cabling system ostensibly designed for such
an LAN. However, the company disappointed most [observers] by
saying it would not offer token-ring LAN products for at least
two years..." /CSN/
"...stunned many in the industry by saying the full system
won't be completed for two or three years." /WSJ/
"...told customers what kind of cable to install in newly
constructed buildings if they eventually want to use an IBM
network. It advises companies to use twisted-pair copper
wiring... 'I didn't realize IBM was in the copper business',
said a sarcastic David Fowler [Wang]" /WSJ/
"IBM described the cabling system as a star-wired system...
Type 1, two balanced pairs for data... Type 2, two twisted
pairs for data and four twisted pairs for voice... Type 5,
two optical fibers for data... Type 6, two twisted pairs
for data...[various prices from $0.40 to $3.00 a foot].
...assume IBM will eventually unveil Type 3 and Type 4,
but the company did not comment." /CSN/
"Some observers said the coaxial capability may become available
as the Type 3 and Type 4 cables that IBM has yet to specify. They
said IBM must support coaxial cable in order to integrate the new
cabling systems with its existing Systems Network Architecture
(SNA), which primarily uses coaxial cabling." /CSN/
The Ethernet vendors naturally see this as quite favorable:
Bill Krause (3Com): expects customers who "...now view the LAN
arena as Ethernet or 'Ethernot' to buy a product that
is available and has industry support -- Ethernet" /CSN/
Bob Metcalfe (3Com): "...unleashes Ethernet...purchases among
people who have lost patience." /WSJ/
Inger Singh (Exelan): "...two-year delay dramatically reduces
the chances of one IBM standard, so IBM will have to
support Ethernet." /WSJ/
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Reminds me of the time (long ago) when you bought ALL your printer paper
and punched cards from IBM. Riiiight... ;-}
Rob Warnock
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