Choosing a 386 unix -- SUMMARY (long)
Wade Guthrie
evil at arcturus.uucp
Fri Nov 30 03:46:41 AEST 1990
Okay, here is a repost/summary of the responses to the "which Unix"
question. I have received a few responses, and they have been
incorporated here. I feel that the description is still
insufficient, so I again ask for updates.
Please feel free to follow-up or reply with changes. Guys! Gals!
If you have an ammendment to this strawman -- **SEND IT** I IMPLORE
you. I invite vendors to add to the advantages of their own product
(and other people's products, if they wish).
I propose the following:
----------------------
first, a KEY:
Price: should be the price for which the company itself
sells the product (street prices may be lower),
but no guarantee that this is not the street
price. Only a 2-user price is provided for most.
(base) This is the price for a runtime system
(development) This is the price for the C compiler, etc.
Each vendor may treat this a little differently.
(text) This is the price for nroff, etc.
(complete) This is the price for the whole shebang. It
is only shown when the other packages are not
sold unbundled.
Minimum Config: represents the hardware needed to support
operation of this software product. Alternates are
presented in parenthesis, recommended expansions on
the minimum are noted by "rec." in parens. For example,
for systems that operate with an 80386 but an 80486 is
the recomended configuration, the entry will be
386 (486 rec.)
systems that can use EGA, VGA, Super VGA (800x600) or
Extended VGA (1024x768), the entry will be
(E,V,SV,EV)GA;
systems that can use either the ISA (AT) bus, the EISA
bus, or the Microchannel bus, the entry will be
(E)ISA, MCA.
----------------------
Vendor: Everex
Product: ESIX 3.2
Contact info: uunet!zardoz!everex!jde
(415) 683-ESIX
Price: complete (*): $825
* Includes unlimited user, development system,
network, xwindows
Minimum Config:
Support: Free lifetime (currently). reported to be pretty good
Documentation: no on-line man pages
poor paper documentation (costs extra too)
File System: fast file system (not Berkely?)
Drivers:
Networking: TCP/IP runtime and development and STREAMS bundled
X11 Support: X11R3 client and server is bundled, Motif is extra
MS-DOS Support:
Miscellaneous: inexpensive upgrade policy
no EISA or MCA
----------------------
Vendor: Intel
Product: UNIX System V 3.2
Contact info: (800) 548-4725
Price: base (2 user): $595
development: $665
Minimum Config: (3,4)86; ISA, SCSI; 4MB mem; 40MB disk
Support:
Documentation:
File System:
Drivers: various Tape, (E,V,EV)GA, SCSI, ESDI, Ethernet
Networking: RFS, Streams, Network Services Extension, Open Systems
Networking Interfaces;
$695: NFS; $495: TCP/IP
X11 Support: $495: supports Hercules, (C,E,V)GA
MS-DOS Support: $895: Merge/386
Miscellaneous: full/real AT&T unix
----------------------
Vendor: Interactive Corporation
Product: 386ix 2.2
Contact info: support at isc.com
(213) 453-8649
Price: base (2 user): $495
development: $795
text: $395
Minimum Config: 386; ISA, MCA, Multibus; 2MB mem (4MB rec.); 5.25, 3.5 floppy;
?MB disk
Support: (reportedly) NOT good. 30 days free, after that, its $600/year
(Interactive provides free support if you buy it from them, and
will support by mail, even if you don't pay the big bux).
Documentation:
File System: Sys V accelerated with a bitmap of free/used blocks in memory.
Drivers: HPDD - Very good disk and tape support, including SCSI
2.2 SCSI drivers have extremely good performance
(especially with bus mastering controllers.)
Sun River Fiber Optic workstation driver
Ethernet: MICOM Interlan or StarLAN
Networking: $495: TCP/IP, Sockets, TELNET, FTP
X11 Support: $795 ($295 X11 runtime): Xlib, XT toolkit, EGA thru' Matrox
hi-res color. Reportedly best performing in 386 market.
$495 ($295 runtime): Motif
$595: Looking Glass (X11 desktop).
MS-DOS Support: DOS/UNIX file transfer utilities, directly access MS-DOS
filesystem;
$495: VP/ix (2-user)
Miscellaneous: Support for AT, MCA, Multibus busses
includes C-shell and Sendmail
upgrade policy ($700 to upgrade a $3000 system)
----------------------
Vendor: Mark Williams Company
Product: Coherent
Contact info: (800) MARK WMS
Price: base: $99.95
Minimum Config: (2,3)86; ISA (NO MCA)
Support:
Documentation: A single manual. Pretty good for $99
File System:
Drivers: won't work on systems w/ SCSI or ESDI Controllers
Networking:
X11 Support:
MS-DOS Support:
Miscellaneous: C compiler, uucp, yacc/lex bundled,
executables limited to 64K
really only a 286 product
----------------------
Vendor: Microport
Product: System V/386 R4
Contact info: ?@mport.com
(800) FOR-UNIX or (408) 438-8649
Price: base: $329 (or $500?)
development: $598 (includes Korn shell)
text: $259
complete: ($1500 ?)
Minimum Config: (2,3)86; ISA; 1.5MB mem (640K for 286); ?MB disk;
Support:
Documentation:
File System:
Drivers:
Networking: $299: Network Services Extention
X11 Support:
MS-DOS Support: $399: DOSMerge (2-user)
Miscellaneous: Saw in ad: Distribution Royalties Apply
full/real AT&T unix
----------------------
Vendor: Prentice-Hall
Product: MINIX 1.5
Contact info: books at prenhall.com
(800) 624-0023 or (201) 767-5969
Price: complete (3 user): $169
Minimum Config: (-,2,3)86; 512MB mem; (C,E)GA, herc, mono; floppy (hard rec)
Support:
Documentation:
File System:
Drivers:
Networking: Distributed computing on Ethernet (remote login, etc.)
X11 Support:
MS-DOS Support:
Miscellaneous: no AT&T UNIX code.
delivered with source code
Versions are also available for the Atari ST, Macintosh, and Amiga.
Kernighan and Ritchie compatible C compiler
Support for extended memory up to 16M on 286 and 386
32-bit versions of MINIX 386 is in works
POSIX compliance anticipated in 1992 as well as ANSI C Compiler
----------------------
Vendor: The Santa Cruz Operation
Product: SCO XENIX System V Release 2.3
Contact info: info at sco.com
(408) 425-7222
(800) 726-8649 sales and dealer referral
Price: base (2 user): $595
development: $795
text proc. sys: $195
Minimum Config: 286, 386, 486; ISA, MCA;
1MB mem (286) 2MB (386), 20MB disk
Support: 30 days free warranty phone support upon registration
Free anonymous uucp access to support distributions
Variety of extra-cost support options
Special programs for software/hardware developers
Documentation: Excellent hard-copy; on-line man pages bundled in the text pkg
File System: XENIX System V filesystem
Drivers: Adaptec SCSI, SMS OMTI ESDI, plain ST-506
Many misc. drivers for serial cards, tapes, mouses
Networking: $395 (+$395 develop): TCP/IP (2-user, not for 286)
$695 ($595 for 286): XENIX-NET
X11 Support: $395 (+$395 develop): Xsight (not avail for 286)
MS-DOS Support: Ability to xfer files between DOS and *nix
can compile to DOS from *nix
$495: VP/ix (2-user, 386 only)
Miscellaneous: (relative) ease of system administration
most common 386 *nix on the market
----------------------
Vendor: The Santa Cruz Operation
Product: SCO UNIX System V Release 3.2 Version 2
Contact info: info at sco.com
(408) 425-7222
(800) 726-8649 sales and dealer referral
Price: base (2 user): $595
development: $995
Minimum Config: (3,4)86; (E)ISA, MCA, MPX;
4MB mem, 40MB disk
Support: 30 days free warranty phone support upon registration
Free anonymous uucp access to support distributions
Variety of extra-cost support options
Special programs for software/hardware developers
Documentation: excellent, online man pages included in OS,
Extensive Development System docs, Device Driver Writer Guide
File System: AFS (Acer File System) -- fast filesystem,
System V 1K; DOS and XENIX partitions can be mounted also
Drivers: Adaptec SCSI, SMS OMTI ESDI, plain ST-506,
EISA and MPX special drivers, CDROM
80387 and Weitek
Many misc. drivers for serial cards, tapes, mouses
Networking: Streams bundled,
$395: NFS (2-user); $395 (+$395 develop): TCP/IP (2-user)
X11 Support: $395 (+$395 develop): Xsight
MS-DOS Support: Ability to mount DOS partition as a filesystem
File transfer utilities
can compile to DOS from *nix
$495: VP/ix (2-user)
Miscellaneous: (relative) ease of system administration
most common 386 *nix on the market,
C2 security, Codeview, runs XENIX applications,
The 3.2 Vers.2 product is much faster
(reportedly) still a bit buggy
----------------------
Vendor: The Santa Cruz Operation
Product: Open Desktop, release 1.0
Contact info: info at sco.com
(408) 425-7222
(800) 726-8649 sales and dealer referral
Price: base: $995
development: $1495
server upgrade: $1495
Minimum Config: (3,4)86; (E)ISA, MCA; (E,V,SV,EV)GA, Herc.
6MB mem (8 rec.), 100 MB disk (150 rec.).
Support: 30 days free warranty phone support upon registration
Free anonymous uucp access to support distributions
Variety of extra-cost support options
Special programs for software/hardware developers
Documentation: 2 manuals, complete on-line man pages, optional doc pkg avail.
File System: AFS (Acer File System) -- fast filesystem
System V 1K; DOS and XENIX partitions can be mounted also
NFS - Network File System
Drivers: Ethernet: 3Com and Western Digital
SCSI: Adaptec; ESDI: SMS; Others.
EISA and MPX special drivers, CDROM
Video: many VGA, super VGA
80387 or Weitek 1167
Various mice, tape, serial cards
Networking: TCP/IP, NFS (server and client) and LAN Manager client bundled,
Streams, NFS & TCP/IP devel. w/development system
X11 Support: SCO X/Sight with Motif bundled
X lib, X toolkit, Motif, Xhibit desktop w/devel. system
MS-DOS Support: ODT-DOS included (cf. Merge) - runs DOS as UNIX process
DOS partition as filesystem, or emulated DOS partition
Can compile to DOS from *nix, file transfer utilities
Miscellaneous: SCO UNIX + X11R3 + TCP/IP + NFS + Ingres + Merge
Ingres RDBMS included (except for ABF)
(relative) ease of system administration
Tape version available
----------------------
Vendor: UHC
Product: UNIX System V Release 4.0
Contact info: ...!uunet!uch!sam
(713) 782-2700
Price: base (2 user): $895
development: $995
complete: $1995
Minimum Config:
Support:
Documentation:
File System: standard System V filesystem
Drivers: SCSI, ESDI, Mouse
Networking: $695
X11 Support: $795
MS-DOS Support:
Miscellaneous:
----------------------
* PLEASE NOTE: This list does not speak for any of the vendors (or
* anybody else, for that matter), prices and support subject to change.
* This is for informational purposes only. Noone should buy based
* solely upon the information here -- actual details should be gathered
* from the manufacturer.
--
Wade Guthrie (evil at arcturus.UUCP) | "The likelihood of one individual being
...uunet!ccicpg!felix!arcturus!evil | right increases with direct proportion to
Rockwell International; Anaheim, CA | the intensity with which others are trying
My opinions, not my employer's. | to prove him wrong", Mr. Jordan
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