bell tech vs microport (I'm going to upgrade)

[Jack F. Vogel]

In article <276 at focsys.UUCP> larry at focsys.UUCP (Larry Williamson) writes:
>In article <570 at comdesign.CDI.COM> pst at canary.cdi.com (Paul Traina) writes:
>>I'm currently an owner of Microport SV/AT (286),  and I'm in the process of
>>upgrading my machine.  I've just purchased an RLL disk controller, and am
>>going to get a 386 in the very near future.  I know uport SV/AT 2.4 supports
>>the RLL disk controller, so my first idea was just going with uport.
>>However, since I am going to get a 386, I'm trying to decide which way I
>>should go (uport vs bell tech).  
>>
 
[Much useful discussion of Bell's lack of 3rd party hardware support deleted]
 
Why in your options are you leaving out SCO's 386 package? It supports RLL,
I have clients that use the 2372 controller. Turnkey is using a WD1006RAH
and its use is completely transparent, you just tell hdinit that you have
26 sectors per track. SCO is also soon to release X-windows although I am
not sure what version. Furthermore if any Unix vendor shines when it comes
to third party hardware support it is SCO. Also, depending on your time
table, SCO will have full Unix 3.2 sometime in early 89. As to the complaint
about SCO being expensive, I think it you compare the contents of what
you are getting versus what you pay, I think you will find that each vendor
is really fairly competitively priced.

Larry points out that Bell seems to sell Unix only to sell their hardware,
I would completely agree with this, this is a problem unless you plan to
purchase a complete hardware - software bundled package from them, and
heaven help you later if you decide to  add anything. Interactive, being
a software house would be a better choice.

There is one more consideration which in my mind rules out Bell completely
and makes me less than happy with Interactive as well, and that is support.
Turnkey has used a Bell ICC card for something around a year, during that
time we have had some problems with it, nothing fatal mind you but just
minor annoyances that in my mind should have been addressed by Bell. But
although they have promised to have technical support call a couple of
different times they NEVER have! Sometimes even getting ahold of a sales
person's ear is an excercise in extreme patience! Likewise with Interactive,
I have called them on a couple of different occasions just to make some
inquiries about their products and I have again NEVER had my calls returned.
This is in stark contrast to SCO, when I call them on a product question
I have always had either immediately response or a call back within an hour
or so. Technical support, while they may take a day or so to respond, has
also never failed to return my calls; and in the case where they are
unable to resolve a customers problem over the phone, they will refer him
to a knowledgable consultant in their area who they can contact for help
(in my area this is usually TCC :-}).

To summarize my somewhat long ramblings I would say "Stay away from Bell!!",
give SCO some serious consideration, or perhaps ISC. I can really give
little advice about uport or at least their 386 product since I have never
had occassion to work with it.




-- 
Jack F. Vogel
Turnkey Computer Consultants, Costa Mesa, CA
UUCP: ...{nosc|uunet}!turnkey!jack 
Internet: jack at turnkey.TCC.COM