Engineering:AT&T UNIX PC

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Short description: 1980s Unix desktop computer
UNIX PC / PC 7300 / 3B1[1]
Atandt unix pc.jpg
AT&T UNIX PC
ManufacturerConvergent Technologies[2]
TypeProfessional Computer
Release dateMarch 26, 1985 (1985-03-26)[3]
Introductory priceUS$5,095 (equivalent to $12,100 in 2019) - US$7,290 (equivalent to $17,300 in 2019)[3][4]
Media5¼-inch floppy disks, optional QIC tapes
Operating systemAT&T UNIX v3.51[1] (Based on SVR2)
CPUMotorola 68010 with custom MMU clocked at 10 MHz
Memory512 KB to 4 MB RAM
Storage10 MB, Optional 20 MB, 40 MB,[2] and 67 MB hard drives[1]
Display12 inches (30 cm), 720 x 348
InputKeyboard, 3-button Mouse
ConnectivityRS-232 port, Parallel port, 3 phone jacks
Mass40 lb (18 kg)

The AT&T UNIX PC is a Unix desktop computer originally developed by Convergent Technologies[2] (later acquired by Unisys),[5][1] and marketed by AT&T Information Systems in the mid- to late-1980s. The system was codenamed "Safari 4"[6] and is also known as the PC 7300, and often dubbed the "3B1". Despite the latter name, the system had little in common with AT&T's line of 3B series computers. The system was tailored for use as a productivity tool in office environments and as an electronic communication center.[7]

Hardware configuration

Exterior of the AT&T 3B1
Motorola 68010 in a AT&T 7300 UNIX PC
  • 10 MHz Motorola 68010 (16-bit external bus, 32-bit internal) with custom, discrete MMU[2]
  • Internal MFM hard drive, originally 10 MB,[3] later models with up to 67 MB[1]
  • Internal 5-1/4" floppy drive[2]
  • At least 512 KB RAM on main board (1 MB or 2 MB were also options), expandable up to an additional 2 MB via expansion cards[2]
  • Monochrome green phosphor 12-inch (300 mm) monitor[2]
  • Internal 300/1200 bit/s modem[2]
  • RS-232 serial port[2]
  • Centronics parallel port[2]
  • 3 S4BUS expansion slots[2]
  • 3 phone jacks[2]

PC 7300

The initial PC 7300 model offered a modest 512 KB[2] of memory and a small, low performance 10 MB hard drive.[3] This model, although progressive in offering a Unix system for desktop office operation, was underpowered and produced considerable fan and drive bearing noise even when idling. The modern-looking "wedge" design by Mike Nuttall was innovative, and the machine gained notoriety appearing in numerous movies and TV shows as the token "computer".[8]

AT&T 3B/1

An enhanced model, "3B/1", was introduced in October 1985 starting at US$8,495 (equivalent to $20,200 in 2019).[9][1] The cover was redesigned to accommodate a full-height 67 MB hard drive.[1] This cover change added a 'hump' to the case, expanded onboard memory to 1 or 2 MB, as well as added a better power supply.[1]

S/50

Convergent Technologies offered an S/50 which was a re-badged PC 7300.[10]

Olivetti AT&T 3B1

British Olivetti released the "Olivetti AT&T 3B1 Computer" in Europe.[11]

Operating system

File:Att-unixpc-booting.ogv

AT&T PC 7300 compiling and running a C program

The operating system is based on Unix System V Release 2,[2] with extensions from 4.1 and 4.2 BSD, System V Release 3 and Convergent Technologies.[1] The last release was 3.51.[1]

Programming languages

Application software

  • Business Graphics (produces chart graphics from 20/20 spreadsheet data)
  • dBASE III (DBM)[3]
  • Informix (DBM)
  • Oracle (DBM)
  • Paint Power (drawing package)
  • Samna/AT&T Write Power 2 (word processor/spreadsheet)
  • Samna Plus (word processor/spreadsheet)[12]
  • SMART System (Office Suite)
  • Sound Presentations (presentation graphics)[13]

Spreadsheet software

Word processors

Games

Utility

  • EMACS
  • HoneyDanBer UUCP package
  • KA9Q (implements SLIP, built-in FTP, telnet, SMTP, finger which are otherwise not available without installing the Ethernet software)
  • Kermit
  • MGR window system
  • Pcomm (ProComm clone)
  • SPICE/NUTMEG (circuit simulation tool)[16]
  • TeX
  • Various Shells: Bourne, C, and Korn

Expansion cards

The UNIX PC has three proprietary S4BUS slots for expansion cards:

  • DOS-73 8086 co-processor card running at 8 MHz, Hercules graphics compatible, with 512 KB RAM, an RS-232 COM2 port and optional 8087 math co-processor. It included MS-DOS 3.1. This board was designed and built for AT&T by Alloy Computer Products of Framingham MA.
  • RAM could be added using 512 KB RAM or 2 MB RAM cards, up to a maximum of 4 MB (2 MB on the motherboard and 2 MB on expansion cards).
  • EIA/RAM combo cards contained extra RAM (512 KB, 1 MB, or 1.5 MB) and two RS-232 serial ports.
  • Dual EIA port card (same card as the EIA/RAM but without the RAM sockets)
  • StarLAN 1 Mbit/s (1BASE5) network over twisted-pair wire local area network typically used in star format
  • Ethernet 10 Mbit/s LAN card (AMD Lance-based) using AUI connector and Wollongong TCP/IP stack/drivers
  • AUDIX Voice Power (“Speech Processor”) card allowed for the capture and digital recording of voice conversations. This was an option of the "Integrated Solution" package for the AT&T System 25 PBX where the UNIX PC served as the "Master Controller".[17]
  • PC/PBX Connection Package 4 for AT&T PBX System 75 or System 85
  • Floppy Tape card provided interface for 23 MB MFM Tape Cartridge Drive (e.g. Cipher FloppyTape 525)
  • QIC-02 card for tape backup
  • Expansion chassis card was hard-wired to Expansion Chassis (with five added slots)
  • Piiceon Model SR-2048 (2 MB) RAM expansion card

Public domain software

The STORE! was a public domain software repository provided by AT&T and accessible via dialup UUCP.[1][18]

Emulation

The FreeBee emulator is available at on GitHub.

Cancelled Successor

Three prototypes of a follow-on "P6" model were alleged to have been built[19][1] with the specifications claimed to be:

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 "3b1 FAQ". http://www.unixpc.org/FAQ. Retrieved 1 August 2019. 
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Mayer, Alastair J. W.. "System Review: The AT&T UNIX PC". Byte (May 1986): 254–262. https://tech-insider.org/unix/research/acrobat/8605.pdf. Retrieved 2019-08-01. 
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Howitt, Doran (1984-04-08). "At Last, AT&T's 7300/Unix PC". Infoworld: 17. https://books.google.com/books?id=0S4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17. Retrieved 2019-08-01. 
  4. ↑ "AT&T Introduces Computer Gear Aimed at IBM-Led Office Market". http://tech-insider.org/unix/research/1985/0327.html. 
  5. ↑ CBR Staff Writer (December 13, 1988). "UNISYS Corp Puts Ely in Charge of $2,000m UNIX Group". New Statesman Media Group Ltd. https://techmonitor.ai/technology/unisys_corp_puts_ely_in_charge_of_2000m_unix_group. 
  6. ↑ "NEW AT&T COMPUTER OFFICE GEAR". Chicago Tribune. March 27, 1985. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-03-27-8501170246-story.html. 
  7. ↑ AT&T, Select Code 999-601-311IS, AT&T UNIX PC Owner's Manual (1986)
  8. ↑ "AT&T PC 7300". http://www.starringthecomputer.com/computer.html?c=50. 
  9. ↑ Petrosky, Mary (October 14, 1985). "6300 Plus Launched By AT&T". InfoWorld 7 (41): p. 8. https://books.google.com/books?id=ii8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8. 
  10. ↑ "Vendors of Multiuser Microcomputer Products". Infoworld. 1986-10-13. https://books.google.com/books?id=pDwEAAAAMBAJ&q=convergent+technologies+%22s/50%22&pg=PA42. 
  11. ↑ "Olivetti Technical Specifications". Olivetti. https://www.1000bit.it/js/web/viewer.html?file=%2Fad%2Fbro%2Folivetti%2Fatat3b1%2Epdf. 
  12. ↑ "Samna Plans Unix-based Product Line". InfoWorld: 17. June 16, 1986. https://books.google.com/books?id=VC8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Satchell, Stephen (1985-09-23). "A Look at Software for AT&T's Unix PC". Infoworld: 32–33. https://books.google.com/books?id=hi8EAAAAMBAJ&q=Unix+PC. Retrieved 2019-07-30. 
  14. ↑ "Games". http://unixpc.taronga.com/games/. 
  15. ↑ "Comp.sources.3b1 Archive Volume 1". http://unixpc.taronga.com/comp.sources.3b1/volume01/. 
  16. ↑ "Miscellaneous Software". http://unixpc.taronga.com/misc/. 
  17. ↑ AT&T System 25 Reference Manual. September 1989. https://downloads.avaya.com/css/P8/documents/100012497. 
  18. ↑ "The STORE". http://unixpc.taronga.com/STORE/. 
  19. ↑ "SVR3.5 + source code". https://groups.google.com/g/comp.sys.3b1/c/t3JkGFmJttI/m/d6eoKFBgRGYJ. 

External links



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