rsj@crane.aa.ox.com (Rick Jaffe) (06/01/90)
In article <9005301245.AA29274@zit.cigy.> jcp@cgch.UUCP (Joseph C. Pistritto) writes: >Is anyone out there using these? They come from France by >the way. Supposedly quite quick. I'd like to hear from >people who have any of their terminals on site and in use. For a couple of days I've been using a Le tX which we got on evaluation from Peripherals Design, Inc. Because it's French, I'm not sure if I should call it "a Le tX" or "le tX", i.e., "the" tX, so I'll just choose one. The Le tX comes with a 19" 1280x960 monochrome monitor. Other models have color. It's a rather boxy looking thing whose cpu case is about the size of a Sun 3/50's. Here are my initial impressions: good: ==== . quiet . monitor tilt and swivel . multiple heads are *rumored* to be available in a couple of months. This feature is important to us, and is the main reason we wanted to try out the Le tX. . technical support: The gentleman (who is French) we've been speaking with at Peripheral Designs is knowledgeable, friendly, and available. adequate: ======== . keyboard: standard pc keyboard from Maxi. Of course, for a Unix programmer the escape key is too far away. . mouse: standard pc mouse from Mouse Systems. . monitor - although I think it flickers a hair more than my 3/50 (which doesn't, as far as I can tell). But it's a *lot* better than a DECstation 3100. . setup . onsite service is *rumored* to become available in the near future. bad: === . manual: Actually, it might be fine, but I have trouble reading French. Peripheral Designs didn't warn me about this - it came as a surprise. . slow: It's too slow. I'm waiting for Peripheral Designs to answer my question as to whether a new software release in the works. . floppy: The cpu case isn't supported in the middle. With the monitor resting on the cpu case, then if someone clumps into my office the monitor can act as a linear damped harmonic oscillator (i.e., you get a noticeable bounce). other: ===== . fonts: It's got all of the R4 fonts, but I wish it had the older fonts I like to use on my 3/50, e.g., vtbold, screen.b.12. Summary: ======= The Le tX is a perfectly adequate machine. It's slowness is the main irritation. I'm not impressed enough to buy. I really like my NCD (but NCD has no interest in multiple heads). I can't compare it to a VT1000: we had to return ours because it had only a thinnet port and we couldn't plug it in to our twisted pair ethernet. We also have a 3/50 running the Xkernal from Columbia University, which effectively turns a 3/50 into an x-terminal, and it seems fine. Sun 3/50's have (*not* the most reliable but) the best keyboard and monitor I've ever used. -- USMail: Ocwen Trading, Inc., 101 N. Main, Suite 410, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Phone: +1 313 930-1888 FAX: +1 313 930-6636 UUCP: <backbone>!umich!leebai!rsj Internet: rsj@ox.com