What the hell is a NightHawk 5800?

From: Dellett, Anthony <Anthony.Dellett_at_Staples.com>
Date: Wed Aug 19 12:53:33 1998

I want to apologize to you for accidentally sending you an anti-spam
message. When I first set up my auto-reply spam filter it was acting
quite funky.

Again, I apologize.

Tony

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill/Carolyn Pechter [mailto:pechter_at_shell.monmouth.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 1998 7:48 AM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Re: What the hell is a NightHawk 5800?
>
>
> >
> > At 09:26 PM 8/19/98 -0400, you wrote:
> > >Almost sounds like something from the government - even
> the name.
> >
> > Very likely. Harris does a LOT of government work. Their satellite
> > division (and others) are literally right around the corner
> from this place.
> >
>
> Harris had a number of computer lines. I can't guarrantee the
> following
> info -- but I think it's accurate. The Nighthawk was a
> (mostly) military
> real-time Unix machine based off the Masscomp 500 and 5000
> line and RTUv3
> (they started as OEM's doing a secure version of the OS and
> then began using
> stuff of their own design).
>
> Masscomp was eaten by Concurrent Computer (formerly Perkin
> Elmer, formerly
> Interdata) which was swallowed by Harris about 4 years ago. Harris
> took the Concurrent name, though.
>
> Harris also came up with both a firewall application (now
> sold by a different
> company now -- at the merger Harris spun off the firewall
> operation and
> the secure Unix, I think). They now do real-time Unix and are trying
> to crack the Video Server business.
>
> Masscomp and Concurrent used the 68000 family (Masscomp folks
> used to be
> DEC and DG types with Real-time experience on 11/23 Mincs).
>
> Masscomp kind of filled the need for small lab real-time
> stuff when DEC
> went off to chase the Vax $$$ and let real-time slip away in the mid
> 80's. They added DEC's AST's to System III to get a soft real-time
> system for labs and instrument and industrial control.
>
> HISTORY...
>
> Concurrent did real-time on their proprietary systems (OS/32) and
> saw a need to get away from OS/32 and into real-time Unix so
> they bought
> Masscomp. Concurrent failed in every small machine they tried to
> put together before Masscomp and pretty much put the last
> nail in Masscomp's
> coffin. Concurrent failed to come up with a good software
> development
> environment on OS/32. DEC cleaned their clock on everything but
> hardware price/performance. They had the most hardware bang
> for the buck and needed the OEM's to make them a winner (where
> DEC moved more into a systems and SOFTWARE company). I worked for
> DEC and later Concurrent (at the time of the Masscomp deal.)
>
> PROCESSORS...
>
> Masscomp went from 68k to Mips R3000 in the early 90's and then
> merged with Harris.
>
> Harris used 68k and then went to 88k (I think) and then Power PC.
>
> Harris also made commercial supermini's (24 bit machines).
>
>
> Bill
>
Received on Wed Aug 19 1998 - 12:53:33 BST