rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) (11/10/89)
Hi everyone, I'm plan to get a set of Unix Sys V variant for my 386 computer. However, there're so many of them out there and I hope you guys/gals and help. I've heard of the one called "ESIX". Its price interests me very much. From the ads, $895 US includes: OS System V 3.2 (they said it is an enhanced version of AT&T Sys V 3.2) Development Tools Xwindow 11.?? ( forgot what exactly how they said it ) TCP/IP multi-user license (up to 32 users) also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available for pcs. Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? Thanx! Raymond Ho
kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley) (11/11/89)
In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: > I've heard of the one called "ESIX". Its price interests me very much. >From the ads, $895 US includes: > OS System V 3.2 (they said it is an enhanced version of AT&T Sys V 3.2) > Development Tools > Xwindow 11.?? ( forgot what exactly how they said it ) > TCP/IP > multi-user license (up to 32 users) >also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available for pcs. > > Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at >binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? > I just saw ESIX yesterday. It's $595 for a two user version. Price includes C compiler, X11R3 (EGA, VGA, and Hercules. (Hercules untested)). TCP/IP available for more money. They claim binary compatibility with XENIX; I'm not sure what, if anything, could be binary compatible with UNIX, unless you mean AT&Ts' UNIX/386. Their rep said it was based on AT&Ts' UNIX/386. Can't really say anything about its relative speed. Benson, you are so mercifully devoid of the ravages of intelligence. kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (818)354-8771 Kaleb Keithley
darcy@bbm.UUCP (D'Arcy Cain) (11/11/89)
In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: >Hi everyone, > Development Tools The old ads used to say ANSI C compiler but what you get is plain pcc. I think they fixed the ads. It's as complete as you get, (awk, nawk, lex, cc make etc. > > Xwindow 11.?? ( forgot what exactly how they said it ) They have X-windows 11.3.01. The documentation is on disk.> > TCP/IP Yup > > multi-user license (up to 32 users) I'm not sure but I thought it was unlimited users. > >also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available for pcs. I'm not sure that is true but Everex certainly has about the fastest 386 machines (in respective classes). > > Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at >binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? Haven't had a chance to test this but they do supply Xenix file system support and they do claim Xenix compatibility but they do list a few areas where programs might have to be modified. My experience is actually with release B which they called ENIX. I understand that they are currently shipping release C. I have seen some messages decrying their support but so far I have had no problem. I generally get a callback the same day. D'Arcy J.M. Cain (darcy@{druid,bbm})
palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (11/11/89)
From article <2147@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>, by kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley): > In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: > available for more money. They claim binary compatibility with XENIX; I'm not > sure what, if anything, could be binary compatible with UNIX, unless you mean I use to run Xenix286 and switched to ESIX. All the binarys ran on the ESIX machine. Databases, XBBS, a bunch of others. I did eventually recompile it under the 32bit comilier. It ran faster. I also ran Microport 286 bins on it, ATT bin's, Interactive bin's. > AT&Ts' UNIX/386. Their rep said it was based on AT&Ts' UNIX/386. Can't > really say anything about its relative speed. I'd say it's based on ISC UNIX. ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda pacbell!indetech!palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Home {sun|daisy}!ys2!fiver!palowoda (415)-623-8809 1200/2400 Work {sun|pyramid|decwrl}!megatest!palowoda (415)-623-8806 2400/9600/19200 TB Voice: (415)-623-7495 Public access UNIX XBBS
madd@world.std.com (jim frost) (11/12/89)
rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: >also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available >for pcs. No. Xenix is the fastest in pure CPU usage, Interactive 386/ix wins out generally because its filesystem is pretty nice. I've used all three of them and I liked ISC the best. > Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at >binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? We had some problems getting fullscreen programs to run under ISC and ESIX although both report Xenix binary compatibility. Things *did* run, just not correctly. This may have been a version problem. I never tested it with the newest version of ISC. If you want to do X11 development, get ISC. They have the best X11 server available for 386 machines. Their documentation is pretty poor, although I just got a report that they are improving it dramatically for the next release and (FINALLY!) adding online manual pages. They are an incredibly responsive company and they'll answer questions if posted to comp.unix.i386. If you're looking for a cheap generic 386 UNIX, ESIX comes highly recommended by people I respect. I found it usable but not as fast or well supported as ISC. It's damn cheap though. I hope this is helpful. jim frost software tool & die "The World" Public Access Unix for the '90s madd@std.com +1 617-739-WRLD 24hrs {3,12,24}00bps
davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr) (11/13/89)
In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca>, rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: [ many features of ESIX ] I believe that these are all correct, but check that the base price includes TCP support, because I have one ad here which list all the other stuff but no TCP. | also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available for pcs. You will find some people who claim this about *every* version (except maybe MicroPort). I think you can safely assume that it is similar to other good systems, and that memory, disk controller, tuning parameters and benchmark selection all affect the speed measured. One claim I have not heard refuted is that Xenix has a smaller kernel than any other 386 UNIX around. | | Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at | binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? All V.3.2 versions should be Xenix compatible. -- bill davidsen (davidsen@crdos1.crd.GE.COM -or- uunet!crdgw1!crdos1!davidsen) "The world is filled with fools. They blindly follow their so-called 'reason' in the face of the church and common sense. Any fool can see that the world is flat!" - anon
fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (11/15/89)
In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca>, rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: > Hi everyone, > > I'm plan to get a set of Unix Sys V variant for my 386 computer. > However, there're so many of them out there and I hope you guys/gals and > help. > > I've heard of the one called "ESIX". Its price interests me very much. > Do you know anything about this ESIX? They said it is compatible at > binary level with Xenix and Unix, is it true? I have had ESIX since it was called ENIX. The good part is, yes, it is real UNIX 5 Release 3.2. And it almost works ok. Note that I was one of the people who had the beta release and sent zillions of documentation corrections to Everex as well as a few software bug reports. Now, for the bad stuff. In the first production release there were a few bugs. X-windows was sick and there is a bug in the console driver that causes lost interrupts (on other devices) when you change screens. Not bad except I cannot get an update. We have called Everex (Ida Wu, head of ESIX marketing) at least 3 times, left phone-mail messages and never got an answer. Abount 3 weeks ago I wrote a threatening letter complaining about this and asking for a resolution within 2 weeks or I would sent a copy of the letter to UNIX * magazines. No response. I sent e-mail to Everex last week. No response. I gave up and sent the letter. I would still like the update. I'm still amazed. -- Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155 (206)FOR-UNIX amc-gw!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl
palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (11/15/89)
From article <1595@crdos1.crd.ge.COM>, by davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr): > In article <2559B869.26977@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca>, rho@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Raymond Ho) writes: > [ many features of ESIX ] > > I believe that these are all correct, but check that the base price > includes TCP support, because I have one ad here which list all the > other stuff but no TCP. It's in there. Support for the Everex, 3Com, and WD controllers. I'm useing it on some WD8003E cards, with NFS connect to a PC-DOS cleint. > | also some reports claim that ESIX is the fastest Unix Sys V available for pcs. To general of a statement. There product is fast but when I try to compile 15 large programs and the news feed comes in with 5 megs of files and two bbs users call in the system tends to slow up. :-) -- Bob Palowoda pacbell!indetech!palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Home {sun|daisy}!ys2!fiver!palowoda (415)-623-8809 1200/2400 Work {sun|pyramid|decwrl}!megatest!palowoda (415)-623-8806 2400/9600/19200 TB Voice: (415)-623-7495 Public access UNIX XBBS