venix versus xenix

[Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX]

In article <209 at maynard.UUCP> campbell at maynard.UUCP (Larry Campbell) writes:
>> 	I am getting ready to purchase a pc version of Unix and would
>> to like to know which is the best between xenix and venix. Has anyone
>> had experience with both and can make a recommendation. Compatibility
>> with Sys V is important. Thanks!
>> -- 
>> Signed by: 
>>   aplvax!cp1!hart - aplcen!cp1!hart - umcp-cs!cp1!hart - gamma!cp1!hart
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>
>I have used VENIX v2.0 (V7-based) a lot, VENIX 5.0 a little (Sys V
>based), and XENIX 3.0 (Sys III based) a little.  The choice would not
>be clear cut, except for one thing.  It's IMPOSSIBLE to find anything
>in the XENIX manuals because they're unbundled.  That means there are
	SCO SYS V Xenix has the manuals arranged the same way, but
	the man pages do not print different programs on one sheet,
	so they could be rearranged / added to / etc.  I don't like
	the Microsoft arrangement, but I've gotten used to it.
>
>Documentation aside, they're very similar.  The XENIX C compiler is
>somewhat better -- VENIX's allows only one 64K data segment (but
>unlimited code).  Last I looked, VENIX didn't come with troff (nroff
>only) while XENIX did.  VENIX has some real-time features (preemptive
>process priorities) you might find useful.  And the installation
>procedure for VENIX is much easier than for XENIX.
>
>Basically it's a wash, but if you want to have usable manuals, get VENIX.
	Not having a true blue SYS V Unix, I can't comment on the
	extent of compatibility.  I have heard that some tests in 
	the AT&T SYS V Suite cannot be run on 16 bitters hostile to
	Unix, which includes the 80286.

	Large/huge model is still rather buggy, but it is often possible
	to get a particular program to run given sufficient hacking
	time to outwit the Microsoft Cmerge compiler.  There is a possibility
	the large/huge model will be corrected before the 286 it totally
	obsolete.

	The main thing missing from SYS III/V are graphics and the ability
	to specify an arbitrary program instead of getty.

	The Xenix installation is quite straightforward.  There are
	options to control which sub-packages to install, which
	makes life easier on 20 meg systems.  Installation of the
	IBM Xenix was easy also.

	Bottom line: Xenix does work on the AT.  Is doesn't have anything
	to do with IBM's description of the AT as a "4 gigabyte virtual
	memory" system, but it is an improvement on PDP-11's assuming
	one doesn't need graphics or PDP-11 specific software.

-- 
   Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX  ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf   CIS:70715,131
   Author of Professional-YAM communications Tools for PCDOS and Unix
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