🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <Added.oWwc4Ty00Ui3QBBk8m@andrew.cmu.edu>, GTHEALL@PENNDRLN.BITNET (George A. Theall) writes:
> 
>     Hello netlanders! Well, August 1st is just around the corner,
> and here I am eagerly awaiting release of Suitable Solutions'
> 286 chip-replacement board for the Rainbow. Has anyone heard
> anything about this recently (last 2 months)? What type of
> software/memory expanders are planned to accompany the board?
> 
>     Is anyone still using a Rainbow? Is anyone listening????
> 
We have been told by the people at Suitable Solutions that the 286
board for the Rainbow will be out sometime in early September.  Don't
know how close they are to meeting that schedule, but as of a couple
of weeks ago they thought they would make it by first week in September.

Software: Suitable Solutions is expecting to be coming out with MS-DOS
	  V3.1 for the Rainbow just about now (early August).  The main
	  hangups were getting the agreement worked out with DEC, and
	  printing the documentation, so I expect this to be reasonably
	  on-time.

	  You can always use Code Blue which with the 286 would give
	  you a little more IBM compatibility.  It would NOT however
	  give you full AT compatibility - for example the graphics
	  modes are totally different.

Memory:	  The 286 board is much like many of the 286 enhancement boards
	  for the IBM-PC and XT - that is, all you get is a faster
	  processor and a cache memory for faster memory access - you
	  do NOT get extended or expanded memory.  So the Rainbow will
	  still be limited to 896K.  I expect that for many people this
	  will not be a big point - that's still 256K more than a standard
	  PC, and a PC with a 286 enhancement board is a very popular
	  and useful box.  But if you really need the extra memory you
	  will be better off going with a real AT class machine, even
	  though that may mean a good deal of pain in getting new software.

We are planning to get one of the boards as soon as they become available.  
I can post a review if there is interest but it will be at least a month...

						Bruce C. Wright