AT&T 386 UNIX Vr3.1

[Bill Kennedy]

I have been a frequent promoter of AT&T's 386 UNIX and a vociferous
criticizer of Microport's System V/386.  I have been asked (that's
why this is so widely cross posted) several times whether or not the
AT&T product will run on a '386 AT clone, where to get it, how much
it costs.

I found it in the latest Elek-Tek catalog, several part numbers but
the most likely is order # 482109, Part # ATT1331003.  That's unlimited
run time and Development (both!) for $695.50.  That's a few dollars
more than Microport Development alone and quite a few dollars less than
the Microport equivalent.

Elek-Tek
6557 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645-3986       (800) 621-1269, IL 312-982-5765, CN (800)458-9133

Major credit cards welcome.

I was also asked, numerous times, why I felt the product was superior to
Microport V/386.  I'll not do a numbered list because that might look like
a flame and I'm through with that.  The documentation is better.  Microport's
documentation opens with an apology for the crummy appearance and says it's
because they got such poor quality masters from AT&T.  Perhaps that's exactly
right, but I can read AT&T, Microport is as bad as what they apologize for.
AT&T is shipping Vr3.1 which means streams and things that will be available
Real Soon Now.  Microport (to their credit) has virtual consoles, i.e. with
a flick of a keyboard button you're on a different console.  That's missing
from what you get from AT&T.

That covers the cosmetics, why do I think that AT&T is better?  Their
compiler compiles C-Tree (an incredibly portable package) and the binary
that comes out works.  Microport compiles it but breaks when sscanf is
called.  AT&T's compiler doesn't write code that the assembler can't assemble.
AT&T's uugetty doesn't get into debates with an intelligent modem who wants
to talk about answering the phone.  AT&T's terminfo for the AT console doesn't
get lost when you're in vi.  AT&T ships unlimited users standard, not extra
$$.  AT&T's VP/ix (DOS box) works.  AT&T supports big disk drives.  AT&T is
fewer dollars for the same components.

I'd like to repeat that this is not intended as a slam on Microport.  I am
delighted with their '286 product (this is being posted with it).  When I
was flaming Microport for their '386 effort I got a lot of email asking why
I was such a big AT&T booster.  I'm not, but I am encouraged about a product
that works.  I got mine via a VAR connection that wasn't generally available,
now Elek-Tek has it in their catalog.  Admittedly $695.50 isn't pocket money,
but it's a lot fewer $$ than several alternatives and a lot more stable a
product.  Some promise/excuse, some ship.
-- 
Bill Kennedy  Internet:  bill at ssbn.WLK.COM
                Usenet:  { killer | att | rutgers | uunet!bigtex }!ssbn!bill