Is the 3b2 dead?, I think so:-(

[20 James D. Corder]

In article <23021 at cfctech.cfc.com> kevin at cfctech.cfc.com (Kevin Darcy) writes:
>In article <1990Jun5.002131.11389 at maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> terry at eesun1.eece.ksu.edu (Terry Hull) writes:
>>sullivan at aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:
>>
>>>:From article <3532 at wb3ffv.ampr.org>, by smarc at wb3ffv.ampr.org (Marc Siegel):
>>>> 
>>>> I wonder how many other people out there work for companies that
>>>> have LARGE investments in 3b2 hardware and software. We have several
>>>> 3b2's that may not be supported very much longer. While nobody at
>>>> AT&T will actually confirm this, it seems that the 3b2 is a dead
>>>> product line.
>>
>>>Do you mean the whole 3B2 line or the 310/400 models?  I doubt the former
>>>and I believe the latter has already been announced.  The low-end 3B2's
>>>are slower than 386's so why not phase them out.  However, I have heard
>>>nothing to suggest that the rest of the entire 3B2 line is on its way out.
>>

Hello:-)

	I can not confirm this.  However, I feel that it is true.  I have
a 3B2/300 that I love:-)  It is SLOW.  It is CO$TLY.  It is OUTDATED:-(
But, I like it!  The problem that I have with the 3B2 line over the 386's
is optional extras!  The cost to expand a 3B2 is outrages!!!  One can not
go to the local store and purchase a hard drive for the unit.  One must
first buy a XM box$$$

	I have the 3B2/300 SYSV.2 and the AT&T 5620 terminals.  However,
SYSV.2 will not run layers, or at least the version of the DMD utilities
that I have will not.

	I have tried for about a year to find out what it would cost
to update my 3B2/300 from SYSV.2 to V.3, and now to V.4.  It seems that AT&T
doesn't even know.  I know there is a lot of software for the 3B2, but, where
is the list?  Does anyone make aftermarket hardware for the 3B2?

	I know that there are many companies out there that sell used
equipment for the 3B2.  How do you get on their mailing list.  Most of
the companies that I have talked to only want to sell used 3B2/310.  I
want EXTRA things for my 3B2: SCSI, XM, Math Chips...

	The final question is:  Should one spend the thousands of dollars
to expand their 3B2, or would it be cheeper to purchase a 386?  With this
question as our foundation, one can see why the 3B2 is destin to die:-(

A 3B2 lover,
James D. Corder
...osu-cis!alix!jdc
...att!osu-cis!alix!jdc
alix!jdc at cis.ohio-state.edu