Why are new Suns thick Ethernet only

[J. Brewster]

In article <10217 at orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> rudolf at oce.orst.edu (Jim Rudolf) writes:
>We were introduced to the new Sun products last week, and I was surprised
>to find that all new CPUs will only have thick Ethernet connectors.  OK, I
> [...]
>Can anyone clue me in to the reason why Sun chose to go this way?
>I'm clueless.

I don't claim to know the real reason why Sun went that way.  A guess: if
you have an AUI port, you can convert to thin easily enough.  I've seen
little devices which have a DB-15 and a BNC on them.  I suppose it's just
a small transceiver.  However, given a thin Ethernet port, you can't
really switch back to an AUI connection.  Further, thick Ethernet allows
for greater segment lengths than does thin.  I like the flexibility of
having both (our VAXStation 2000's have a slide switch -- no jumper plug
to fool with!), but if I had to choose, I'd choose the AUI port, too.  --
J. Brewster               | "In this country, everything loose
jjb at cs.wayne.edu          | rolls to the West Coast."
...!mailrus!wsu-cs!jjb    | --Thomas A. Vanderslice, CEO of Apollo