AT&T UNIX PC

Hardware configuration

• 10 MHz Motorola 68010 (16-bit external bus, 32-bit internal) with custom, discrete MMU
• Internal MFM hard drive, originally 10 MB, later models with up to 67 MB
• Internal 5-1/4" floppy drive
• 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 (4 MB max total)
• 32 KB VRAM
• 16 KB ROM (up to 32 KB ROM supported using 2x 27128 EPROMs)
• 2 KB SRAM (for MMU page table)
• Monochrome green phosphor 12 in monitor
• Internal 300/1200 bit/s modem
• RS-232 serial port
• Centronics parallel port
• 3 S4BUS expansion slots
• 3 phone jacks

PC 7300

The initial PC 7300 model offered a modest 512 KB of memory and a small, low performance 10 MB hard drive. 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".

AT&T 3B/1

An enhanced model, "3B/1", was introduced in October 1985 starting at . The cover was redesigned to accommodate a full-height 67 MB hard drive. 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.

S/50

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

Olivetti AT&T 3B1

Olivetti released the "Olivetti AT&T 3B1 Computer" in Europe.

Operating system

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

Windowing software (xt/layers) from SVR3 was provided to allow connection to a DMD 5620 graphics terminal.

Programming languages

• AT&T BASIC
• dBase III
• GNU C++
• LISP
• LPI C
• LPI COBOL
• LPI DEBUG (debugger)
• LPI Fortran
• LPI Pascal
• LPI PL/I
• Microsoft BASIC
• RM/COBOL
• RM/Fortran
• SMC BASIC
• SVS Fortran
• SVS Pascal

Application software

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

Spreadsheet software

• 20/20 (Supercomp 20)
• Microsoft Multiplan

Word processors

• AT&T Word Processor
• Crystal Writer
• Microsoft Word
• Samna Word
• SMART Word Processor
• WordMarc
• WordStar 2000

Games

• Chess
• Klondike
• Life
• Mahjongg
• Larn
• Moria
• NetHack
• Pac-Man clone
• Robots
• Rocks (Asteroids clone)
• Super-Rogue 9.0
• Tetris clone

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)
• 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. Mouse, floppy, modem (on COM1), and printer are shared in a DOS session. MS-DOS 3.1 was included. 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".
• 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 the externally-powered Expansion Unit with five additional S4BUS slots (manufactured by Alloy Computer Products)
• 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.

Emulation

The FreeBee emulator is available at .

Cancelled successor

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

• Motorola 68020
• Optional Motorola 68881 FPU
• SIMM sockets for up to 16 MB RAM
• Color monitor
• 2400 baud modem
• 60 MB QIC tape

References

References

1. "AT&T Introduces Computer Gear Aimed at IBM-Led Office Market".
2. CBR Staff Writer. (December 13, 1988). "UNISYS Corp Puts Ely in Charge of $2,000m UNIX Group". New Statesman Media Group Ltd.
3. "3b1 FAQ".
4. (March 27, 1985). "NEW AT&T COMPUTER OFFICE GEAR". Chicago Tribune.
5. AT&T, Select Code 999-601-311IS, ''AT&T UNIX PC Owner's Manual'' (1986)
6. Mayer, Alastair J. W.. "System Review: The AT&T UNIX PC".
7. Howitt, Doran. (1984-04-08). "At Last, AT&T's 7300/Unix PC".
8. "AT&T PC 7300".
9. (October 14, 1985). "6300 Plus Launched By AT&T". [[InfoWorld]].
10. (1986-10-13). "Vendors of Multiuser Microcomputer Products".
11. "Olivetti Technical Specifications". Olivetti.
12. (June 16, 1986). "Samna Plans Unix-based Product Line".
13. Satchell, Stephen. (1985-09-23). "A Look at Software for AT&T's Unix PC".
14. "Games".
15. "Comp.sources.3b1 Archive Volume 1".
16. "Miscellaneous Software".
17. (September 1989). "AT&T System 25 Reference Manual".
18. "The STORE".
19. "SVR3.5 + source code".