Running X windows on a 16MHz 386sx

[Dick Dunn]

tim at maths.tcd.ie (Timothy Murphy) writes:

> I read recently a claim that a 386SX with lots of memory
> made a perfectly adequate Unix box (which I took to include X).

A 386 SX with enough memory is a decent UNIX box.  But don't jump from
there to including X.  It takes a bunch more memory and compute power to
support X beyond what just UNIX requires.

> This made quite an impression on me,
> as the author claimed you could get such a setup for $1000.
> (Not including software, I assume.)

No, definitely not including software, and you're not going to get the
hardware for $1000 either.  You can get the hardware to run a reasonable
UNIX system, and maybe marginally support X, for $2000.  A sketch of the
prices of the pieces, using low-but-believable numbers, for the basic UNIX
box (not enough for X) looks like this:
	200	case, power supply, floppy
	400	SX motherboard w/IDE, serial, parallel
	220 +	4 Mb memory
	120	cheapo mono character display and controller
	550	80 Mb disk
Your mileage will vary a bit, but that adds up to about $1500 and it's
kind of skimpy.  (For example, there's no modem, printer, or network;
your communication with the outside world is pretty limited.)  You could
cut the disk back, but the next common step down for IDE is 40, which just
ain't enough...and if you switch to (say) RLL, you need a controller.

The minimum addition to support X is a couple Mb more ($100+), display/
controller ($few hundred), and a mouse (< $100).
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd at ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...Worst-case analysis must never begin with "No one would ever want..."