biggers@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com (Mark Biggers) (05/19/89)
Hello, I just purchased an OPUS Sys/32 board from a former NSC employee. It runs some flavor of UNIX V.2 :^( with BSD utilities :^). I would appreciate any feedback on the following (the board has 4mb of memory, and a 32032. It plugs into a PC and uses it for I/O): 1. what disk/PC configuration do you recommend? I thought of going cheeep, except for the disk controller and disk (probably RLL controller, 65 mb disk) 2. does anything from the GNU project run on this board? Emacs, gcc? 3. Any info on support/current release of UNIX for this board from Opus or NSC (I don't know what version # of the UNIX I am getting)? 4. any other words of wisdom? --thanks, mark -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "YOW"...A cry of PAIN, a squeal of GLEE, Use it in a SENTENCE today!! an exclamation of RELIGIOUS FERVOR...it's th' all-purpose word for EVERY situation... biggers@dg-rtp.dg.com USMail: Data General OR: rti!dg-rtp!biggers 62 Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
grenley@sunkist.UUCP (George Grenley) (05/21/89)
In article <BIGGERS.89May19105629@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com> biggers@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com (Mark Biggers) writes: >I just purchased an OPUS Sys/32 board from a former NSC employee. There are so many.... 8-) >runs some flavor of UNIX V.2 :^( with BSD utilities :^). I would >appreciate any feedback on the following (the board has 4mb of memory, >and a 32032. It plugs into a PC and uses it for I/O): >1. what disk/PC configuration do you recommend? I thought of going >cheeep, except for the disk controller and disk (probably RLL >controller, 65 mb disk) Depends on the amount of programming you want to do. The PC bus (either XT or AT) is I/O bound, so it is really not suited for lots of users, no matter what disk you buy. Many people find that 40 mb is adequate, but if you want to do a lot of programming, 60+ is recommended. I use a 40 mb Quantum (35 for Unix, 5 for DOS partition), and am entirely happy - with the disk, that is. >2. does anything from the GNU project run on this board? Emacs, gcc? I am 98% sure this has been done, but I havent any details. Is Ron Guilmette reading this? Ron?? >3. Any info on support/current release of UNIX for this board from >Opus or NSC (I don't know what version # of the UNIX I am getting)? As far as I know, NSC has pretty much abandoned the '032 version, aka the Sys32/20. When I worked there, support was more theoretical than real - there are only one or two people even left on the payroll now who know much about them. NSC Did release V.3 8-); you might try calling your local NSC sales office and see if anyone there can help you. Don't be surprised if they can't, NSC didn't sell many Sys32s and most sales people havent heard of them. You can also try Series 32000 Applications, at 408-721-5553 (Hi Ralph!). Or maybe someone will "sell" you a copy ;-) >4. any other words of wisdom? Not really. Save your money. Never buy white shoes.
biggers@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com (Mark Biggers) (06/28/89)
To: sunkist!grenley@rti.rti.org Subject: Re: what goodies run on OPUS Sys/32? Thanks for your reply to comp.sys.nsc.32k, even though it left me wanting more info, and you seem to know more. And, since I can't seem to get mail to "sunkist"... BTW, I have an OPUS Sys/32 32032 board, 4mb memory, rev C2 (SysV2.2 - ancient!) UNIX, in a PC/AT clone, 48mb RLL disk and DTC 7287 1:1 interleave controller. > >1. what disk/PC configuration do you recommend? I thought of going > >cheeep, except for the disk controller and disk (probably RLL > >controller, 65 mb disk) > > Depends on the amount of programming you want to do. The PC bus (either > XT or AT) is I/O bound, so it is really not suited for lots of users, > no matter what disk you buy. The disk I/O seems ok, but I have rev C3 UNIX release notes, and these mention a significant improvement in disk I/O with that release. So... anyone have an Opus5 rev C3 or greater UNIX for this board, that they would like to give away or sell cheeep? > >2. does anything from the GNU project run on this board? Emacs, gcc? > > I am 98% sure this has been done, but I havent > any details. Is Ron Guilmette reading this? Ron?? Do you have an address for this guy? Is he at NSC still? I would like GNU Emacs, at least. > >3. Any info on support/current release of UNIX for this board from > >Opus or NSC (I don't know what version # of the UNIX I am getting)? > > As far as I know, NSC has pretty much abandoned the '032 version, aka > the Sys32/20. When I worked there, support was more theoretical than > real - there are only one or two people even left on the payroll now > who know much about them. > NSC Did release V.3 8-); you might try calling your local NSC sales > office and see if anyone there can help you. Don't be surprised if they > can't, NSC didn't sell many Sys32s and most sales people havent heard > of them. I called OPUS and NSC. OPUS will be shipping version F.2 (Sys V3.1) to NSC soon; NSC is currently shipping E.2 (Sys V3.0) to customers now. NSC wants $950 for 1 year of hardware/software support for the OPUS board, which includes all software updates. However, OPUS claims F.2 is their last release of UNIX for the OPUS Sys/32 (32032). The $950 is not worth it to me; I just want a reliable news/mail UNIX box for now. Any more $$$ and I might as well stretch for a 386 UNIX setup. Speaking of news/mail: do you have an ACU "hayes.c" driver program? I can cobble one up from similiar sources, but it would save me some time... > You can also try Series 32000 Applications, at 408-721-5553 (Hi Ralph!). > Or maybe someone will "sell" you a copy ;-) Who are these guys? What do they do? I would be willing to exchange any info you (or anyone else) have for any I acquire. I will get netnews running soon; UUCP is coming along. It's sad that almost no significant Berkeley stuff is provided with the C2 (aka V2.2) OS release; OPUS noted that the newer releases have a "Berkeley software" disk available. --mark -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "YOW"...A cry of PAIN, a squeal of GLEE, Use it in a SENTENCE today!! an exclamation of RELIGIOUS FERVOR...it's th' all-purpose word for EVERY situation... biggers@dg-rtp.dg.com USMail: Data General OR: rti!dg-rtp!biggers 62 Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
grenley@sunkist.UUCP (George Grenley) (06/29/89)
In article <BIGGERS.89Jun27141450@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com> biggers@peewee.dg-rtp.dg.com (Mark Biggers) writes: >To: sunkist!grenley@rti.rti.org >Subject: Re: what goodies run on OPUS Sys/32? >Thanks for your reply to comp.sys.nsc.32k, even though it left me >wanting more info, and you seem to know more. And, since I can't seem >to get mail to "sunkist"... try routing through oliveb - that is olivetti machine b. It is connected to amdahl, pyramid, and lots of others... ...oliveb!cirrusl!sunkist!grenley should reach me. >BTW, I have an OPUS Sys/32 32032 board, 4mb memory, rev C2 (SysV2.2 - >ancient!) UNIX, in a PC/AT clone, 48mb RLL disk and DTC 7287 1:1 >interleave controller. >So... anyone have an Opus5 rev C3 or greater UNIX for this board, that >they would like to give away or sell cheeep? Afraid I don't. I have a copy of what I think is V.3.0 which I have not installed. I am currently running V.2, when I use the machine, which is rarely... in fact, I'm thinking of selling it... anyone interested? > > >2. does anything from the GNU project run on this board? Emacs, gcc? > > I am 98% sure this has been done, but I havent > > any details. Is Ron Guilmette reading this? Ron?? >Do you have an address for this guy? Is he at NSC still? I would >like GNU Emacs, at least. Last I heard Ron went to Austin TX to work for somebody, doing ADA work I believe - try paging him on the ADA net.group > > >3. Any info on support/current release of UNIX for this board from > > >Opus or NSC (I don't know what version # of the UNIX I am getting)? > > As far as I know, NSC has pretty much abandoned the '032 version, aka > > the Sys32/20. When I worked there, support was more theoretical than > > real - there are only one or two people even left on the payroll now > > who know much about them. > > NSC Did release V.3 8-); you might try calling your local NSC sales > > office and see if anyone there can help you. Don't be surprised if they > > can't, NSC didn't sell many Sys32s and most sales people havent heard > > of them. >I called OPUS and NSC. OPUS will be shipping version F.2 (Sys V3.1) >to NSC soon; NSC is currently shipping E.2 (Sys V3.0) to customers >now. NSC wants $950 for 1 year of hardware/software support for the >OPUS board, which includes all software updates. However, OPUS claims >F.2 is their last release of UNIX for the OPUS Sys/32 (32032). >The $950 is not worth it to me; I just want a reliable news/mail UNIX >box for now. Any more $$$ and I might as well stretch for a 386 UNIX >setup. I understand. Send me email, we'll talk further... >Speaking of news/mail: do you have an ACU "hayes.c" driver program? I >can cobble one up from similiar sources, but it would save me some >time... Nope. Don't even know what it is. > > You can also try Series 32000 Applications, at 408-721-5553 (Hi Ralph!). > > Or maybe someone will "sell" you a copy ;-) >Who are these guys? What do they do? [ they look for work 8-) grg] but seriously.... Ralph was the Unix support person for awhile. He is very competent, and has been promoted to other things. I don't know his current duties, exactly, or even if he still reads this group. If he does, "Hi Ralph! Hope you're doing well!" >I would be willing to exchange any info you (or anyone else) have for >any I acquire. I will get netnews running soon; UUCP is coming along. >It's sad that almost no significant Berkeley stuff is provided with >the C2 (aka V2.2) OS release; OPUS noted that the newer releases have >a "Berkeley software" disk available. >--mark I'll be happy to help, but I'm not active in Unix or Opus much anymore. When I was at NSC I posted frequently to this group in an attempt to assist 32K users. NSC told me to shut up or I would lose my job. It's that kind of place. Later, I lost my job anyway - best thiing that has happened to me lately. So, I guess it's OK to post now. At the big layoffs recently, some good people got canned 8-( some ass holes got canned 8-) (hiya dick!) and once again it was shown that sh*t floats. The 32K group still has some good people working there, but it's pretty thinly staffed - it will be interesting to see whether NSC can survive in the CPU marketplace. I hope they do, there are some damn good chip designers at the design center in Israel. But the track record of the top managers in Santa Clara is pretty poor. I guess that's enough for now. George Grenley