[comp.sys.dec] System upgrade---info. needed...

tadik@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu (Satish Tadikonda) (05/31/90)

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We are in the process of upgrading the computer facilities in our research
oriented medical image processing laboratory. Currently we use a VAX running
VMS and an peripheral image processing unit (a Gould IP-8500).  Our software
investment is quite extensive as we have been using this environment for 
the last eight years to support 7-20 scientists with a staff of 4-8. While 
we have read a about the various workstations, we have little "hands on"
experience with workstations.  Our goals in the upgrade process are to 
provide us with as much computing power as possible while also providing 
flexibility for future development and balancing the investment we
have in our current software with the investment we will make with these new
machines.  Any comments/advice are welcome since we want to make as informed a
decision as possible (we only get a chance to do this every 5 years or so).
Some of the more general question we have are:

1) Are there any reasons for choosing one particular workstation for use in
developing image processing applications? (or reasons not to choose a particular
one)

2) How difficult is it to develop and X-windows applications that support
multiple platforms (we know it is possible, but in the real world, what is it
like?)

3) For anyone who has a VMS/Unix shop, what are the difficulties in the systems
coexisting with each other?

please reply by e-mail to :
     tadik@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu


Thanks in advance to those who respond.
satish