Aucbvax.1932 fa.works utzoo!duke!decvax!ucbvax!Rivanciw@Darcom-HQ Thu Jun 25 13:16:23 1981 Re: Works: Re RIvanciw: OA Architecture I will restate my case for the development of a systems architecture as an early step in addressing the issue of office automation. I will restate my position with some real world truths here at DARCOM. It is possible at DARCOM to have office automation services for a one time cost as low as $5634.00. That full purchase price for 100% availability on a micro computer. Since most folks currently operate in a timesharing mode with a multitude of user via for available ports on a given machine, 100% availability is a step up. This price will continue to drop as technology moves forward. That system is based on an 8 user micro supporting 8 users. There are 8 ports on that micro so every user can run her/his office tools whenever they want. They can currently run a host of tools including a word processor, 3 different mail systems, a calendar system, a suspense tool, a tickler system, a conference scheduler, a phone directory, a reminder services, automated weekly activity reporting, and a couple of other tools integral to the office. Since most folks entering the realm of office automation do not use their system for 8 hours a day, it is most acceptable that a micro with 8 user ports could easily support 16 office workers. Thus the cost of that system is now $2817.00 one time purchase cost. On a lease that price would be somewhere around $1000.00 or less a year cost per user for full office automation tool usage. Now even the most pessimistic predictions about the field of office automation would conclude that a grand/year is very, very cost effective. We are able to offer these cost effective systems because we have an architecture. As for being limited to 64K core, what micros are you looking at? The last one I took delivery on had 1MB core. It was running a full version 7 of UNIX plus all the software I mentioned above with 8 users. Randy Ivanciw ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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.