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/ -------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminds me of the time (long ago) when you bought ALL your printer paper and punched cards from IBM. Riiiight... ;-} Rob Warnock UUCP: {ihnp4,ucbvax!amd70,hpda,harpo,sri-unix,allegra}!fortune!rpw3 DDD: (415)595-8444 USPS: Fortune Systems Corp, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA 94065