Just 11 months after its management buyout from the Hunting Group Plc, UK manufacturer Lynwood Scientific Developments Ltd, once of Alton, Hampshire but now based in Crowthorne, Berkshire, has unveiled a range of terminals, X-terminals, personal computers and Unix servers. The LS10, LS20, LS30 and LS40 terminals are built around the Motorola 68000 processor and come with a variety of size, monochrome, colour and keyboard options. Each can be upgraded to Lynwood’s first X-terminal, the LS X, which uses the Texas Instruments Inc TMS 34010 graphics chip as well as the 68000. The terminals offer Bull SA VP, Digital Equipment Corp VT, McDonnell Douglas Information Systems, Tandem Computers Inc and Tektronix Inc emulations. The LS PC personal computers use Intel Corp 80286 and 80386 CPUs, and come in a range of configurations. In addition 80386 and 80486-based Unix file servers are also available, along with Tempest radiation-shielded versions of the new products. (Tempesting is designed to keep the radiation generated by the processor in, not ensure that it survives a nuclear war!) Prices go from UKP800 for the entry-level LS10 in single quantities, to UKP1,300 for the colour LS40. A 14 colour X terminal starts at UKP2,300, the 17 monochrome version comes in at UKP2,200, while an 80386 personal computer with 40Mb disk goes from UKP1,400. Lynwood says it already has a UKP500,000 order from a UK Ministry of Defence department for low-end terminals which it will migrate up to the X system in future. There is also reported to be a UKP4m Ministry of Defence X-terminal contract waiting in the wings, for which it is preparing a bid. Lynwood, whose Motorola 68030-based Open 30 Unix workstations are used in some instances by Tandem Computers to front-end its NonStop fault-tolerant line, is in discussions with the Cupertino, California-based manufacturer about the possibility of expanding their relationship, which may eventually see Tandem distributing its kit in the US. Lynwood says it hasn’t seen the need to move the Open 30 series up to Motorola’s 68040 part and Unix System V.4 yet as its V.3.2-based LynX Unix implementation contains many of the enhancements offered in System V.4. Lynwood expects to do around UKP9m in its first 11 months of independent trading: now located at a single site, it has 140 employees.
