Coherent

[Rob Springall]

In article <1990May4.003555.25539 at dasys1.uucp> parsnips at dasys1.uucp (David Parsons) writes:
>BYTE magazine for May, 1990 had an advertisment for a 'virtual clone' of UNIX 
>for $99.95.
>
>Anybody have any experience with this product? (or any good rumors??)  It's 
>from Mark Williams, I believe a respected name in the field. I'm VERY tempted.

I got too tempted and I picked up the phone and ordered a copy.  It will
be shipped in two to three weeks.

Here are some of the details from their ad and the sales rep I spoke with:
	- Complete C compiler 
	- Source code compatible with other *ix's (NOT object code compatible)
	- Includes Yacc, Lex and Awk
	- Includes UUCP, Mail and Usenet (news) progs 
	- Supports Trailblazers
	- Can access DOS disks
	- Comes on five (5) diskettes (either 5.25" or 3.5")
	- 10 meg suggested disk space
	- Can run in a minimum of 640K
	- 64K kernel size
	- 60-day money-back guarantee

Things I don't know:
	- Whether or not (as according to rumor) the C compiler only does
	  8086 code and the small memory model
	- If the C compiler can be used to compile DOS .EXE's (like SCO Xenix)
	- If there are plans to include a DOS compatibility box.  As of now,
	  it will "access" DOS disks.
	- What shells it comes with (outside of the Bourne shell).  I would
	  like the C shell and the Korn shell would be nice.
	- Whether that "suggested" 10 meg of disk space holds a full system
	  or just a stripped version.
	- The amount of support for modems other than Trailblazers (if I had
	  to wait for a $99 Unix, you can see how I'm not on a Trailblazer
	  budget).
	- What kind of add-ons are planned.
	- Whether or not the user manual will be enough for someone who has
	  never admin'ed a site before (me).

Address & Phone Number:
	Mark Williams Company
	601 N. Skokie Highway
	Lake Bluff, IL  60044
	(800) MARK-WMS (627-5967)
	(708) 689-2300

The $99.95 price only lasts until July 31.  For the small amount of change
that they wanted, I figured it was worth a shot.  My biggest problem I 
cleaning off enough of my hard drive (60 meg) for Coherent and my favorite
Unix code to fit.
-- 
Rob Springall                                              springal at hsi.com
3M Health Information Systems                ...!{uunet, yale}!hsi!springal
New Haven, CT