jtang@ucbcory.BERKELEY.EDU (Suresh K. Sastry) (12/10/85)
Who better to ask for the following information than my friends on the 'net', who know more about Unix and Unix Systems than anyone I know. It has been many months since I decided that I was going to purchase a Unix System (preferably a micro)--a choice over the IBM-PC/PC-DOS and PC-compatible/MS-DOS computers. But unfortunately information on Unix Systems is available but hard to find. : Question #1: : Is 'Unix World' the only magazine available for the Unix : Operating System? : Question #2: : What microcomputers have 4.2BSD Unix available on them? : How much do they cost (range)? Where are they available? : Question #3: : What kind of networking capabilities do these computers have? : I need a computer that can handle five or six users simulta- : neously. : Question #4: : Is the Operating System usually packaged with the comp- : uter or does it have to be purchased separately from : other sources? : Question #5: : What does the Unix 4.2BSD Operating System come with as : standard software (i.e. such things as 'vi', 'troff', : 'ingres'?)? : Question #6: : What kind of software is commercially available for Unix : 4.2BSD (i.e. word processing (not 'troff' or 'nroff'), : database, spreadsheet, etc.)? : Question #7: : I know of only one company porting 4.2BSD onto micros which : is Unisoft. Is this true? If there are others, what exper- : ience have people had (or heard from others) with these? As a prelude to Questions #2 and #3, I know of the 'Onyx' computer. I have seen the 4.2BSD run very nicely on it. I was also impressed with the speed at which it even with five people playing 'rouge' and two people using 'vi'. Please give more suggestions. Many of you might ask me, "Why 4.2BSD?" Well I have only experience with 4.2BSD because I live in (B)erkeley. If there are better ver- sions of Unix (like System IV) open my eyes and tell me why I should consider any others. I am sure many people will be responding to my query. I would like to thank you all in advance for your answers/replies. Sincerely, Suresh K. Sastry (jtang@ucbcory.ARPA)