To: Bovik@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: info on IBM PC portable clones Date: Sun, 10 Jun 90 23:33:07 EDT From: Glenn Meter Harry, Here's some information I recieved on IBM portable clones, the Mitsubishi MP266L in particular. On the other hand, I'd usually suggest a Mac. Date: Tue, 05 Jun 90 09:19:00 EDT From: R.Scott.Crowder@RSC.BOLTZ.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: HELP: IBM clones Your best bet is to read PC Magazine's reviews. They do a very good job of reviewing various classes of machine and touch on most points that would be of interest. Last summer they did a complete review of EVERY '386 on the market at the time. There have certainly been some changes since then, but my guess is that there haven't been too many. You message didn't give your buying parameters, but here is my $0.02 worth on a basic PC purchases: 1. Buy a '386 machine if you want to do anything more than word-processing, or reading bboards. The '386 is a powerful enough processor to run real programs (unix even) and most of the new software is targeted to that processor. 2. If you are really worried about price, buy a '386SX model. The SX is the 32-bit processor with 16-bit datapaths. I/O is much slower, but all the '386 software will run and the cost is a significantly less than a full blown '386. (I have been out of the PC loop for a year now and won't even try to guess at current street prices or price differences) [386sx's with hard disk and 4M RAM can be had for $1600 and up] 3. If you are really, really worried about price, buy a '286. But don't complain to me if you are frustrated trying to do more than word-process. 4. As far as brands go - some friends of mine who make there living programing on PCs just replaced all their office PCs with Everex 386-25s. They have been very happy and haven't had any trouble in the first 6 months. They settled on Everex after having unhappy expeirences with some other brands (can't remember which ones) as far as service. I have also heard good things about Dell computers. We had a few of them around Battelle and they beat the IBM's by about of factor of 4 on price/performance. They were also very good on service and realiablity. 5. Here are my picks for common PC software: word-proc - WordPerfect, compilers - Borland (the C is really good, wish the unix enviroment had something half as usable), spreadsheet - Quattro from Borland, communications - PROCOMM+, Lisp Compiler - Golden Common Lisp (pricey, but good). Hope this helps. -Scott >>> pc:2 Date: Tue, 05 Jun 90 08:25:23 EDT From: Adele.Sufrin@H.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: PC Clones Glenn, My husband has bought several Software City brand PCs. We even have one at home. He has been very happy with them and the service he gets is very good. They stand by their products. Software City is in Village Square Mall in Bethel Park. Here at CMU we are using Compaq PCs. Hope this helps. Adele Sufrin ps. gcn@gnome.cs.cmu.edu does not work >>> pc:3 Date: Mon, 04 Jun 90 16:36:32 EDT From: Bruce Benson Subject: Re: Rem:HELP: IBM clones I would recommend hitting the library and looking over the last PC Magazine review of PCs. PC Magazine gives lots of details and selects zero or more "Editor's Choices" which are based as much on "value" as on technical merit. The PC I bought in the last year was recommended by them (Zeos 386) and I have had few problems (but not NO problems). Of course you could always recommend an IBM PS/2 and be safe.... Bruce * Bruce Benson + Internet - bwb@sei.cmu.edu + + * Software Engineering Institute + Compuserv - 76226,3407 + >--|> * Carnegie Mellon University + Voice - 412 268 8496 + + * Pittsburgh PA 15213-3890 + + US Air Force >>> pc:4 Date: Tue, 05 Jun 90 09:48:24 EDT From: Jeanette.Dravk@SNOWBIRD.MINDS.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: pc's i was thinking of buying a pc sometime ago too. i found that, for quality and satisfaction/recommendations Dell Computers was far and away the best deal. they also have reasonable prices since all sales are direct from them. i've also heard good things about the compaq models. jeanette- >>> pc:5 Date: Tue, 05 Jun 90 13:42:02 EDT From: Lisa.Stanziale@SPICE.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: pc compatible glenn, [...] i saw your post requesting info on pc compatibles, and unfortunately i don't know of any info to give you- except pcbrand or gateway seem to be ok, just looking at prices- but i'm not positive. i too have a friend who is looking to buy a computer- and any info always helps- so could you send me any interesting info that you get in response to your post. thanks lisa. >>> pc:6 Date: Wed, 06 Jun 90 14:44:37 EDT From: Chaim Dworkin Subject: Re: info on Mitsubishi clone I have a Mitsubishi, the model you are asking about [MP286L]. It's absolutely wonderful. The only thing is that you should know that there is no battery for it nor will there ever be one made by Mitsubishi. Their laptops are made for use in a place where there is some place to plug them in. chaim@eniac.seas.upenn.edu >>> pc:7 Date: Thu, 07 Jun 90 11:44:00 EDT From: Angela.Hickman@ML.RI.CMU.EDU Subject: Re: HELP: IBM clones I bought a Sperry 4 years ago and have been very pleased with it. -- Angela >>> pc:8 Date: Sat, 09 Jun 90 23:55:00 EDT From: Chaim Dworkin Subject: Re: info on Mitsubishi clone Sure. By the way, I don't have the Mitsubishi anymore. I am writing a review of laptops and I have had a dozen of them pass through my hands in the past few months. My co-author currently has the Mitsubishi. I forgot how heavy it is but it was lighter than the others because the others had an extra few pounds due to the battery. The screen is square and very nice to read. Only the 286 computers had square screens and they are a lot bigger than the rectangular screens the 8088/8086 ones had. Also much easier to read. The Mitsubishi came with a 5 1/4" high density external drive which I found to be quite useful. However, the user manual is quite skimpy and tells very little. The ones I liked the most were the Epson Equity LT-286e, the Mitsubishi, and the Goldstar all are 286 machines. I liked the Goldstar most of all because it's keyboard was nicest and because it comes with a gas plasma screen which is much nicer than the LCD. The Epson is the heaviest by far weighing in at 18 pounds but it has a slot for a 3/4 size regular AT card. Both the Mitsubishi and the Goldstar use proprietary cards for their slots so any cards you want to add on must be made by the same company. Chaim