[rescue] This Just In: HP to buy Compaq

[Robert Rose]

On the Compaq vs HP debate...

I've been a long-time user of Compaq kit (while not playing with Sun stuff) 
and only recently (2 years or so) have played with HP kit and my 
observations are they're remarkably similar.  Their 486/pentium era server 
systems could have been built in the same manufacturing plant:- EISA config 
exactly the same, torx screws for everything, similar case construction (I 
cut my hands on similar bits when attempting to disassemble them) the only 
major differences were the Compaq bits like the netflex NICs and SMART 
array controllers where HP used more industry standard stuff (a bit like 
DEC).  Both vendors made (make?) nice machines, if I wasn't a Sun bigot I'd 
be an admin on one or the other.

I must admit though I've not used their "Home PC" range, my main workhorse 
is a Deskpro 6000 (PPro 200) which is classified as a "Professional 
Workstation", hence I defer to the experience of my fellow rescuers on the 
PeeCee line.

Nevertheless, who really cares about the x86 stuff, given the Alpha CPU is 
dead (anyone organised a wake yet?) my guess is HP-sUX will be the *nix 
that HPaq goes with from here on.  Time to clean up the Multia, maybe it'll 
be worth more than the $50 I spent on it?  Will it be the Amiga of the '90s?

Rob.

PS. Anyone got a reasonably priced 13W3 -> 4BNC cable for sale?