Summary: SunPC like program for Sun3's

From: David F Cerrone (cerrone@pluto.crd.ge.com)
Date: Fri Jun 18 1993 - 09:31:36 CDT


Summary of SunPC like program for Sun3 platform:

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>
>Sun's older versions of this ran on Sun-3; they also had a VME card with
>a 10 MHz 80286 for a co-processor ... called SunIPC (not to be confused
>with the SPARC workstation).
>
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>> Look to "Insignia Solutions". They are the WORLD-WIDE leader for
>>PC emulation on a multitude of platforms, and have been for years.
>>SUN (SunPC) is licensed from Insignia, and SUN 'enhances' it. DEC, HP, etc
>>do the same. Insignia will sell directly to you for WHATEVER platform.
>>
>> I like the idea I may be able to trade my "SoftPC for SPARC licenses in for
>>credit on "SoftPC for xyz" should I decide to switch or add computer xyz to
>>our collection of workstations. Insignia's SoftPC technology is providing the
>>"PC/DOS" compatibility on the much heralded "Windows/NT"! Have you heard
>>about "WABI" (Sun's Windows Application Binary Interface) that runs well behaved
>>MS Windows apps on Sparc OLWM/Solarus 2.2? real soon now? (Ask Bill Gates)
>>Microsoft and Insignia have an agreement providing Insignia with SOURCES and
>>advance development info on MS Windows. Sun has no such agreement for WABI.
>>
>> I've used SoftPC for VAX/VMS workstations, for DEC ULTRIX, and am now
>>rolling it out to support DOS & Windows apps on about 100 Sparc 10's. PIG is
>>a relative term. If you're used to hippos, pigs are agile. Plenty of memory
>>is key to PC & windows performance, whether on SPARC or true 80x86 cpu.
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>>
>>Sun has a product called IPC(Intelligent Peripherial Controller). It is
>>an old product. It is a VME board that basicly is a 286 machine on a
>>board. It has a floppy controller and a parallal port on it. It will
>>work up to 4.1.3 with a patch that is suplly on the OS TAPES. This will
>>also work in a Sun4 VME machine. The lastest software is version 1.2.
>>The software name is pctool.
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>I believe that the earlier Sun product "DosWindows" was available for
>Sun3's. These were sunview applications, and, yes they ran like a dog.
>Why not just go and buy a 386 or 486 PC - they are cheap now.
>
>Here's some details from old sun-managers and other sources:
>
> DOS Windows 1.0:
>
> For SPARC and 680X0 based Sun workstations. Offers XT level of DOS
> performance; CGA, Hercules and Monochrome video emulation; and supports
> only the Sunview windowing system.
>
> Q: Does MS Windows 3.0 work on DOS Windows 1.0?
> A: Yes, but it would only take advantage of 640kb of memory and will not
> support protected mode applications like those listed
> above. It runs in non-protected (8088) mode on SoftPC 2.0
> and DOS Windows 1.0. It requires that the user use the /r
> option at startup.
>
> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 91 11:16:42 EDT
> From: todd@flex.eng.mcmaster.ca
> Subject: SUMMARY: DOS Windows vs. SoftPC
> To: sun-managers@eecs.nwu.edu
>
> Although some said they were happy with DOS Windows, the general
> consensus is that DOS Windows 1.0 is a slug. It supports CGA graphics
> at best. DOS Windows 1.0.1 is a bug-fix release but doesn't add any
> functionality or performance enhancements.
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Thanks to all: (hope I didn't miss anyone)

glenn@uniq.com.au
miker@il.us.swissbank.com
ndmann@tacl.dnet.ge.com
vaughn.rogers@sunesc.East.Sun.COM



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