Subject: Re: sun 3/80 -- sun3x
To: Sam C. Nicholson II <scion@cs.utk.edu>
From: Barry Leibson <leibson@pbush.com>
List: port-sun3
Date: 01/24/1995 14:25:22
} Any of the ss1, ss1+, or ss2 (with a small file) will fit in your 3/80 (campu
s)
} chassis.  You might consider an "upgrade" from one of the parts supplier
} such as West Coast Computer Exchange.  You can find their addresses in the ba
ck
} of the various UNIX mags like SunWorld or Advanced Systems.

Thanks.  I had a similar idea and have been making inquiries.  I've
talked to a couple of outfits (computer connection in upstate NY and
the concorde group).  One said that if I swapped the CPU board for a
ss1, the holes in the back won't line up right.  The other said things
would line up.  Actually, it turns out that swapping the whole chassis
isn't much more money.  The "hidden" expense is the graphics card.
According to these guys (I haven't verified any of the information
I've been given), this function is built into the mother board on the
3/80, so if I put a sparc board in there, I'd have to buy a gx or cg3
-- they cost nearly as much as the CPU.  The memory (16megs) should
transfer.

In all, it would cost me around $500 bucks to make it a sparc1 and
then I'd still need more disk space.

} Otherwise, I run SunOS 4.1.1_u1 on my 3/60 at home and like it very well.
} -sam

I could do this, but I'd rather run a living OS.  I figure it'll
matter at some point.   

Leaving it a sun/3 has one large advantage.  It doesn't cloud the
ownership issues.  My boss has lent me the machine.  If I can make due
with simply adding a disk, I can buy the disk myself and transfer it
to another machine later.  If I start swapping parts, who owns what
gets more confusing....

-barry