UNIX Futures

[Larry Campbell]

> Let me point out the "poor man's window system" which comes with VENIX SVR2.
> They used a slight hack to the console driver on an IBM PC; it allows four
> FULL SCREEN login sessions on a CGA, plus one more if you also have the
> monochrome adapter attached.  Potentially, an EGA adapter could have
> eight such login sessions.  You switch sessions by pressing Alt-1 through
> Alt-4 for the CGA, and Alt-5 for the monochrome.

Pretty neat, but I wonder why they didn't do it for the monochrome
display?  I hate the CGA;  I think its text display is completely
unacceptable for day-in day-out use;  and the EGA is expensive.  I
understand the technical difference between what it takes to do this
for the CGA and what is required for the monochrome adapter (see
below);  doing it for the mono adapter just isn't that hard.

> A typical usage for me might find:
> 	screen 1	root	Just in case I need a kill, or to
> 				install something.
> 	screen 2	me	Using editor or compiling
> 	screen 3	me	"Hack" ready to play during long compiles
> 	screen 4	me	Terminal emulator running to host.

Almost exactly the way I run (except instead of having a hack screen all
ready to go at all times, I have a Jove screen).

> It seems to me that the memory (screen and program) necessary for a real
> window system is being poorly utilized for a great percentage of us.  Even
> if the display hardware doesn't support multiple pages, the kernel could
> simulate this by keeping the pages in kernel memory and just block moving
> them out to the screen on a session change. ...

Exactly what my virtual console hack on the Rainbow does (and what could
be done to support the IBM mono adapter).

>                                           ...  My point is that while
> huge displays and window systems are fun, for most of us they are
> an unecessary waste of (money, CPU cycles, memory).  One page on one
> screen wasn't enough, to be sure, but the "in vogue" solution of large
> displays and massive window systems is overkill.
> 
> Rick Richardson, PC Research, Inc. (201) 922-1134
> ..!ihnp4!houxm!castor!{rer,pcrat!rer} <--Replies to here, not to homxb!!!

Yes, indeed.  I sure would like a Sun, but I'd rather have four PCs
with virtual consoles for four programmers than one Sun they have to share.
-- 
Larry Campbell                                 The Boston Software Works, Inc.
ARPA: maynard.UUCP:campbell at harvard.ARPA       120 Fulton Street
UUCP: {harvard,cbosgd}!wjh12!maynard!campbell  Boston MA 02109