[comp.sys.amiga] Xwindow or NeWS on the amiga

melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) (06/13/88)

Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?
Would it be possible to do? ( I know almost *nothing* about either,
so if it's a stupid question, just laugh at me & forget it)

(either meaning Xwindow and NeWS, not amiga...)


Thanks,

Ofer Melnik

(I'm working on a .signature)

root@sbcs.sunysb.edu (root) (06/13/88)

In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu>, melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
> 
> Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?
> Would it be possible to do? ( I know almost *nothing* about either,

	To answer both questions: Yes.  It is not easy in either 
	case because both packages are written for Unix.

	I know of an X11 port that is nearing completion, but I'm
	not sure if I can talk about it.

	I did a port of NeWS 1.0 to the Amiga for Ameristar.  NeWS
	will pretty much require you have a machine with at least
	2 mBytes ram and something more than floppies for font
	storage (ie, NFS or hard disk).  Ameristar will show NeWS
	at this years Siggraph in Atlanta.  

	Both packages can use Ameristar's network IP/TCP/NFS package;
	additionally the X port can use msgports (?) for local 
	client <-> server communications.

> (either meaning Xwindow and NeWS, not amiga...)
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Ofer Melnik

						Rick Spanbauer
						SUNY/Stony Brook
						(& Ameristar)

papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (06/13/88)

In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu> melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
|Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?
|Would it be possible to do? ( I know almost *nothing* about either,
|so if it's a stupid question, just laugh at me & forget it)

News was implemented about a year ago by one of the NeWS source licensees.
Since re-licensing NeWS currently REQUIRES a $ 25,000 up-front licensing fee
it will probably never be marketed.

A version of MIT's X Window System, version 11, release 2, running under 
AmigaDOS has been under development by Dale Luck, "famed Amiga wizard", and
counting on the type of messages he is posting on comp.windows.x is pretty
far ahead, though currently supports only monochrome and Ameristar's 
Ethernet card.  I think Dale can be reached at ...!boing!dale.

-- Marco Papa 'Doc'
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
uucp:...!pollux!papa       BIX:papa       ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu
 "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

dale@boing.UUCP (Dale Luck) (06/13/88)

In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu> melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
>
>Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?

Yes, I am nearing alpha release of a monochrome only version
of X. Runs on standard amigas, and supports the new a2024
1008x800 b/w monitor.

>Would it be possible to do?

Yes, it is possible, but there is lot's of work to get it right.
X Was designed to run on a unix systems, and the release source
from mit assumes sockets and a lot of other unix like things.
Fortunately amigados is part of the way there. Multitasking is
the major thing that actually makes is worthwhile since you can
run local clients while serving remote clients.

 ( I know almost *nothing* about either,

>so if it's a stupid question, just laugh at me & forget it)

It is not a stupid question. Glad you asked.

>Ofer Melnik
>


-- 
Dale Luck     Boing, Inc.
Although I do contract work for Amiga-LosGatos, my opinions probably
don't represent those of Commodore or its management or it's engineers,
but I think the world would be a better place if they did.

root@sbcs.sunysb.edu (root) (06/13/88)

In article <9767@oberon.USC.EDU>, papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes:
> In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu> melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
> News was implemented about a year ago by one of the NeWS source licensees.

	Yes, I did the port.

> Since re-licensing NeWS currently REQUIRES a $ 25,000 up-front licensing fee
> it will probably never be marketed.

	Not true.  Ameristar will start marketing the product sometime
	this fall.  The $25K figure is correct..  

> 
> A version of MIT's X Window System, version 11, release 2, running under 
> AmigaDOS has been under development by Dale Luck, "famed Amiga wizard", and
> counting on the type of messages he is posting on comp.windows.x is pretty
> far ahead, though currently supports only monochrome and Ameristar's 
> Ethernet card.  I think Dale can be reached at ...!boing!dale.

	Dale Xwindows port can use MsgPorts for server <-> client 
	communications and may be used without the Ameristar Internet
	package.

> 
> -- Marco Papa 'Doc'
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> uucp:...!pollux!papa       BIX:papa       ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu
>  "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland]
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


						Rick Spanbauer
						SUNY/Stony Brook
						(& Ameristar)

richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (06/13/88)

In article <9767@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes:
>In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu> melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
>|Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?
>|Would it be possible to do? ( I know almost *nothing* about either,
>|so if it's a stupid question, just laugh at me & forget it)
>
>News was implemented about a year ago by one of the NeWS source licensees.
>Since re-licensing NeWS currently REQUIRES a $ 25,000 up-front licensing fee
>it will probably never be marketed.

Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the $25,000 fee for a SOURCE license ?
I was inder the impression that Sun would allow binary redistribution for
$100.

Any Sun employees here ;-)


-- 
                      Buy Toshiba submarines
richard@gryphon.CTS.COM           {decwrl!mejac, rutgers!marque}!gryphon!richard

paolucci@snll-arpagw.UUCP (Sam Paolucci) (06/14/88)

In article <9767@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes:
>In article <Jun.12.21.32.43.1988.1083@topaz.rutgers.edu> melnik@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ofer Melnik) writes:
>|Has anyone thaught of Implementing Xwindow or NeWS on an amiga?
>|Would it be possible to do? ( I know almost *nothing* about either,
>|so if it's a stupid question, just laugh at me & forget it)
>
>News was implemented about a year ago by one of the NeWS source licensees.
>Since re-licensing NeWS currently REQUIRES a $ 25,000 up-front licensing fee
>it will probably never be marketed.

Marco, are you sure about News?  The last I heard (about two weeks ago from
the horses mouth, i.e. Ameristar) they are planning to show it at the
upcoming SIGGRAPH and plan to market it not very long after that.
Perhaps Rick will have something more to add.

:
>-- Marco Papa 'Doc'
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>uucp:...!pollux!papa       BIX:papa       ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu
> "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland]
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

					-+= SAM =+-

"the best things in life are free"

				ARPA: paolucci@snll-arpagw.llnl.gov

papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (06/14/88)

In article <4450@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
>In article <9767@oberon.USC.EDU> I write:
>>News was implemented about a year ago by one of the NeWS source licensees.
>>Since re-licensing NeWS currently REQUIRES a $ 25,000 up-front licensing fee
>>it will probably never be marketed.

>Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the $25,000 fee for a SOURCE license ?
                                                              ^^^^^^
Yes, in fact is is the Commercial source license.  Educational institutions
can get the source licence for $1,000.

>I was inder the impression that Sun would allow binary redistribution for
>$100.

Yes, once you are a source licensee, you can redistribute "binary NeWS"
for a $100 fee for each copy sold.  These were the conditions of the contract
about a year ago.  It is unclear what will be the new fees when the NeWS/X11
merge is completed and becomes part of ATT System V, rel. 4.  At that point
it would look that any ATT UNIX source licensee will get NeWS sources as 
part of ATT System V.

Chuck, any comments from the 'Sun spots' :-)

-- Marco Papa 'Doc'
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
uucp:...!pollux!papa       BIX:papa       ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu
 "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (06/16/88)

In article <9815@oberon.USC.EDU> (Marco Papa) writes:
->In article <4450@gryphon.CTS.COM> (Richard Sexton) writes:
->>I was under the impression that Sun would allow binary redistribution for
->>$100.
->
->Yes, once you are a source licensee, you can redistribute "binary NeWS"
->for a $100 fee for each copy sold.  These were the conditions of the contract
->about a year ago.  It is unclear what will be the new fees when the NeWS/X11
->merge is completed and becomes part of ATT System V, rel. 4.  At that point
->it would look that any ATT UNIX source licensee will get NeWS sources as 
->part of ATT System V.
->
->Chuck, any comments from the 'Sun spots' :-)
->-- Marco Papa 'Doc'

Well, what has been said is correct. Commercial source liscenses that include
the right to redistribute (University liscenses don't) are $25,000. When 
redistributing the binaries a royalty goes to Sun (unless you choose the
'buy out' option that eliminates the need to pay royalties). How much in 
addition one wishes to charge is up to the people selling it of course. 

As for what happens after System V Release 4.0 comes out and all the 
source liscensees get source to the X/NeWS stuff I don't know. I assume
that it means all X or NeWS clients will be able to talk to any System V
machine but then again it is up to the System V licensee to do the port
to their hardware.

--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis   BIX: cmcmanis  ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.