Opus Systems

[Mike Howard]

Here are the `informative' responses to my query about Opus Systems.

I have also talked to the company and received from them copies of several
press releases and a write up entitled 'Opus Systems/Corporate
Backgrounder'.  This material substantiates and augments the information
below - in other words, looks good to me.

In any case, we've decided to go with an Opus Sparcstation clone rather
than a Sun Sparcserver 1.  I expect the hardware to show up here `one of
these days', so in a few months I'll probably have some stories to tell.

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X-From: Glenn F. Leavell <uunet!rigel.econ.uga.edu!glenn>

I personally don't have any experience or knowledge of OPUS Systems or
their products, but I wanted to let you know that there is a short article
about them in the December 1990 (V3,N6) issue of "SunTech Journal" on
pages 8-10.  Below is a chart taken directly from that article:

[msh - the article is essentially a product announcement in the section
`/news'.  There is not much more there than is on the company's `slicks']

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X-From: uunet!imatron!lawson (Lawson Louie [c100])

Prior to building Sparc compatible computers, Opus Systems was in the
business of designing and building boards utilizing various
microprocessors (e.g. NS32XXX, Fairchild Clipper and most recently the
Motorola 88K as part of 88open) which would turn your PC-AT into a Sys V
Unix workstation.  Back in the days when the best PC you could buy was a 6
mhz AT, and the best Sun you could buy was a Sun 2/120 ($45k !!!), their
technology was a viable solution for certain applications. Needless to
say, the 386 and Sparc put a certain damper on their corporate prospects
so they seem to have recast themselves into a Sparc and Unix provider.

As i understand the situation, they designed their SS1+ cpu board and also
helped a very large proportion of the current bevy of Sparc compatible
vendors with their SunOs integration/certification.

Though Opus is much smaller than the PC clone vendors who are offering
Sparc compatibles, Opus definitely has the better Unix experience and
expertise. 

In a previous life, I helped to develop a CAE product that ran on the
original NS32XXX based Opus product(s). Though I have a contact within
Opus I am not employed, a stockholder or otherwise affiliated with them. I
do understand where they are coming from and think that they can be a
viable vendor in this market.

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[[Ed's Note: Previously posted replies removed from summary. -bdg]]

Mike Howard
uunet!milhow1!how or how%milhow1 at uunet.uu.net