is the 3B2 dead

[Neil Cherry]

WARNING: Although I work for AT&T I do not make the policies I just follow
them!

In article <453 at mtndew.UUCP> friedl at mtndew.UUCP (Stephen J. Friedl) writes:
>> I don't believe anyone has yet defined "dead" as "useless".  The 3B2/600s
>> on up are pretty nice machines, and are quite useful.
>
>unfortunate answer is that the 3B2 line is probably not going
>much anywhere.
Steve this is not a flame, this is only a comment. I just want to clarify
some of the info floating in netland.

1) AT&T will continue to support and develop new products for the 3B2 line
of computers. There is a large base of customers out there with the machine
and it does work.
2) AT&T may not be developing the CPU to sport the fastest crystal available
the reason, I think, is because the 386/486/586 family is out pacing the WE
family. Its better to allow our customers to buy the les expensive technology.
3) The older 310/400 units are still supported, but have you ever tried to
run some of the newer applications on a machine with only 4 meg, its hard.

>so they would never kill it now" are relying on the good sense
>of a company that has not always demonstrated that this is
>their strong suit.  They might do the right thing anyway, but
>it's just as likely to be by accident than by design.
AT&T has been getting its act together much better lately, and the 4.0 Unix
and NEW StarGROUP (tm) software/Hardware is being designed and implemented.
So maybe this one is by design.
>
>Note: I have a very high respect for the technical folks at AT&T
>but they are not the ones making these kinds of decisions.
Your right, I just follow our leaders.
>
>On the other hand, it won't die the same painful death as the
>7300.  That machine never had real market acceptance (and was
>not even made by AT&T) so they never hurt that many people
>that mattered to them (college students don't matter).
>
('scuze me while I try to tip-toe with this one), I have one of these machines
and I will have to agree. We still support them, and there not really as bad
as many would have you believe. And the only real development work for these
machines is Netlanders/College students.
>comments are *very* welcome.  Let me know if I can repeat stuff
>if anonymity is maintained.
I always seem to end up eating my words, so why should it be different now.
I will say this much, AT&T does have an upgrade policy for the 3B's. This
allows those who wish to upgrade to a 386/486 machine to do so. Also most
of the software is also upgradable from 3B to 386/486. I know that won't
make alot of people happy. But if anyone wish to junk a 3B you could donate
them to me (Hey I don't make that much!).
NJC