warner@arrayb.uucp (Dave Warner) (02/04/91)
I would like to pose a question for discussion, i.e.: Why would anyone buy a NEW 33 MHz '486 PC to run UNIX(tm) vs. buying an ILC or SLC from Sun??? Or, for that matter, an S4000 from Solbourne??? I've done some pricing and comparisons and the answer seems obvious to me, but I'd like your opinions. No, I don't work for Sun, I've never worked for Sun, I don't want to work for Sun - I don't even LIKE Sun (I have trouble getting their salesperson to return my calls!) -- but cost/benefit IS cost/benefit. Dave -- _____________________________________________________________________ | Dave Warner | e-mail address: warner@intellistor.com | | Intellistor, Inc. | USmail address: 2402 Clover Basin Dr. | | (303)682-6555 | Longmont, CO 80503 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------
paul@sdgsun.uucp (Paul Emerson) (02/05/91)
From article <1991Feb4.132518.18331@arrayb.uucp>, by warner@arrayb.uucp (Dave Warner): > I would like to pose a question for discussion, i.e.: > > Why would anyone buy a NEW 33 MHz '486 PC to run > UNIX(tm) vs. buying an ILC or SLC from Sun??? Or, > for that matter, an S4000 from Solbourne??? > Well I've worked with Sun's for the past 5 years and like them very much. I even considered purchasing one for my home system. The problem does come down to cost and it's not purchase cost of the actual hardware. It's maintenance cost and software cost. At work we have a Sun maintenance agreement, which has saved us thousands of dollars. But it is something I can't afford for a home system. We have Sun 3 stuff and have replaced every monitor at least twice some even 4 times in the last 5 years. The mono monitor is about $1900.00. If something breaks on a PC class machine the cost of replacement can be much cheaper depending upon your equipment. You also have more choice of equipment, a mono PC monitor will do in a pinch if your VGA eats it, and so on. Software is another issue. The Sun OS is quite cheap $400.00 (less docs I believe ), but other software is expensive. Of course this whole argument is based on the purchase of a home system. If you work for a big fat corporation go for a Sun and get a maintenance agreement. Sun's hardware service has been great. I don't bother to call the software guys, it's usually a waste of my time. With all that said I am looking at a Sun 3/50 which is now cheap enough (~$800) to hack into a X terminal. -- Paul J. Emerson SDG Division of SAIC Senior Technical Manager 450 Lakemont Ave. UUCP: uunet|tarpit!sdgsun!paul Winter Park, FL 32792 Internet: sdgsun!paul@bikini.cis.ufl.edu (407) 657-1300
peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) (02/09/91)
In article <1991Feb4.132518.18331@arrayb.uucp> warner@arrayb.uucp (Dave Warner) writes: > I would like to pose a question for discussion, i.e.: > Why would anyone buy a NEW 33 MHz '486 PC to run > UNIX(tm) vs. buying an ILC or SLC from Sun??? Or, > for that matter, an S4000 from Solbourne??? Good DOS emulation. Commodity priced peripherals. Slots. Installed base. And for folks in the know: Sun's habit of abandoning users in their never-ending quest for MIPS. -- Peter da Silva. `-_-' peter@ferranti.com +1 713 274 5180. 'U` "Have you hugged your wolf today?"