A dos-based personal computer capable of running unix-based applications concurrently with dos-based applications

摘要

A low cost extension of a standard personal computer is disclosed permitting a standard personal computer to initiate and monitor Unix-based application programs concurrently with its DOS-based applications using Windows operating systems such as Windows, Windows NT or Windows 95. A streamlined SPARC/Mbus (12) computer is provided which interfaces to the standard PC (22) through their respective ethernet connections (18). They can also communicate over a common SCSI bus (28). The SPARC machine is capable of fitting in a full height 5.25" drive bay of a standard PC. The SPARC machine has its own memory and disk drive, and output from its applications are translated by the standard PC and displayed on the monitor (20) of the standard PC. The SPARC machine and the standard PC share the same power supply (10) as well. The streamlined SPARC machine provides additional horsepower to a standard PC heretofore unavailable.