ndeng@EULER.BERKELEY.EDU (09/29/89)
Hi All!
I am considering to purchase a UNIX operating system for my new 386 PC
machine. Having read all advertisements about different packages (Bell Technology UNIX 386 system V,
Microport UNIX/386, 386/ix, SCO Xenix 386, etc, etc.), I got rather
confused on which is the "best" one for a 386-based machine, since all of
them claimed that their products are the best. Therefore, I decide to
turn to the netland for help.
Can someone who is using unix on a 386-pc machine tell me his experience about
the good/bad points about one of the packages? Specifically, I am most
interested in the following aspects::
---- The "completeness" of the package: (i.e., Does this package include
all necessary tools which can be found in a mainframe unix system like
4.xBSD or VMS/Ultrix, like cc, f77, awk, grep,..., and all utilities,
even a typesetting program like TeX or troff)
---- The compatibility of the package with mainframe systems: can I
compile/without recomiple to run mainframe programs?
---- The handling of X-Windows: does this package include all necessary
tools to use X-windows with high resolution drivers for 1024x768
or higher resolution monitors?
---- Any specific problems with a PC machine, like effectiveness of resource
sharing (CPU, Hard disk, communication port/ethernet, printer, etc.)
and multitasking. Also, how much overhead will the package take in the
RAM and how much disk space have to be reserved for the package? Does
this package include a "DOS window" and how compatible is it with
standard DOS environment? (i.e., can I run DOS programs under this
window? --- not just for file transfers). Is there any compatibility
problem with a 386 PC (I mean, a clone using AT bus and Pheonix BIOS)?
---- Cost for the package (Basic system and complete package), and cost
of technical support (Does the company offer good technical support
or their phone lines are always busy?).
---- Bugs, strong/weak points, and your comments/suggestions/recommendations.
Also, is the package very easy to install so I only need to buy a "box"
and install myself, or I'd better to ask the company to install the
package for me?
Please response to me directly since I do not read the net regularly and also
tosave the bandwidth. If this post generates enough interest/responses,
I will post a summary later.
ndeng@euler.berkeley.edu