Unofficial info on Intel-to-Interactive SYSV R4 transition

[Robert W. Withrow]

Being a hapless, soon-to-be ex-Intel SVR4 customer (and having been,
in reverse chronological order, a Bell Tech customer and a Microport
customer) [as you can see, I'm batting 1.000], I was curious what the
score was with the Intel-to-Interactive transition.  What follows is
that I got today from some phone calls to Intel and Interactive...

Intel: They expect to be sending information to their customers,
around the first of April, detailing what the upgrade/transition
situation is.  They expect this to be shortly followed by information
from Interactive with more details.  My source stated that the
``upgrade to Interactive's offering'' would be $200.  I got no details
about what this ``upgrade'' will comprise nor when this ``upgrade''
would occur.  Specifically, I do no know if this ``upgrade'' is
complete, or if it excludes the development system, X11, etc...

Interactive: The anonymous person who answered the phone told me that
Interactive will not be offering a ``commercial'' SVR4 distribution
until *December* 1991!  She acknowledged that there would be an
``upgrade'' program for Intel customers, but stated that ``since we
are still working things out'' she could offer no details about price
or schedule.  Also, she said that she had no details about the cost of
an upgrade from SVR3.2 to SVR4.0 (which, as you may recall, Intel
offered for $400 in total).  It was unclear if this ``upgrade'' was
distinct from the ``commercial'' offering in December.

While I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this information, I can claim
that the above is an accurate rendering of what I got from the people
at Intel and Interactive.  I think the bottom line is that if you are
holding your breath, you are likely to be very blue...

-- 
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 Robert Withrow, R.W. Withrow Associates, Swampscott MA 01907 USA
 Tel: +1 617 598 4480, Fax: +1 617 598 4430, Net: witr at rwwa.COM