Subject: Welcome to riscy

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 93 11:58:57 -0700

Welcome to the riscy mailing list!

If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, send the
following command in email to "[email-masked]":

    unsubscribe riscy [email-masked]

Here's the general information for the list you've subscribed to, in
case you don't already have it:

The 'riscy' mailing list is for the discussion of hardware related
issues for the design of a MIPS R3000 motherboard.

Most of the design is to be covered by a Hardware Public License
agreement constructed to allow contributors to design parts of
the system for free.  A major portion of the cost of producing
hardware at a reasonable retail price is the initial Research and
Development cost.  Since the contributors are doing this for no
return, the company producing the boards can do so for much less
profit that otherwise possible.  This means a much lower cost to
the end user.

The present (very rough) specification for this board is:

	*  IDT 79R3081E-40		40 MHz MIPS R3000 CPU
	*  64MB DRAM			IBM like SIMMs
	*  Frame buffer Video
	*  ISA bus
	*  SCSI controller
	*  Real-Time-Clock
	*  Non-Volatile RAM
	*  Keyboard controller
	*  Mini-AT sized motherboard

To complete a system with this motherboard, add:

	*  Case large enough for a Mini-AT sized motherboard
	*  Power supply (usually comes with the case)
	*  Memory (4 MB minimum, assuming software doesn't need more)
	*  Keyboard
	*  SCSI disk and tape drives (optional)
	*  If no SCSI, add disk controller and disk drives
	*  Floppy controller and drive (optional)
		(cheapest is probably an IDE controller, without IDE drives)
	*  If not using on board video, add ISA video card (VGA)
	*  Monitor
	*  Mouse (optional)
	*  Software

Current, very rough estimates figure that the board will cost around
us$800.  Prices will vary depending on the type of CPU used and
the actual details of the design.

There is currently plans to put together an FTP site to contain an
archive of the mailing list, details of the design as it is currently,
and eventually to contain the board's schematics and design details.

Enjoy!

BTW, please note that this project has nothing to do with Pyramid
Technology other than their support of the mailing list.  The design
does not infringe any Copyright or non-disclosure agreement, nor does
it compete with any Pyramid products.