I got 12 responses from my RFI on portable unix notebooks. Not many considering
the number of people who read this list ;<(
1 for a summary
1 saying they had asked the same question last week and would also
provide a summary...(Guess I missed it;>)
3 asking why I didn't consider Sun's Voyager
(It currently only runs Solaris 2.x and I need 4.1.x)
1 response about how they hated the SPARCbook II (Been There! Done That!)
6 responses about the RDI and the SPARCbook III
1 respondent likes the RDI unit and had purchased one
1 respondent who had purchased 2 SPARCbook III's, but was not happy with running
Solaris 2.3 (I understand that it does run 4.1.3 as well;>)
1 respondent who hated RDI and suggested SPARCbook III and noted a US Goverment
survey that had picked the SPARCbook III.
1 respondent who just purchased a SPARCbook III and was happy - they did point out
several "minor" irrataions.
1 respondent who had previously owned 2 RDI's but said they would go with Tadpole
1 respondent who was happy with their SPARCbook III
Satisfied
Yes No
SPARCbook III III I
RDI PowerLite I I
Below is a copy of my original query and the pertinent reponses I received.
BTW. We bought a SPARCbook III yesterday and it just arrived this morning.
I choose this one for several reasons:
1) It appears to be more stable than than the RDI since Tadpole has been
making their mother boards a lot longer AND Tadpole is located just
down the road in case of problems ;>) [wouldn't of said that last year]
2) I ended up getting a decent price...$11K for a 32mb,520mb about $3K more
than a comparable RDI
3) I got a 30 day money back gaurantee and 15 hour turnaround...RDI offered
a 3 day money back gaurantee and I never got a turnaround time other than
the normal 30 day and a response of we're working on it.
-rg-
Thanks to:
shao@sid01.amil.co.il (Wei Wei Shao)
jws@cellnet.com (Jim Seavey)
mueller@darmstadt.gmd.de (Lothar Mueller)
Jim Redpath SRI Ft Bragg <jredpath@ags.ga.erg.sri.com>
Matt Wells <mi116@macaulay-land-use.scot-agric-res-inst.ac.uk>
sommers@oti-hsv.com (Brian Sommers)
"Frederic Piard" <frederic_piard@kangourou.erli.gsi.fr>
brb@ike.safb.af.mil (SrA Bruce R Baier)
ljm@halsp.hitachi.com (Larry J. Miller)
"Schmidt, Jeff" <schmidtj@strasys.mdc.com>
Edward F Killian <edk@mach10.utica1.kaman.com>
_____________________________________________________________________________________
To: sun-managers@eecs.nwu.edu
Subject: Portable Sparcs
Content-Length: 1065
X-Lines: 32
Status: RO
I got a request yesterday to purchase a portable Sparc for road shows ASAP
if not yesterday ;>)
After so serious looking around I came up with only two vendors -
Tadpole and RDI Computer Corp.
I'm interested in Tadpole's SPARCbook 3 and RDI's PowerLite. I've talked with
both vendors and got all the specs and pricing I need. What I don't have and
really need to know is...
1) How reliable are these systems on the road
2) How good is the support for these systems
3) Is RDI's 1024x768 Display any good? Is it worth the extra $6-7K?
4) Are you satisfied with yours?
I would like to hear about your experiences with these portables and
their vendors as well as what you consider to be the good and bad points.
I'll gladly provide a summary later next week after all the responses "pour"
in.
I checked the Archive and the last time this question was put to the list was
in early 1992...
since then there have been many improvements (and other not so good things happen)
to these portables.
Send your responses to: rg@issi.com
Thanks for the help!
-rg-
_____________________________________________________________________________________
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From shao@sid01.amil.co.il Fri Sep 9 23:56:57 1994
Organization: Applied Materials Inc., ACET Division
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 21:55:28 PDT
>From: shao@sid01.amil.co.il (Wei Wei Shao)
To: rg
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
Content-Length: 1402
I have a SPARCbook II. And I don't like it at all.
I cost me $20k, I got a 640x480 color display.
The battery runs only one hour. Since the machine
shutdown automatically when you have only 15min battery
life, you actually only get 45min battery with a
color display. I asked TadPole to see if they have
any plan to develop 1024x768 versions. Guess what they
say? "We found the customer do not need it. 640x480 is
enough".
When the SPARCbook III came out, I was also
told there is no upgrade path available.
Another thing you need to be aware of is that the TadPole
product runs Solaris modified version. That gives you
some problem when you maintain it (such as boot from network,
etc.).
After I got the SPARCbook II, I could not get slip working,
they were very active to talk to me within the first couple
of weeks, after that, they just forget about me. I heard from
the other division that they were unable to connect external
SCSI hard drive.
It is basically reliable, but it is very hot at the bottom.
So you won't feel comfortable to put it on your lap.
For your last question, I don't like mine, I am not satisfied
and I wish I know how to get my money back.
I was asked to purchase another Sun laptop recently, I
recommended the voyager. True, it is not a laptop, but I like
it. It runs solaris unmodified and has a nice display.
Wei Wei Shao
shao@amil.co.il
Applied Materials Inc.
----- End Included Message -----
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>From ddoherty@chipcom.com Sat Sep 10 07:43:17 1994
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 08:41:20 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Dave Doherty <ddoherty@chipcom.com>
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
To: Ron Gilmer <rg>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Length: 1254
Please either post a summary, or let me know what you find out.
Thanks
Dave
----- End Included Message -----
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>From dac!cellnet.com!jws@uucp-gw-2.pa.dec.com Sat Sep 10 12:16:42 1994
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 10:09:43 +0800
>From: jws@cellnet.com (Jim Seavey)
To: rg
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII
Content-Length: 2422
i just sent back my demo unit from rdi. i don't think the high res is
necessary unless your doing 24bit graphics.
the frame buffer can drive a high res monitor and that will meet my needs.
i like the system; so much so that i ordered one. we're a catylist vendor
and rdi is offering a 25% discount at this time.
i'm getting one with 32mb ram, 1gb disk (2 500mb drives) and 640x480 res
screen for about 8.8k
nice unit; very expandable with aattachable mocule that can hold more disk
and 2 sbus cards. way cool...
jim
_ /| ___ Jim Seavey
\`o.O' | . ___ Systems Engineering Manager
=(__+)= (__)_|_| | | CellNet Data Systems
U 75 Shoreway Road, Suite 2000
San Carlos, CA 94070
Tel 415/508-6122
Fax 415/592-6858
Jim.Seavey@CellNet.COM [Internet]
decwrl!cellnet!Jim.Seavey [UUCP]
----- End Included Message -----
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From mueller@darmstadt.gmd.de Sat Sep 10 13:04:21 1994
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 94 20:03:36 +0200
>From: mueller@darmstadt.gmd.de (Lothar Mueller)
To: rg
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
Content-Length: 1011
We got two Sparcbooks 3 with Solaris 2.3 and I'm not very happy with them.
The Nomadic Computing Environment doesn't work as described, (even withe
the new release ) But the worst thing with it is: you can't
determine wether ethernet is connected or not, so you have no chance to
do the appropiate in the /etc/rc - files. I prefer the Sparcbook 2 with
SunOS 4.1.3 (I don't like Solaris 2.x very much !) - they got another
ethernet chip, with which ifconfig yields "ATTACHED" when connected to a
network. Support here in germany ( we bought it from a german vendor !)
is not very good, but by now I have a mail-address from tadpole UK -
so I hope my problems will be solved in the future.
RDI I don't know anything of.
Greetings L.Mueller
_________________________________________________________________
Lothar M|ller, SUN-Systemadministrator (mueller@darmstadt.gmd.de)
GMD-I2, Rheinstr. 75, D-64295 Darmstadt, Germany
Tel.: +49 6151 869 897 +204, Fax: ++49-6151-869224
----- End Included Message -----
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>From brb@ike.safb.af.mil Sun Sep 11 10:04:44 1994
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 94 09:57:40 CDT
>From: brb@ike.safb.af.mil (SrA Bruce R Baier)
To: rg
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
Content-Length: 877
Did you consider the Sun Voyager?
If not, why not? I was wondering...
Bruce Baier
brb@ike.safb.af.mil
----- End Included Message -----
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From jredpath@ags.ga.erg.sri.com Mon Sep 12 08:16:49 1994
To: rg (Ron Gilmer)
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 94 09:16:06 EDT
>From: Jim Redpath SRI Ft Bragg <jredpath@ags.ga.erg.sri.com>
Content-Length: 2225
DON'T BUY RDI. Tadpole is the best and more reliable. We bought several of both
and got burned on RDI. Stick with Tadpole. Also the US Government has been looking
for a fly-away box and has reviewed and tested both with Tadpole winning.
On some Tadpole hadrdisks the system my overheat and need to be shutdown, but I
beleive this to be only a fluke for the models containing a large harddrive and
has been remedied - ask them.
Regards, Jim
////
(. .)
+--------------------------oOO--(_)--OOo--------------------------+
Jim Redpath SRI International, Menlo Park CA
jredpath@erg.sri.com Center for Technology Transfer
Software Engineer and Integration
Fort Gordon, GA Field Site
Phone: (706) 798-3111
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
----- End Included Message -----
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>From mi116@macaulay-land-use.scot-agric-res-inst.ac.uk Mon Sep 12 08:34:33 1994
>From: Matt Wells <mi116@macaulay-land-use.scot-agric-res-inst.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs
To: XXXX@macaulay-land-use.scot-agric-res-inst.ac.uk
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 14:05:07 +0000 (GMT)
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL20]
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 1770
Sender: mi116@macaulay-land-use.scot-agric-res-inst.ac.uk
Hi
We have just purchased a Tad 3 LC. So far I have been v. impressed with
its performance. It networks fine, you can use it with a Sun Monitor/keyboard
when in the office and it really is full-blown Solaris 2.3 on ours with all
appropriate bells and whistles. I have only been using it for two weeks, so
I have not tested everything yet, but a couple of minor irritations are:-
1) The Nomadic Computing Environment Interface can occasionally get confused
and requires a reboot to sort itself out.
2) 16Mb of RAM aint enough really. I am investigating whether it would be
cheaper to buy extra memory or to buy flash/SRAM/hard card memory as a
PCMCIA card and use this as a fast swop (swap) partition.
3) You need a patch (it normally comes with it) to stop it occasionally
hanging when resuming from a power down.
4) A controlled power down is sometimes repeated two or three times in a row
(switch bounce maybe?)
5) With the standard battery you've got less than an hour (more like 40
mins) before you're in need of a recharge.
But I repeat - I like it and would recommend it to folk who wish to demo
graphics applications or work away from the office.
-- __^__ __^__ ( ___ )-----------------------------------------------------------( ___ ) | X | Matthew Wells | X | | / | ITM Group System's Administrator | \ | | / | Macaulay Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen | \ | | X | Phone: (0)224 318611 Fax: (0)224 311556 | X | |___| "This message is composed of 100% recycled pixels" |___| (_____)--------------Email:m.wells@mluri.sari.ac.uk---------------(_____)----- End Included Message -----
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>From sommers@oti-hsv.com Mon Sep 12 09:05:31 1994 Date: Mon, 12 Sep 94 09:08:15 CDT >From: sommers@oti-hsv.com (Brian Sommers) To: rg Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs Content-Length: 960
> > I would like to hear about your experiences with these portables and > their vendors as well as what you consider to be the good and bad points. >
We have had two BriteLite's for a couple of years: an IPC clone and an IPX clone. Both have been used for travel. The IPC has developed a boot error that has not been fixed. Apparently, it is cache-related. Since we have no support contract, plus the fact that we don't really miss it right now and that it is govt property we are using temporarily, it sits broken.
In trying to find relevant information on the net, I have run into three or four people that had problems with their BriteLite machines. Whether this is due to poor quality, or just age is hard to judge, as I've only been the admin here a short time. If I was going to make a purchase today, I'd go with Tadpole.
Brian -- Brian Sommers sommers@oti-hsv.com Optimization Technology, Inc. Huntsville, AL (205)-922-1288
----- End Included Message -----
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>From ljm@halsp.hitachi.com Mon Sep 12 09:20:15 1994 >From: ljm@halsp.hitachi.com (Larry J. Miller) Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 07:19:52 -0700 X-Mailer: Z-Mail (3.0.1 01jun94) To: rg (Ron Gilmer) Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Length: 843
SUN also has their SPARCstation Voyager
-- Larry ***************************************************************** *** Larry J. Miller *** E-mail: ljm@halsp.hitachi.com *** *** CAE Operations Engineer *** ljm@netcom.com *** *** Hitachi America, Ltd. *** Voice: (415) 244-7375 *** ***************************************************************** *** "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making *** *** other plans". From yee old fortune cookie :-) *** ***************************************************************** *** The contents of this message *may* reflect MY personal *** *** opinion. The contents of this message is *not* intended *** *** to reflect those of my employer, or anyone else. *** *****************************************************************
----- End Included Message -----
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>From schmidtj@strasys.mdc.com Mon Sep 12 11:50:14 1994 Date: 12 Sep 1994 09:58:48 U >From: "Schmidt, Jeff" <schmidtj@strasys.mdc.com> Subject: RE: Portable Sparcs To: "Ron Gilmer" <rg> X-Mailer: Mail*Link SMTP/MS 3.0.0 Content-Length: 2441
posted the same wquestion a week ago ... still receiving some responses and will post a summary from that ilater this week ... Jeff_______________________________________________________________________________
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>From frederic_piard@kangourou.erli.gsi.fr Mon Sep 12 13:07:05 1994 Date: 12 Sep 1994 18:44:32 U >From: "Frederic Piard" <frederic_piard@kangourou.erli.gsi.fr> Subject: RE: Portable Sparcs To: "Ron Gilmer" <rg> Content-Length: 3718
Hello,
We've got a SparcBook 3 from Tadpole. The goods : low weight, speed, removable hard disk (we can have several diferent demos on several diferent removable hard disks), technical support is Ok in France, Solaris 1.x works The bads : non-standard screen (too small), sunview does not works, memory is expensive
We are happy with our.
- Frederic Piard -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Frederic Piard - Ingenieur Systeme | Generale de Service Informatique | |--------------------------------------+------------------------------------| | GSI - Erli | E-mail: Frederic.Piard@erli.gsi.fr | | 1, Place des Marseillais | Voice : 33 (1) 48 93 81 21 | | 94227 Charenton-Le-Pont, Cedex | Fax : 33 (1) 43 75 79 79 | | France | Mobile: 33 (1) 54 44 34 15 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- End Included Message -----
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From edk@mach10.utica1.kaman.com Mon Sep 12 19:58:59 1994 Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 21:00:52 -0400 (EDT) >From: Edward F Killian <edk@mach10.utica1.kaman.com> Subject: Re: Portable Sparcs To: Ron Gilmer <rg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Length: 1721
Don't forget Sun's Voyager. Yeah, I know, it's not really that portable and it's sort of pricey, but thought I'd mention it.
Ed Killian
System Engineer System Administrator Kaman Sciences Corporation Phone (315) 734-3629 258 Genesee Street FAX (315) 734-3699 Utica, New York 13502-4627 email edk@utica1.kaman.com ############################################################################# The opinions expressed are mine, wholly mine, and nothing but mine. ############################################################################# ----- End Included Message -----
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