Choosing a 386 unix

[Wade Guthrie]

R N Robert writes:
>    I need to select a 386 unix for a system we're installing.
[...]
>     Any comments will be appreciated,

I've seen many pleas like this (I've even made one or two myself),
but have gotten very little response.  Maybe the reason for the
low response is the high volume of questions; so, I'd like to
post a strawman response to the "What 386 UNIX should I buy"
question.  Please feel free to follow-up or reply with changes.
Guys! Gals!  If you have an ammendment to the strawman -- **SEND IT**
I EMPLORE you.  I invite vendors to add to the advantages of their 
own product (and other people's products, if they wish). 

I'll post the most recent version every month or so.  If this turns 
into a full-fledged FAQ (frequently asked questions) list, I might 
want to include a description of where to get the GNU stuff and 
where to get the patches for each of the individual systems as well.

I propose the following:


** Santa Cruz Operations: SCO XENIX / UNIX (2 different products)
email address: info at sco.com or support at sco.com
advantages/features:
	- ease of system administration
	- excellent documentation
	- ability to compile to DOS from *nix
	- ability to transfer files between DOS and *nix
	- (UNIX) full/real AT&T unix
	- (UNIX) C2 security
	- most common 386 *nix on the market
disadvantages:
	- most expensive 286/386 *nix on the market
	- development package (C compiler et. al.) is unbundled
	- text package (nroff, man pages, et. al.) is unbundled


** Santa Cruz Operations: SCO Open Desktop
email address (see above)
advantages/features:
	- SCO UNIX + X Windows + NFS + Ingres


** Everex: ESIX
email address: uunet!zardoz!everex!jde
advantages/features:
	- comes with X11R3 (X-windows) bundled in (Motif is extra)
	- low price for a full-featured i386
	- lifetime support (reported to be pretty good, too)
	- inexpensive upgrade policy
	- Berkely fast file system (how about the other *nix's?)
disadvantages:
	- no on-line man pages
	- poor SCSI driver (if you're into SCSI)
	- poor paper documentation (costs extra too)
	- difficult installation/system administration


** Interactive I386
email address: ?
advantages/features:
disadvantages:
	- expensive upgrade policy

** Coherent 386
email address: ?
advantaged/features:
	- extreme low cost ($99)
disadvantages:
	?

-- 
Wade Guthrie (evil at arcturus.UUCP)    | "He gasped in terror at what sounded
Rockwell International; Anaheim, CA  | like a man trying to gargle while
My opinions, not my employer's.      | fighting off a pack of wolves"
                                     |                Hitchhiker's Guide