Some really easy questions (batteries not included)

[Matthew Thurmaier]

In article <4792 at emory.mathcs.emory.edu> arasmith at mathcs.emory.edu (David Arasmith) writes:
>
>Please excuse the ignorance in the following paragraphs, but (isn't there
>always a 'but') I would like to get some information on running some
>brand of UNIX on a 386 machine.
> [ stuff deleted ]
> My concerns are as follows:
>
>	1) Is 2M going to be sufficient RAM to run some flavor of UNIX
>	     with the expectation that it will not be loaded with users?
2M will be fine for XENIX, UNIX should have 3 or 4.  I tried UNIX with 1.6M
and it spent most of its time moving things between swap and ram.  Of course,
as with hot tubs... the more the better.
>
>	2) Will the lack of a RAM cache severely cripple me?
EVERY UNIX/XENIX implimentation I have ever seen has a RAM cache of the
filesystem.  SCO's products (by default) determine the size of the cache at
boot time by using approximately 1/8 of the available RAM (up to a point).
SCO's products also let you create a RAM DISK if you want.  This would be
especially nice for doing compiles and edits: create a RAM DISK (say 2 meg)
and mount it on /tmp .... zing....  Of course, you need to have 2 meg of RAM
to spare (trade offs, trade offs).
>
>	3) Are the DOS emulators out there reasonably robust?  Also,
>	     are they reasonably cheap?
>
I've use VP/iX.  It's OK.  Just remember, it's not meant to be a multi-user
UNIX/XENIX solution.  And one other problem, programs that run faster as the
machine gets faster... run way tooooo fast under vpix w/ one user on say a
20-25 MHz 386.  I tried to play battlezone.  I died w/ in 30 seconds...
BUMMER TED!
>
>	4) Am I going to be sorely dissappointed after working on Sun's all day?
>
I don't know, I've plaid w/ Suns and 25 MHz 386s.  Speed is a relative thing,
or so says Albert.

>Please respond via e-mail, since I'm sure very few other's will be interested
>in this level of information.
I usually do reply by e-mail, but I think I have some useful info here,
especially on the next note, and that's what the net is for... flames to
/dev/null.

> Any other information would be appreciated, i.e.
>remarks about X windows, NFS, text formatters ([nt]roff, TeX, etc).
>
I have LOTS of SCO's products and would be glad to run them down:
1.) Office Portfolio - Manager
	A pretty good product.  I use it to do ALL of my scheduling.  My sales
	person and I keep our courses on line, along w/ who is teaching it.  Then
	we print monthly calendars 3 months in advance and hang those on the wall
	for "quick reference".  For some reason, the human mind and eye still work
	better together at recognizing patters than computers do :-).

2.) Office Portfolio - Lyrix 6.0
	Well, some people like it, some don't. I've probably written over 2500 pages
	of documentation (including two courses) using this product.  It's not the
	easiest, or the best BUT: a.) It's supported by SCO and b.) it's a member
	of the Office Portfolio family (see below for why that's good)

3.) Office Portfolio - Professional 2
	I like this product... As much as any Comp Sci person can like a spread-
	sheet that is.  I use it to do semi and anual budgeting, cash flow pro-
	jections, and creating the graphs that show me what's going on (see
	discussion of brain and eye above).

4.) Office Portfolio - Integra
	I was told that if you can't say anything good about something, don't say
	anything at all.  So, ....

** A Note on Office Portfolio Packages:  Because they are members of a family,
	they are able to share data through a "clipboard".  This makes things like
	taking data out of accounting and putting it into professional very easy.


5.) FoxBASE:
	I have / used three versions of this product.  STAY AWAY FROM 1.04.  It
	works but it is a DOG!

	Version 2.1.0 is MUCH QUICKER but has some bugs.  2.1.1 fixes most of 
	those bugs.  I'm in the process of writing my own in-house telemarketing
	software using 2.1.1.  The stuff I has is O.K, but it only works w/ 1.04
	and is a little buggy.

	Versions 2.1.x are members of the Office Portfolio (OP) family.

6.) Xsight for XENIX:
	This is a pretty good product, especially for a first release.  However,
	it does have some performance problems on my 386/20 w/ 4M of RAM.  BUT,
	I USE IT ALL THE TIME.  The colors are nice and when they rev the xenix
	version, one will probably be able to use all 64/256 colors instead of
	only 16.

7.) SCO UNIX is fine too, just make sure you have a 25MHz machine w/ AT LEAST
	4M of ram (I am using an Everex Step/25 w/ 4M to type this and in general
	am VERY happy w/ performance).  I will be putting Open Desktop on in a
	week or two.


If you have any questions (that goes for all net-landers) Please feel free to
drop me a line (phone/e-mail/s-mail).

>Thanks much!
>-- 
>David M. Arasmith   |  arasmith at mathcs.emory.edu	        Internet
>Emory University    |  {sun!sunatl,gatech}!emory!arasmith	UUCP
>Dept of Math and CS |  
>Atlanta, GA 30322   |  I should be working!  Gee....I wonder what's on TV?

You're Welcom very much...
--
Matthew J. Thurmaier                ...decvax!garp!harvard!uwvax!thurm
The Computer Classroom              matt at shorty.cs.wisc.edu
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Madison, WI 53719            -- The problem w/ Republicans? THEY LACK WISDOM!