Ressurect V/AT?

[John Plocher]

>From article <196 at carpet.WLK.COM>, by bill at carpet.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy):
> I think we need a champion to do this, John was a logical choice, but

Thanks for the nomination.  It really made me feel good inside. :-)
I can't accept it, of course, but thanks for asking!  I don't think
I'll have time to do *lots* of work, but if you need a source of
technical info, I'm email-able.

> that they did the original port that Microport worked from.  Both firms

Who knows - I sure don't.  But, the code they have is Microport Version
1.35 level - First Customer Shipped product from Microport was 1.36.

If nothing else, Microport did a LOT of work getting the show stopper bugs
out of the base release.  Things like bootstrapping, configuration, 
installation, and motherboard hardware interfacing (Clock, DMA...) are
NOT in the base release :-(  (at least not in usable form)

> AT&T's Simul-Task was the most stable and seamless DOS under UNIX ...
> I'd be delighted if I could run PC 6300 PLUS UNIX on my AT clone.

But the 6300+ has SPECIAL hardware to support DosMerge - The AT doesn't
have it.

> at the /system5 prompt.  The median feeling seemed to be that $50 to
> enroll and $10-50/year to sustain is about right for this.  There was

ASSUME a total of 10,000 owners of V/286.  ASSUME 30% are interested.

	Year 1
		3,000 people * $50 = $150,000

		$150,000	Working funds
			minus
		$ 80,000	AT&T Source License for ONE CPU
		$ 20,000	AT&T Source License for a SECOND CPU
		$ 20,000	Computers for the above license
				(4-8Mb mem, 350Mb, VGA...)
		$  5,000	Legal Fees for incorporation and
				Insurance
		$ 10,000	Production and shipping costs (low)
		$450,000	AT&T Royalties at $150/copy 
				Remember, The current license is
				only valid between Microport and
				You.  Not Easter Computer and You.
		--------
	       ($435,000)	Salary   :-(


> owners who aren't on the net (could we buy Microport's mailing list?).

	Call Jim Brain at (408) 441-0140 and ask him.

> Bill Kennedy  Internet: bill at ssbn.WLK.COM
>                 Usenet: {texbell,att,killer,sun!daver,cs.utexas.edu}!ssbn!bill

I hate to be a pail of cold water, but you really need to figure out the 
costs, determine the number of customers, and THEN set a price.  Not the
other way around.

		-John Plocher