🚀 go-pugleaf

Given that price breakdown, it'd be the 386/25.  If the price
difference were greater, I might step down to the /20 or even
the 386, but I wouldn't be in the market for a 286 machine
at all.

Mike Van Pelt                                When guns are outlawed,
Headland Technology/Video 7                  only Carl Rowan will have guns.
...ames!vsi1!v7fs1!mvp
_____________________________________________________________
Organization: Princeton University, NJ

1)

-_______--------_____-------------------------------------
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.
Cc: 


I'd buy system 1.  

Why?  Because I run lots of 80386 protected mode number crunching programs.

Choice 4 won't even run them.

Choice 3 would get too much of a performance hit compared to 1 or 2 to be
cost effective.

Choice 2 is ok, but for the extra $100, I would opt for the 25% better
performance.

BTW, I'd never get an MFM drive for such a system. A minimum of 1:1 RLL
(Adaptec ACB-2372B controller) gives 50% improved performance.

Tom Almy
toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply

_________________________________________________________________

>From fanj@remb6489.wpd.sgi.com  Fri Feb  9 12:55:49 1990

1.

_________________________________________________________________

From: davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.com

1) because I need the performance of a 32 bit 386, and the price delta
between the 20 and 25MHz version is small.
---
bill davidsen	(davidsen@crdos1.crd.GE.COM -or- uunet!crdgw1!crdos1!davidsen)
______________________________________________________________________

From: bambam!bpendlet@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Bob Pendleton)
Subject: Re: %% Do You Have Time for a SURVEY? %%

I'd buy 3). Why? because it is fast enough for what I want to do and
by the time I add a VGA card and monitor it will cost a little over
$2000.  I've purchased 4 personal computers so far and they have
averaged about $2000. I guess that is as much as I am willing to pay at
any one time.

			Bob P.
_________________________________________________________________


	You are asking if going from 20 to 25 Mhz is worth $100 : YES
	You are asking if going from 16 to 20 Mhz is worth $100 : MAYBE
	You are asking if going from 286 to 386, even with a slower
	speed, is worth $100 : Most definit YES.

	So, I would put them 1, 2, 3, 4. (In terms of what I would like).

	If I had to spend my money on it, and for home use, I would
	buy the 286-20. I consider this the best value for the money
	given the power I need at home.


___________________________________________________________________

>From ARRITT@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu  Fri Feb  9 11:55:35 1990
?
_____________

>From lulu@ucrmath.ucr.edu  Fri Feb  9 04:49:58 1990
Organization: University of California, Riverside

I'd pick computer (1).  Now, is there really a system like
that for sale right now (25 meg, 2 meg ram, etc) for only
$1800 ?!?  If so, let me know!

			- David
____________________________________________________________


From root Mon Feb 12 03:37 PST 1990
>From cs4g6ag@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca  Mon Feb 12 03:37:37 1990 remote from maccs

   Well, considering that I paid $2400 (Canadian) for a 286-12 about a
year and a half ago, and that I'm gonna have a decent job in a few
months, it would most definitely be #1.
-- 
Stephen M. Dunn                               cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
****************************************************************************

 first, lemme just say that I ain't in the market (and wouldn't be) for a 16-bit buss...
   That outta the way, I'd pick #1 over #2, primarily because 25mhz is worth
about $100 extra to me over 20mhz... and $1800 is~r a pretty fair price for the
25mhz system you mentioned. 

   (BTW, main reason I prefer the 32-bit data buss is that 286 Unix/Xenix is
really rather brain-damaged, and the 32-bit buss gives a considerable speed
advantagexD.{. I know, I{'ve had a 386sx until I finally got my 386-true...
___________________________________________________________________

>From marshall@alpha.ces.cwru.edu  Sun Feb 11 14:29:02 1990


Of all the groups, I'd pick #1. However, at the price you're "offering" then
for, I'd be suspicious of any of them. Machines that cheap are usually
poorly made.

Why would I pick #1? The price differential is not that great, and I kee
computers for a while. 

____________________________________________________________________

>From BUMY@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU  Sun Feb 11 10:25:02 1990

In reply to your posting about preferred systems- it depends upon the
application.  For work it would be #1 but I would heavily modify the
system once it arrived.  For home it's none of the above - I'd go with
a kit for a basic system then customize but then I'm a hardware hacker.

Jerry M. Wright
____________________________________________________________________

>From rleroux1@uvicctr.uvic.ca  Sat Feb 10 21:03:03 1990

I would buy system 1, 2, or 4. (In that order of preference)
I would avoid 3 like the plague (since putting a 32-bit CPU running on a 16-bit
bus is BRAIN-DEAD!!! (And the marketing guy at Intel deserves a medal for making
the 386SX the best-selling Intel ship in the business...))

Roger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>From msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu  Sat Feb 10 21:02:58 1990

Hmmmm.

If I could afford it, I'd buy the 386-25.  The price difference for
the speed is small enough that I'd get the fastest. 

However, I could probably only afford the 286.

Mark
--

____________________________________________________________________


>From bb16@prism.gatech.edu  Fri Feb  9 09:51:40 1990
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

I'ld take option #1...with some misgivings.   Generaly, I like monitors
with my computer :-)

Actually, the price you listed was pretty good for a 25 MHz.  You didn't
mention the BIOS, chipset, manufacturer of the board, or RAM cache capability.  
All of these make a difference in the quality/value of a computer.

I assume you were really looking for how the overall bang/buck ratio affected
my buying decision.  That's pretty easy for my case.  I consider myself a
"power user"  and the major factors in my buying decision are: computing power,
reliability, expected lifetime, expandibility, price, and flexibility. That's
the order of importance for me (with the exceptence of a price ceiling).

For completeness, My ideal personl computer would be configured as:

386-33 MHz   (486 when they come out with a 33 MHz version)
64k or 128k RAM cache
8 MB RAM
80387 math chip
800x600x256 color VGA monitor  (Nec 2A)
150+ MB ESDI hard disk
1.2M  floppy
1.44M floppy
101 keyboard (with function keys on the side)
tower case
2400 Baud modem  (9600 if they ever standardize 9600 baud)
DOS and u*ix partitions on the hard disk

Anyway that's what I dream about (I'm half way there...)


-- 
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Vancouver,  WA.
Cc: 

I would go for number 1. My hobbie is computer graphics, so I need the speed.

# Mark D. Salzman    Phone: (206) 253-5542.  #  The more complex the mind,
--

>From ppd491@leah.Albany.EDU  Fri Feb  9 09:50:43 1990
News-Path: rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!voder!pyramid!ctnews!starfish!tims

> 3) 386SX-16
> 
>    - all same as above
> 
>    $1500
  I would buy this one, though I would opt for the larger case (fits
more expansions slots) and a smaller hard drive.  I would also get some
sort of graphics and color monitor, probably EGA.
  I wouldn't buy a full 386 just because I don't have a need for that
much power (I'm sufficing quite well on an 8088 machine right now; I
don't even need a 286).  The 286 is out because I feel there will be too
much software that I wouldn't be able to run (386 specific software).
  I hope that this helps.

						Pete
--

>From foxj@turing.cs.rpi.edu  Fri Feb  9 09:50:36 1990

     System 1, without any question.  The difference in price is small compared
to the performance.  Also, for personal use, I tend to keep a computer 2-3 years
and the 25 Mhz 386 will have a much better resale value thant the old 286's and
386sx.

--

>From j%bucsf.BU.EDU@bu.edu  Fri Feb  9 09:50:25 1990
Subject: %% Do You Have Time for a SURVEY? %%

Go for the full-blown 386.....you'll appreciate the added investment in the
future.  I'd recommend either of the 386's.  Stay away from the 386sx
solely for compatibility reasons.

--

>From datta@vacs.uwp.wisc.edu  Fri Feb  9 09:50:20 1990
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Parkside
Cc: 

I would probably buy a the dirst system _in this case_, I do
work in CAD as well as heavy databases, speed is the most important
issue _if I were in the market right now_


-- 

>From piety@hplred.hpl.hp.com  Fri Feb  9 09:50:07 1990
From: Bob Piety <sun!hplred.hpl.hp.com!piety>

Defintely #1-- the best perf, for a small increment in $.  Besides, '286
systems can be had for <$1K.

--

>From DSB100@PSUVM.PSU.EDU  Fri Feb  9 09:50:03 1990
From: "David Barr" <sun!PSUVM.PSU.EDU!DSB100>

System 2.  It's surprising how much a fiew extra clock ticks cost!

--


THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!


-- 
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TIM SIMMONS   (408)434-2843
Unisys  Network  Computing Group - San Jose CA
tims@starfish.convergent.com