Re: A question of compatibility

->From: neil@salmon.demon.co.uk ("Neil S. Briscoe") ->Subject: A question of compatibility ->Date: 9 Feb 93 12:59:01 GMT -> ->Hello -> ->I think you'll like this one. -> ->Well, I've got a real puzzler here and I'm hoping that someone ->technical can help me out. -> ->I have an application that runs perfectly fine on three 386 machines ->(one no-name one and two mitac ones) and runs almost but not quite so ->perfectly on two no-name 486 machines. -> ->The problem is that on part of the application, after a record has ->been added to the database, and the software is back at the menu, ->pressing the <ESC> key causes another record to be added to the ->database! On the 386 machines, you correctly get a beep. -> ->In all cases, the underlying Informix engine is 2.10.03K (the last .03 ->version). On the '386's the operating system is Interactive 3.0 On ->the 486's the O/S is Interactive 3.1 -> ->So you see, to start with, I don't know whether the problem is with ->the fact that the O/S has changed or the hardware is different. If ->the latter then so much for binary compatibility. -> ->The reason I post this here at all is that I only recently discovered ->that there were separate 386 and 486 versions. I have only ever ->specified an order for an Informix for Interactive UNIX, and have ->received the discs that came in the post. The distributor didn't ask ->me to clarify which processors the PC's contained. -> ->I just have a small question as to whether there really are separate ->ports for the two processors (there are two different prices in the ->list) and could this be the cause of the problem. -> ->PC's. They're just horrible, even with UNIX on! -> ->Regards ->Neil -> ->Neil S. Briscoe Telephone: +44 252 376737 ->System Administrator Fax: +44 252 376644 -> Email: neil@salmon.demon.co.uk -> nbriscoe@cix.compulink.co.uk ->Bartec Medical Systems Ltd. ->Impression House ->Invincible Road "!##@!** Listen who swears ->Farnborough Christopher Robin has fallen downstairs" ->Hants GU14 7NP -- The Goodies Book of Criminal Records ->England ->"A man is incomplete until he's married -- then he's finished!" ->-- seen on a desktop calendar -> Neil, The problem MIGHT indeed be your 486's. I have heard, but am not PC assembly language literate enough to be certain, that some early 486s had errors in their 386 instruction compatibility. Supposedly this was fixed in later 486s. Sorry this is so vague, but I wanted you to know what little I had heard about 386/486 (in)compatibility. I guess it depends on whether the Informix 386 products use those problem instructions. I would hope that the 486 products are coded "defensively", just to avoid suspect instructions, to protect folks using early 486s. Having two differences (h/w and O/S) between your 386s and 486s does make it more difficult to ascertain where the error lies. Perhaps you can talk your local Informix rep into providing the 486 product(s) for evaluation. If they fix the problem, then you can consider the upgrade. If not, then you need to talk to your O/S vendor. Regards, Alan +------------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | R. Alan Popiel | Internet: alan@den.mmc.com | | Martin Marietta, LSC | ( Please note: My opinions do not ) | | P.O. Box 179, M/S 5422 | ( represent official Martin policy. ) | | Denver, Colorado 80201-0179 | Voice: 303-977-9998 | +------------------------------+---------------------------------------+