CompuServe Messages

Yes, you can get other VAXes for under $1000. 730s are less than 750s, and I think I've seen 780s for under $1K too. Of course you would be within your rights to characterize that as a wise-guy response. 😉 While you can *buy* any of these for under $1K, it's the software (including compilers… you do need a compiler, right?) and operating costs that will kill you. Oh yes, and the (big) disk and tape drives — 7xxs don't really accept any other kind — and _their_ operating costs. All I'm saying is that you should do a cost-of-ownership analysis before you jump at one of these things, preferably a 3- or 5-year one. A used MicroVAX II doesn't cost that much more than a 750, is about 50% faster, and is much cheaper to operate. I have clients with MicroPDP-11/23s who are now looking at MicroVAX 3100s because DEC just doubled (and then some) the maintenance prices on the 11/23s. It looks like the 3100 will cost-justify itself over a reasonable time period based on maintenance savings alone, though the analysis isn't finished yet… never mind the vastly increased productivity from a CPU that is about 15-20 times as fast as the 11/23 😉 …