Apresby.148 net.micro utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ihnss!houxi!npois!harpo!presby!aron Mon Feb 8 21:12:06 1982 Unix for the TRS-80 16 Well, here's what I could find out so far. There are alot of people coming out with bundled hardware/software systems involving 68000's and Unix. Among these are WICAT, MicroDaSys, Dual and Fortune. It seems every week that there is an article in INFOWORLD announcing a new system of this sort. In fact, in this weeks INFOWORLD there is an article on Unix and 16 bit micros. Most of the above companies have full page adds in this months BYTE. The problem, however, for the 16, is that these systems are bundled. The hardware and software come together. Most of these companies are getting Unix from two places (on an OEM basis): UNISOFT in Berkeley, CA and Microsoft in Bellevue, WA. UNISOFT is currently V7 but will soon be Version III (or whatever WE calls its latest concoction). Even nicer, UNISOFT includes the Berkeley Unix enhancements. MICROSOFT is also V7 and I believe will also soon be III, but does not include Berkeley stuff, although it does have "internals" enhancements of its own. Neither MICROSOFT nor UNISOFT is interested in selling single user copies. They'll only talk to you if you are an OEM. On the other hand, the OEM's will only sell you Unix for a 68000 inside their own hardware. According to the INFOWORLD article, the new WE licensing arrangement will allow resale prices of $40 a copy for dealers who've shelled out the $45,000 for the source-code license. At those prices its understandable that dealers are relunctant to sell Unix without the hardware. There's no profit in it! Anyway, unless someone out there has alot of money and time, and is willing to become a TANDY and UNISOFT(or MICROSOFT) OEM, or unless TANDY pleasantly surprises me, it may be a while before we see Unix on the TRS-80 16. ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.