ecollins@NMSU.EDU (07/05/90)
> From: "dave martin" <N1.DMM@isumvs.iastate.edu> > Have you heard of any X server software for DOS PCs which is of a > freeware nature? Project Athena is being installed at Iowa State > ( called Vincent here) and it would be nice if we could make use of > our existing base of PCs as X terminals. We have a small group of people who are working on a DOS freeware version of the R4 X server. The server will allow a PC (286/386, EGA/VGA) to act as an X terminal. There is still a lot of work to be done but we have made progress. The project has proven to be very interesting and very challenging. We are in it as much to learn more about X, networking, C, graphics, mem mgt, etc. as we are in providing a useful piece of software. Both can be done. Anyone interested in helping, or who would like more info is welcome to reply via e-mail. I'm unaware of any other freeware DOS versions. > I'll be evaluating some commercial software and would like to throw > some cost effective solutions into the mix. I heard a rumor that there > are some developments along these lines in Germany, but the rumor is > unconfirmed as of yet. Your rumor of a German project is probably in reference to Thomas Roell, roell@lan.informatik.tu-muenchen.dbp.de. He posted a server to comp.sources.x ( May 15, 90 ) that will run on a 386 under SYSV. " FEATURES: - various resolutions (640x480, 720x540, 864x606) - MouseSystems & MicroSoft Mouse support. - shared libraries - STREAMS connection (no TCP/IP neccessary!!) - you need only 80MBytes diskspace for compiling (*smile*) - it's free!!! " > PS reviews etc of commercial software are also of interest. I recently installed Digital's PCSA DECwindows software (DWDOS) on a Zenith Z248 (8Mhz 286 EGA). It's use is limited with only 640k but nearly any *single* DECwindows client will run along with a version of uwm using normal x fonts. To improve performance a single font can be used in place of the x fonts but that has some obvious side effects. I'm sure performance would be much better with more memory but alas, this PC has extended memory and DWDOS can only use expanded. Reasonably priced and works with VMS and Ultrix ( DECnet ) clients. Although I haven't tried it yet I believe DWDOS will work using asynchronous DDCMP( DECnet over serial lines using a modem ) -- obvious performance problems but it's one way to develop X clients from home. > A pointer to such would be appreciated. The XUG posts a list of commonly asked X questions to xpert at the beginning of each month which includes a list of commercially available DOS X servers. I haven't seen a comparison of features and performance evaluations for these servers -- but I would like to. Mike. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= = | e-mail: ecollins@nmsu.edu = = Mike Collins | = = New Mexico State University | Enjoy the Fireworks! = = | = =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=