Problems with the 7300

[Dan Ts'o]

In article <> greenber at timeinc.UUCP (Ross M. Greenberg) writes:
>>>AT&T claim 9 users.  Could be.  I felt it was *VERY*
>>>slow with one user.
>>
>>More specifically, the disk is slow, compared to the speed of everything
>>else.  CPU processes seem quite fast.  However, in a disk that small and
>>that inexpensive, you can't expect a lot of speed.
>>
>>	Mark
>Yes, I can expect a faster performing *machine* from AT&T.  If it isn't
>fast enough to do any practical work, then (whatever the reason) the
>machine just doesn't have the bang for the buck that I was hoping. 
>I mean, lets be serious: $7000 for a machine that requires over a minute
>for simultaneous logins on two terminals??? Now this machine only
>had 512K so there was a lot of swapping going on, but why would AT&T
>send an army (well, about eight people) to a Uni-Group meeting with
>machines that were configured as such toys *UNLESS* they actually
>consider that to be what people will buy.

	I was at the Uni-Group demo of the AT&T and this comment does not
match my impression. Yes, the disk was slow relative to what I am used to
(it has an 85ms access time, I don't know the transfer rate). But I thought
the machine was quite speedy. It is a virtual memory 10Mhz 68010. Nroff
for example, benchmarked at .6 of a 11/780 (Eagles, 4.2BSD). For the price
(which I think you have wrong, my impression is that with standard discounts
it will be in the $4000 range), I think it is not bad, especially considering
an okay window interface and integral phone modem.

	I believe that you were misled at the demo by trying to do
simultaneous logins on a loaded machine. Most of the time at the demo, the
7300's have ~6 active windows, each doing quite a lot of work such as
flashing digitized pictures, rotating figures, etc.

	I am not saying it is the greatest machine. The disk is definitely
a problem if you want use the 7300 as a typical multiuser UNIx machine. On
the other hand, the disk is probably fine for your average single user
business application. The windowing interface is a great step, but not quite
up to MacIntosh standards. I also hate green screens. But I think the machine
is worth considering, especially if (as someone else thought) the machine
might be available to some for $3000.