I2010901%DBSTU1.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Dipl.Phys. Thomas Wutzke) (11/25/90)
Hello Networkers| In the last two months, a new version of Unix came up: COHERENT UNIX. Does anybody have any experiences with this Operating System? Or does someone know about the Hardware needed for this System? Many Thanks Thomas
limes@sun.com (Greg Limes) (11/30/90)
In article <25088@adm.brl.mil> I2010901%DBSTU1.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Dipl.Phys. Thomas Wutzke) writes: > In the last two months, a new version of Unix came up: COHERENT UNIX. > Does anybody have any experiences with this Operating System? Or does > someone know about the Hardware needed for this System? I purchased Coherent shortly after version 3.0.0 was announced on the net, and have been using it irregularly ever since (I am still porting personal applications from MS-DOS, which will be removed from my hard disk as soon as I can). Coherent has been around for a good many years; I seem to remember advertisements in '82 or '83, but recently there has been an upserge in its visibility. Overall, quite nice. A few attributes of Coherent: * It is a 7th Edition UNIX lookalike. Don't expect all the whizzies that you are accustomed to on your System V, Berkeley 4.3, SunOS, or other "modern" UNIX system. * It runs on a 80286 based PC/AT with one megabyte of ram. It may run on smaller systems; in fact, it probably does. But my one meg machine is enough. * It doesn't chew up a lot of disk. Ten meg seems to be sufficient for what I am doing right now (but I have allocated another twenty, which I expected to need long ago ...) * Programs are limited to 64k text and 64k data. * A hundred bucks will buy you Coherent. It will also buy you two decent pieces of decent MS-DOS game software. * A few more bucks get you a device driver development kit. Not for the faint of heart, but it makes a nifty break from hacking SunOS kernels at work :-) Some bugs in 3.0.0 were found, and Coherent is now shipping 3.1.0; the turnaround time between when the bugs were found and when shipping of the release that has the fixes was quite swift. Anyway, you need a 286 or 386 box (will 486 work? I dunno), with a meg of memory (more might be nice), and a hard disk (ten meg is kinda the minimum, again, more might be nice). EGA and VGA work (I have tried 'em). I expect just about any video would probably work, but avoid the ones that can't do 80-column modes :-) If you like playing games, keep MS-DOS around somewhere. There is something to be said for huge installed bases. DISCLAIMER 1, for everyone: My only relationship with Mark Williams Co. is as a satisfied customer. DISCLAIMER 2, for lawyers: I don't speak for Sun. -- Greg Limes limes@eng.sun.com "Just One More Bug Fix ..."
scott@mcs-server.gac.edu (Scott Hess) (12/01/90)
In article <LIMES.90Nov30012621@ouroborous.Eng.Sun.COM> limes@sun.com (Greg Limes) writes:
Overall, quite nice. A few attributes of Coherent:
* It is a 7th Edition UNIX lookalike. Don't expect all the whizzies
that you are accustomed to on your System V, Berkeley 4.3, SunOS,
or other "modern" UNIX system.
Well, what's missing? Anything in particular to watch out for? Socket
library? uucp? nfs?
* Programs are limited to 64k text and 64k data.
Any plans for a bore capable compiler?
* A hundred bucks will buy you Coherent. It will also buy you two
decent pieces of decent MS-DOS game software.
Well, I bet Coherent is more fun :-).
Anyway, you need a 286 or 386 box (will 486 work? I dunno), with a meg
of memory (more might be nice), and a hard disk (ten meg is kinda the
minimum, again, more might be nice). EGA and VGA work (I have tried
'em). I expect just about any video would probably work, but avoid the
ones that can't do 80-column modes :-)
X? That would amaze me, I guess, but could happen.
Not that I expect you personally to answer all this. Hopefully someone,
though. It sounds like Coherent is pretty decent for usage on a home
machine . . .
--
scott hess
scott@gac.edu
Independent NeXT Developer (Stuart)
GAC Undergrad (Horrid. Simply Horrid. I mean the work!)
<I still speak for nobody>lws@comm.wang.com (Lyle Seaman) (12/12/90)
limes@sun.com (Greg Limes) writes: >Anyway, you need a 286 or 386 box (will 486 work? I dunno), with a meg Sure it will. A 486 is just a 386 reworked for speed. -- Lyle Wang lws@comm.wang.com 508 967 2322 Lowell, MA, USA uunet!comm.wang.com!lws The scum always rises to the top.
olasov@cs.columbia.edu (Benjamin Olasov) (01/08/91)
Looking for experiences with Coherent Unix, especially comparisons with SCO Unix. Relevant criteria would be speed, peculiarities when compiliing, support, etc. Basic intention is for use on 386 platforms (ALRs etc.). Any feedback welcome. Thanks, Ben olasov@cs.columbia.edu