🚀 go-pugleaf

The Zenith Z-248 model which was sold to the Department of Defense was
part of a contract for computer SYSTEMS, not 'IBM PC's or equivalents'.
The systems had to perform many functions required by the government,
and Zenith provided a very broad suite of pripherals and software to
satisfy these requirements.  Being able to turn to a large list of
compatible items, government users found it extremely easy to configure
a SYSTEM to accomplish a need, with no worry about compatibility and no
need for a computer expert to study volumes of manuals to figure out how
to integrate peripheral equipment and software.  The COM3 port on the 
Z248 is a syncronous port which is used by a wide variety of communications
software provided to the government under that contract to allow terminal
emulations for attachment to various government owned mainframes and
minicomputers.  The successs of the concept of a full suite of compatible
items can best be measured by the great numbers of computer systems ordered
from this contract during its three year life: over 400,000 systems.

Complaining that COM3 is not equal to COM2 is moot.  COM3 accompishes
its unique mission.

Curiosity:  How did you, as a member of private industry, come into posession
of a government issue Z248?  Your complaint of not receiving an upgrade offer
for MS-DOS 3.3+ -- Are you the registered owner of your DOS, did you mail
your end-user license agreement?

Tom Buchsbaum   tom@tnc.UUCP
Disclaimer: The above is my personal opinion.