MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr) (01/20/89)
I have acquired a Everex 386/20 Step with 2megs of ram and a 43meg Priam.
At this time, I have also acquired Windows/386 and Excel, both v2.1. Compared
to the Amiga with 2.5megs that I have been running the last couple of years,
Windows just doesn't cut it. Since my software outlay for this system is
minimal at this point, I'm considering moving to a UNIX os.
I realize that the hardware as configured at this point just barely meets the
minimal requirements for a single user UNIX system, but I intend to increase
to 4megs of ram and about 100megs of harddisk in the next six months or so,
at the outside. At that time, I will probably add one or two terminals.
This will be my first experience with UNIX.
My question is, what UNIX to get? I had been leaning towards SCO over
Microport, but recently Interactive has caught my attention. I realize that
Everex is/will be distributing ENIX, but I think I'll stick to something that
has been on the market and been tested. Considering the hardware, and my in-
experience with UNIX, which UNIX would be most suitable? One thing, I will
want to run a few ms-dos programs under UNIX, particularly Excel.
I realize that this question has been asked and answered before, but I was
unable to find any archived msg collections answered the questions I am
asking.
Any comments and/or opinions would be appreciated! Thanx for your time.
- MJB -chasm@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Charles Marslett) (01/23/89)
In article <13750@cup.portal.com>, MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr) writes: > I have acquired a Everex 386/20 Step with 2megs of ram and a 43meg Priam. > . . . > My question is, what UNIX to get? I had been leaning towards SCO over > Microport, but recently Interactive has caught my attention. I realize that > Everex is/will be distributing ENIX, but I think I'll stick to something that > has been on the market and been tested. Considering the hardware, and my in- > experience with UNIX, which UNIX would be most suitable? One thing, I will > want to run a few ms-dos programs under UNIX, particularly Excel. Excel runs in a graphics mode, and to the best of my knowledge Interactive is the only vendor pushing any of the higher resolution display modes. This is all hearsay -- do any of the vendors want to describe their current abilities (and near term futures...)? > - MJB - =========================================================================== Charles Marslett STB Systems, Inc. <== Apply all standard disclaimers Wordmark Systems <== No disclaimers required -- that's just me chasm@killer.dallas.tx.us
fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (01/24/89)
I expect there will be a zillion responses to your query so I will
try to limit my response to what I expect is new information. For
background, I have worked with and/or have evaluation copies of
XENIX, Microport V/386, Interactive 386/IX and ENIX. We use XENIX
on two systems on a regular basis, now have ENIX running on a system
and I evaluated running DOS under all but ENIX for an article that
was published in MicroSystems Journal about 5 months ago.
All of these operating systems work. And there is something good and
something bad about each one. Rather than a comprehensive review, let
me present some information on ENIX as it is new and few people have
any information on it.
I had the pre-release of ENIX V, based on system V, Release 3.0. Last
week I received the Release 3.2 based product. My guess is that this
product is basically the same as what you will get with any of the other
flavors of 386 UNIX based on Release 3.2. This is the big merge where
XENIX becomes UNIX. This means that ENIX will run XENIX binaries and
can even mount XENIX file systems. The development system (C compiler,
etc) is included but the text processing system (troff) isn't.
What you get with ENIX includes X-windows, Enhanced Security Extensions
(whatever that is), RFS, streams, AT&T Transport Interface, shared
libraries, new awk and a bunch of other things. Added commands include
a utility to print files on an HP laserjet (you can pick fonts but this
isn't a troff driver), utilities to play with DOS disks and a keyboard
mapping utility.
What's good about ENIX is that it installs and works fine so far.
What's bad is the documentation. This should improve but it has
quite a few errors and documentation on X-windows, FACE and few
other additions is non-existent.
One other person who received an evaluation copy couldn't use it because
it would only support disks up to 1024 tracks but Everex is working on
this problem.
I have yet to try X, RFS or any of the other add-ons but the guts
seem to be a stable, real System V, release 3.2. The fact that it
comes with an installed streaming tape driver (for an Everex tape
drive but that is what we use) was very useful. It also claims to
have a scsi driver that will talk to 1/2" tape as well as disks but
I haven't tried it yet.
The disclaimer is, "you get what you pay for". SCO XENIX has a big
installed base, lots of documentation and a large support organization.
ENIX is new. I don't think it will be unstable but if you need
the hand-holding that SCO or Microport offers, you will probably
have to pay the price.
Speaking of price, ENIX is $375.
I hope this provided some useful information. I will post a followup
when I have done a more comprehensive test.
--
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155 (206)FOR-UNIX
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