3Station

computer, networking The archetypal diskless workstation,

developed by Bob Metcalfe at 3Com and first available in

1986/1987.

The 3Station/2E had a 10 MHz 80286 processor, 1 MB of

RAM (expandable to 5 MB), VGA compatible graphics with 256

KB of video RAM, and integrated AUI/BNC network

transceivers for LAN access.

The product used a single printed-circuit board with four

custom ASICs. It had no floppy disk drive or hard disk,

it was booted from a server and stored all end-user

files there.

3Com advertised "significant cost savings" due to the

3Station's ease of installation and low maintenance (this

would now be referred to under the banner of "TCO").

The 3Station cost somewhere between an IBM PC clone and an

IBM PC of the day. It was not commercially successful.

(2000-07-05)