Questions on UNIX O/S for 286 and 386 PCs

[Jon Gefaell]

In article <25309 at bellcore.bellcore.com> louie at rruxi.bae.bellcore.com (Paul Louie) writes:
>
>I am considering converting one of my PCs, a 286 and a 386 PC/ATs, into a
>UNIX workstation.  I like some viewpoints on the GOOD, the BAD, and the
>UGLY on the most popular O/S.  What would be the acceptable hardware config
>for average performance and usability.  And finally, please consider 
>application availability as a strong point, and not just the technical 
>aspect.  Also, please recommend on what form should I purchase the package.
>But I don't think I can afford source.
>

For the PC (assuming it has a hard disk, it _does_ at least have a hard disk?)
I'd say, keep running DOS, and get the Mortice Kern Toolkit. This is a shell 
replacement (for command.com, the MSDOS shell of choice, ugh) and a set of 
what you'd expect to find in /bin and such... (I'm not sure if it goes as
far as /etc type stuff, but who knows.... I've never personaly checked it 
out) It seems to be highly regarded. I suppose you could find some old xenix 
or something, and there are other strange multi-tasking unix like variants   
out there I'm sure.. 

As for the 286, get Mark WIlliams Coherent. A Capable SVR3 type clone with
multitasking (better with a 386, but more and better on that processor in
a minute) This thing has HDB UUCP, and it's own file systems, everything
you'd expect from a *NIX without the AT&T licence fee :) 

For the 386... Pay the licence fee :) Get ESIX SVR3. It' got all the basic
necessitys in a unlimited userpackage with TCP/IP RFS (NFS optional), X11R3
(Motif Option), Software Development W/ SCCS and such... Uhm, lotsa other 
stuff as well... Very inexpensive ($850ish?) Its what I use, and I love
it (read the ISC notesthread for more details) It is also supossed to be 
real straight AT&T vanilla flavor, like ISC and Bell Tech (Now Intel, right?)
and in my experience it has been. 

Tie it all in with Western Digital WD8003E ethernet adapters (Street price
under $200, as low as $150 for some) (cabling is nominal $) I know you
can get a decent TCP/IP Telnet, Whois, FTP, and a few other protocols for
nothing (other than your tax dollars) from NCSA (available on the anon FTP
site of your choice, uunet.uu.net for one)  for the PC, the Coherent I'm
not sure about it's TCP/IP support though, and the ESIX comes ready out of 
the box...

Hope this has steared you in some directions, I'm a UNIX neophyte babe in
the woods and I'm more confused than educated, but it's a gas... 

Oh, and everyone, PLEASE flame if I've said anything stooopid (I won't be
suprised) please comment if you feel like it. I'd like to hear from others
on this, it sounds interesting... And I'd like to know how far off the mark
(or on it) I was... 

And learn more... Hmmm, Not supposed to use USENET for that, right? :)
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