AT&T Unix PC

3B1 / PC7300 / Unix PC

AT&T Unix PC
Manufacturer Convergent Technologies
Type Professional Computer
Release date 1985 (1985)
Media 5¼-inch floppy disks, optional quarter-inch cartridge tapes
Operating system AT&T Unix v3.51
CPU Motorola MC68010 with custom Memory management unit clocked at 10Mhz
Memory 512KB to 4MB RAM
Storage Optional 10MB, 20MB, 40MB, and 67MB hard drives
Display 348×720 pixel resolution
Input Keyboard, 3-button Mouse

The 3B1 (also known as the PC7300, or Unix PC) was a Unix workstation computer originally developed by Convergent Technologies (later acquired by Unisys), and marketed by AT&T in the mid- to late-1980s. Despite the name, the 3B1 had little in common with AT&T's other 3B-series computers.

Hardware configuration

Exterior of the AT&T 3B1

PC7300

The initial PC7300 model offered a very limited 512 KB of memory and an extremely slow 5 MB hard drive. This model, although progressive in offering a Unix system for desktop office operation, was painfully slow and had an aggravating 'grinding' noise even when not in active use. The modern-looking "wedge" design was innovative, and in fact the machine gained notoriety appearing in many movies as the token "computer."

AT&T 3B1

A later enhanced model was renamed "3B1". 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.

Operating system

AT&T PC7300 compiling and running a C program

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.

Programming languages

Application software

Word processors

Games

Utility

The Store

The Store is a public domain software repository which was available for all 3B1 users.[4]

Expansion Cards

Networking

See also

References

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