- Email: [email protected]
Products and services
Burroughsto market Unix machine Burroughs is to market the Convergent Technologies topend Megaframe under the name of XE 550. This machine runs under Burroughs version of Unix, Centrix, which is an enhanced version of Unix System V. In the same cabinet as the 68010 processor to run Unix, and the multiple 80186 processors for file handling and communications, plus 1.5 Mbyte memory, there are two 37.5 Mbyte Winchesters and a removable 5 Mbyte Winchester drive. This can be expanded within that cabinet, with an extra 1 Mbyte memory and 37.5 Mbyte Winchester. Up to three XE 550s processors can then be linked along a bus. Burroughs will be marketing Ingres, a relational DBMS, with the system. Applications software will come under the heading of Centresphere, all running under Centix. In the UK, Burroughs will be offering the system to large companies and organizations, particularly in the public domain and finance, as a dis-
tributed data processing and local networking system. With the XE 550, Burroughs is marketing multiwindow workstations, called PT 1500s. The system is also expected to serve as a growth path for B20 and B25 users. Such systems can be controlled by an XE 520 processor, which can be upgraded to an XE 550. In this case the applications previously run under the micro operating systems will be run under the umbrella of Centrix. An entry level configuration of the XE 550, with two file handling and communications processors and 1.5 Mbyte memory costs around f40000. This includes the two fixed discs and one removable Winchester. The PT 1500 terminal, with 64 kbyte memory, costs f1500. (Burroughs CorPlace, poration, Burroughs Detroit, MI 48232, USA. Tel: (313) 972 7000. Burroughs Heathrow Machines Ltd, House, Bath Rd, Hounslow, Cranford, Middx TWS 991, UK. Tel: 01 759 6.522.) 0
Networkswitching For network switching, Titnplex is offering a distributed data switching system, called the Quad Switching Microplexer. The QSM works with single and dual data link switching microplexers from Timeplex for networks with four or more sites. The networks can connect over 240 ports, using data links operating at up to 19200 bittssimultaneously. Timeplex says that no further hardware or software is needed to program 48 ports as contention, contending, selecting or dedicated. (Timeplex Ltd, 77 Boston Manor Rd, Brentford, Middx TW8 9JQ, UK. Tel: 0 01-568 1941)
44
IBM PC/AT arrives IBM has launched a more powerful Personal Computer, the PC/AT, which is likely to hit sales of the PC/XT and other compatible computers. It is priced at &295 1 in the UK, undercutting the original price of the XT, which has now been reduced to &2828. The PC/AT, standing for Advanced Technology, is based around the 80286 chip, making it far more powerful than previous PCs. It can be used in standalone mode or as
a multiuser system. It has up to 3 Mbyte of memory and runs under the latest version of PC/DOS (version 3.0) and Xenix. At the same time, IBM announced an option which allows up to 72 PCs to be linked. (IBM United Kingdom Ltd, PO Box 41, North Harhour (Baltic House), Portsmouth PO6 3AU, UK. Tel: (0705) 694941. IBM Corporation, Armor&, NY 10504, USA. Tel: (914) 765 1900) 0
productsand services Friendlier WordStar
Ergonomic terminals
A new version of word processing package WordStar has been launched by MicroPro although the International, company claims that the new Wordstar 2 000 complements, rather than replaces, any part of the WordStar range. In developing the new package, MicroPro says it took notice of feedback from users and studies from groups specializing in human/computer relationships. The result,, says 1he company, is a much-simplified user interface. The package features screen windows so that users can Gmultaneously edit up to three documents and incorporate r)utput from some spreadStandard or usersheets.
With the launch of the j series, British company Lynwood claims to have overtaken the Scandanavians in ergonomic design. The company has invested &250000 on design, incorporating recommendations from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Cranfield Institute. The investment has resulted in a VDU terminal with some interesting new features. For example, it can be lowered to allow people to talk over it. Cable connectors have been positioned vertically under the terminal and shut off behind a door so that the wires are tidied away from view. Lynwood has also added an optional motor control to the keyboard to control the movement of the screen. This, says the company, could be useful to the disabled, or to joint users of one screen who need to change the way the screen is facing. There are four terminals in
Haygarth
Heath,
St, Wimbledon yWl!> SBY,
281’31 High
Village, London UK.
Tel: 01-879 u
1122.)
.,0126 no 10
december
1984
The j-100 has a motorized drive forcontrolling movemen: of- the screen
the series at the moment, ranging from an alphanumeric display to a colour alphanumeric and medium resolution graphic display terminal. The first to be available is the jlO0, the
alphanumeric intelligent display terminal. Its price starts (L_vnwood, around El 000. Park
House,
The
Alton, Hants GUS4 Tel: (0420) 87024.)
High lEN,
St, l?K.
0
IBM OA additions
High-end Vax arrives at last The launch of the 8600 highend Vax is an indication of Digital’s approach to high power computing. Rather than go for really big mainframes, Digital is offering powerful processors which can be clustered to provide greater number-crunching ability. So, while the new 8600 has four times the power of the original Vax, (the 780), giving 4% Whetstone MIPS, the result of zlustering up to 16 8600s and intelligent controllers is that a figure of 50 MIPS can be achieved. According to David Neal, UK Vax marketing manager, :he long-awaited 8600 is the irst of a new generation of arge Vaxs. It does not replace :he Vax 111785, which was launched in April 84, but these two machines do replace the Vax 11/782 originally introduced in 1982. The technology used within the 8600 includes ECL chips for faster cycle time, made in Digital’s own factory in Hudson, MA, and 256 kbyte memory chips. It uses pipelined operation, thereby carrying out several instructions at once. This method has previously been employed in Digital’s PDP 1 l-73, the PDF’ 11 on a chip. From a basic 4 Mbyte of main memory, which is four 256 kbyte chips to a board, the machine can be expanded up to 32 Mbyte. To cluster the processors the Computer Interconnect is used, which is Digital’s high speed dual path bus. This :onnects not just 8600s but Ither high-end Vax processors
46
The high-end Vax 8600.
and intelligent storage controller subsystems. Other improvements include 16 kbyte of writeback cache memory rather than writethrough cache. According to Digital, this means that the processor can continue at full speed without waiting for the slower main memory to be updated. A floating point accelerator is an option, which, once added, will bring the processing power of a single 8600 closer to 5 MIPS. The problems involved in the new design of this processor are responsible for the delay in its announcement. The 8600 runs under the latest version of VMS, Version 4. It can also run Ultrix, which is Digital’s recently announced version of Unix for Vax machines. Under Version 4 there are now 15 1 languages available, including LISP and ADA.
Digital is selling the 8600 in
two configurations, with basic prices of &476 000 and &422 000 respectively. A typical system, with a lot of added storage, would cost about &600000. However, Digital believes that many customers will not need the additional storage as they will be adding the 8600 to an established cluster with storage already. Digital sees four distinct markets for the new Vax. These are the CAD/CAM environment, in large commercial applications such as banks where there is heavy TP work or large databases, in university computer centres where there are currently many DECSystem 10s and ZOs, and in pharmaceutical companies carrying out scientific work. (Digital Equipment Co., I29 Parker St, Maynard, MA 01754, USA. Tel: (617) 897 5111. Digital Equipment Co. Ltd, Digital Park, PO Box 110, Reading RG2 OTR, UK. Tel: (0734) 868711.) 0
IBM has been filling in some of the gaps in its office automation system range. A recent announcement covers text processing (Displaywrite) and mail (Personal Service) functions on the PC family, System/36 and Systemi370. Displaywrite is the name given to the text processing software, similar to Displaywriter, which will be available. On the System36 the software can be integrated with Query/ 36 for merging data and text. On the mail side, the PC family now gets Personal Services/PC, which supports mailbox, directory, file cabinet md distribution. Provision of Document Interchange Architecture (DIA) facilities on the PC means that PC DOS files can be interchanged with another PC through DISOSS. Document Content Architecture (DCA) files can be distributed to any DCAiDIA supported devices through DISOSS. As well as Personal Services facilities on the System36, there will also be SNA Distribution Services (SNAIDS) for peer-to-peer distribution of documents to users of System/ 36, 5520 or DISOSS. New products are intended to be complementary to the current IBM office systems products: the Displaywriter, 5520 and 8100. (IBM Corporation, At-monk NY 10504, USA. Tel: (914) 76.5 1900. IBM United Kingdom Ltd, PO Box 41, North Harbour (Baltic House), Portsmouth PO6 3AU, UK. Tel: (0705) 694941.) 0
data processing
productsand services User solutions centre relieves pressure A proposal which could solve the problem of pressure on the DP department to develop applications has been put forward by Honeywell. The company has announced the Solution Centre, running on any Honeywell system, which allows end users to develop their own applications. The facilities available to users through the Solution Centre include direct access to databases, query and reporting facilities and various personal computing and office automation systems. The facilities come under the headings of
Personal Productivity, Decision Support, Office Productivity and Information Display. Honeywell believes that this approach allows an organization to capitalize on its computing investment by ‘unlocking’ information not usually accessible to end users. (Honeywell terns, 200 MA
Inf‘ormation Smith
02154,
895 6000.
USA.
ford,
Ltd,
Tel: 01-568
TW8 YI9l.j
(617)
InformaHoneywell
Great West Rd,
Mtddx
S_VS-
Waltham Tel:
Honeywell
tion Systems House,
St.
9DH.
Rrent1 ‘K.
r-1
Protocol converter
ArcNetadditions Further producls in Datanoint’s networking pro
L
~0126 no 10
december
1984
token-passing network to which up to 255 devices can be attached. There are over 6000 ArcNet installations worldwide. (Datapoint (UK) Ltd, 400
North Circular
den, London NW10 Tel:
Ol- 459
USA)
OJG,
NeasUK.
1222.
Datapoint
Ltd, Wavendon
9725
Datapoint
don,
San Antonia,
TX 78284,
81,X,
Corporation, Dnve,
Rd,
A protocol converter to link IBM Systems 34, 36 and 38 with low-cost asynchronous micros and periterminals, pherals has been launched in a new version by Scicon. The PDF9525 emulates IBM’s 525 1 terminal cluster, allowing up to 16 devices to access IBM computers simultaneously, in interactive or batch mode. It can be used for tasks such as distributed processing, file transfer, highspeed printing and colour graphics. The unit has 128 kbyte or 320 kbyte RAM memory and twin 5%in diskette drives. In its basic version it supports four devices, and is upgraded by the addition of a board for every four more devices. Three other processors handle host interface, disc control and internal data transfer. Prices for the converter start at &4000, rising to $7000, depending on the number of terminals supported. (S’clcon
0
Milton
585858.)
UK.
Tower, Keynes Tel:
WavenMKI7 (0908
J
c
47
tributed data processing and local networking system. With the XE 550, Burroughs is marketing multiwindow workstations, called PT 1500s. The system is also expected to serve as a growth path for B20 and B25 users. Such systems can be controlled by an XE 520 processor, which can be upgraded to an XE 550. In this case the applications previously run under the micro operating systems will be run under the umbrella of Centrix. An entry level configuration of the XE 550, with two file handling and communications processors and 1.5 Mbyte memory costs around f40000. This includes the two fixed discs and one removable Winchester. The PT 1500 terminal, with 64 kbyte memory, costs f1500. (Burroughs CorPlace, poration, Burroughs Detroit, MI 48232, USA. Tel: (313) 972 7000. Burroughs Heathrow Machines Ltd, House, Bath Rd, Hounslow, Cranford, Middx TWS 991, UK. Tel: 01 759 6.522.) 0
Networkswitching For network switching, Titnplex is offering a distributed data switching system, called the Quad Switching Microplexer. The QSM works with single and dual data link switching microplexers from Timeplex for networks with four or more sites. The networks can connect over 240 ports, using data links operating at up to 19200 bittssimultaneously. Timeplex says that no further hardware or software is needed to program 48 ports as contention, contending, selecting or dedicated. (Timeplex Ltd, 77 Boston Manor Rd, Brentford, Middx TW8 9JQ, UK. Tel: 0 01-568 1941)
44
IBM PC/AT arrives IBM has launched a more powerful Personal Computer, the PC/AT, which is likely to hit sales of the PC/XT and other compatible computers. It is priced at &295 1 in the UK, undercutting the original price of the XT, which has now been reduced to &2828. The PC/AT, standing for Advanced Technology, is based around the 80286 chip, making it far more powerful than previous PCs. It can be used in standalone mode or as
a multiuser system. It has up to 3 Mbyte of memory and runs under the latest version of PC/DOS (version 3.0) and Xenix. At the same time, IBM announced an option which allows up to 72 PCs to be linked. (IBM United Kingdom Ltd, PO Box 41, North Harhour (Baltic House), Portsmouth PO6 3AU, UK. Tel: (0705) 694941. IBM Corporation, Armor&, NY 10504, USA. Tel: (914) 765 1900) 0
productsand services Friendlier WordStar
Ergonomic terminals
A new version of word processing package WordStar has been launched by MicroPro although the International, company claims that the new Wordstar 2 000 complements, rather than replaces, any part of the WordStar range. In developing the new package, MicroPro says it took notice of feedback from users and studies from groups specializing in human/computer relationships. The result,, says 1he company, is a much-simplified user interface. The package features screen windows so that users can Gmultaneously edit up to three documents and incorporate r)utput from some spreadStandard or usersheets.
With the launch of the j series, British company Lynwood claims to have overtaken the Scandanavians in ergonomic design. The company has invested &250000 on design, incorporating recommendations from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Cranfield Institute. The investment has resulted in a VDU terminal with some interesting new features. For example, it can be lowered to allow people to talk over it. Cable connectors have been positioned vertically under the terminal and shut off behind a door so that the wires are tidied away from view. Lynwood has also added an optional motor control to the keyboard to control the movement of the screen. This, says the company, could be useful to the disabled, or to joint users of one screen who need to change the way the screen is facing. There are four terminals in
Haygarth
Heath,
St, Wimbledon yWl!> SBY,
281’31 High
Village, London UK.
Tel: 01-879 u
1122.)
.,0126 no 10
december
1984
The j-100 has a motorized drive forcontrolling movemen: of- the screen
the series at the moment, ranging from an alphanumeric display to a colour alphanumeric and medium resolution graphic display terminal. The first to be available is the jlO0, the
alphanumeric intelligent display terminal. Its price starts (L_vnwood, around El 000. Park
House,
The
Alton, Hants GUS4 Tel: (0420) 87024.)
High lEN,
St, l?K.
0
IBM OA additions
High-end Vax arrives at last The launch of the 8600 highend Vax is an indication of Digital’s approach to high power computing. Rather than go for really big mainframes, Digital is offering powerful processors which can be clustered to provide greater number-crunching ability. So, while the new 8600 has four times the power of the original Vax, (the 780), giving 4% Whetstone MIPS, the result of zlustering up to 16 8600s and intelligent controllers is that a figure of 50 MIPS can be achieved. According to David Neal, UK Vax marketing manager, :he long-awaited 8600 is the irst of a new generation of arge Vaxs. It does not replace :he Vax 111785, which was launched in April 84, but these two machines do replace the Vax 11/782 originally introduced in 1982. The technology used within the 8600 includes ECL chips for faster cycle time, made in Digital’s own factory in Hudson, MA, and 256 kbyte memory chips. It uses pipelined operation, thereby carrying out several instructions at once. This method has previously been employed in Digital’s PDP 1 l-73, the PDF’ 11 on a chip. From a basic 4 Mbyte of main memory, which is four 256 kbyte chips to a board, the machine can be expanded up to 32 Mbyte. To cluster the processors the Computer Interconnect is used, which is Digital’s high speed dual path bus. This :onnects not just 8600s but Ither high-end Vax processors
46
The high-end Vax 8600.
and intelligent storage controller subsystems. Other improvements include 16 kbyte of writeback cache memory rather than writethrough cache. According to Digital, this means that the processor can continue at full speed without waiting for the slower main memory to be updated. A floating point accelerator is an option, which, once added, will bring the processing power of a single 8600 closer to 5 MIPS. The problems involved in the new design of this processor are responsible for the delay in its announcement. The 8600 runs under the latest version of VMS, Version 4. It can also run Ultrix, which is Digital’s recently announced version of Unix for Vax machines. Under Version 4 there are now 15 1 languages available, including LISP and ADA.
Digital is selling the 8600 in
two configurations, with basic prices of &476 000 and &422 000 respectively. A typical system, with a lot of added storage, would cost about &600000. However, Digital believes that many customers will not need the additional storage as they will be adding the 8600 to an established cluster with storage already. Digital sees four distinct markets for the new Vax. These are the CAD/CAM environment, in large commercial applications such as banks where there is heavy TP work or large databases, in university computer centres where there are currently many DECSystem 10s and ZOs, and in pharmaceutical companies carrying out scientific work. (Digital Equipment Co., I29 Parker St, Maynard, MA 01754, USA. Tel: (617) 897 5111. Digital Equipment Co. Ltd, Digital Park, PO Box 110, Reading RG2 OTR, UK. Tel: (0734) 868711.) 0
IBM has been filling in some of the gaps in its office automation system range. A recent announcement covers text processing (Displaywrite) and mail (Personal Service) functions on the PC family, System/36 and Systemi370. Displaywrite is the name given to the text processing software, similar to Displaywriter, which will be available. On the System36 the software can be integrated with Query/ 36 for merging data and text. On the mail side, the PC family now gets Personal Services/PC, which supports mailbox, directory, file cabinet md distribution. Provision of Document Interchange Architecture (DIA) facilities on the PC means that PC DOS files can be interchanged with another PC through DISOSS. Document Content Architecture (DCA) files can be distributed to any DCAiDIA supported devices through DISOSS. As well as Personal Services facilities on the System36, there will also be SNA Distribution Services (SNAIDS) for peer-to-peer distribution of documents to users of System/ 36, 5520 or DISOSS. New products are intended to be complementary to the current IBM office systems products: the Displaywriter, 5520 and 8100. (IBM Corporation, At-monk NY 10504, USA. Tel: (914) 76.5 1900. IBM United Kingdom Ltd, PO Box 41, North Harbour (Baltic House), Portsmouth PO6 3AU, UK. Tel: (0705) 694941.) 0
data processing
productsand services User solutions centre relieves pressure A proposal which could solve the problem of pressure on the DP department to develop applications has been put forward by Honeywell. The company has announced the Solution Centre, running on any Honeywell system, which allows end users to develop their own applications. The facilities available to users through the Solution Centre include direct access to databases, query and reporting facilities and various personal computing and office automation systems. The facilities come under the headings of
Personal Productivity, Decision Support, Office Productivity and Information Display. Honeywell believes that this approach allows an organization to capitalize on its computing investment by ‘unlocking’ information not usually accessible to end users. (Honeywell terns, 200 MA
Inf‘ormation Smith
02154,
895 6000.
USA.
ford,
Ltd,
Tel: 01-568
TW8 YI9l.j
(617)
InformaHoneywell
Great West Rd,
Mtddx
S_VS-
Waltham Tel:
Honeywell
tion Systems House,
St.
9DH.
Rrent1 ‘K.
r-1
Protocol converter
ArcNetadditions Further producls in Datanoint’s networking pro
L
~0126 no 10
december
1984
token-passing network to which up to 255 devices can be attached. There are over 6000 ArcNet installations worldwide. (Datapoint (UK) Ltd, 400
North Circular
den, London NW10 Tel:
Ol- 459
USA)
OJG,
NeasUK.
1222.
Datapoint
Ltd, Wavendon
9725
Datapoint
don,
San Antonia,
TX 78284,
81,X,
Corporation, Dnve,
Rd,
A protocol converter to link IBM Systems 34, 36 and 38 with low-cost asynchronous micros and periterminals, pherals has been launched in a new version by Scicon. The PDF9525 emulates IBM’s 525 1 terminal cluster, allowing up to 16 devices to access IBM computers simultaneously, in interactive or batch mode. It can be used for tasks such as distributed processing, file transfer, highspeed printing and colour graphics. The unit has 128 kbyte or 320 kbyte RAM memory and twin 5%in diskette drives. In its basic version it supports four devices, and is upgraded by the addition of a board for every four more devices. Three other processors handle host interface, disc control and internal data transfer. Prices for the converter start at &4000, rising to $7000, depending on the number of terminals supported. (S’clcon
0
Milton
585858.)
UK.
Tower, Keynes Tel:
WavenMKI7 (0908
J
c
47