dcrone@datlog.co.uk ( David Crone ) (02/05/90)
Hi, I am new to the world of X and am currently looking at X terminals. I have some literature from NCR (TowerView) and HP (HP700/X) on their X terminal implementations and a list of other makers to look at as well. The NCR offering states that the ROM based software in the Towerview consists of X11 Server software, NCR TowerView Services, and Operating Executive. I have heard that there is a "cut down" version of UNIX running in the terminal. First off, does anyone have any idea on whether this is true and, if so, what's in a "cut down" UNIX in this instance? Secondly, does anyone out there know what "services" TowerView Services and the Operating Executive are providing? I hazard a guess that what's really involved here is screen and network device support plus some memory management ??? In general what software apart from an X Server implementation is needed in the X terminal to make it work as an X terminal? Thanks for any information and Regards, David.
barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin) (02/07/90)
In article <2480@dlvax2.datlog.co.uk> dcrone@datlog.co.uk ( David Crone ) writes: >In general what software apart from an X Server implementation is needed in >the X terminal to make it work as an X terminal? You need software to allow you to configure the network software (set the network address, specify gateways and name servers, etc.). You need a telnet client to allow you to connect to a host in order to start up X clients (display manager protocols help here). If the terminal allows you to use the telnet and/or configuration mode while still running the X server then you need some form of multitasking. -- Barry Margolin, Thinking Machines Corp. barmar@think.com {uunet,harvard}!think!barmar
jer@stiatl.UUCP (John Ramspott) (02/07/90)
>The NCR offering states that the ROM based software in the Towerview >consists of X11 Server software, NCR TowerView Services, and >Operating Executive. I have heard that there is a "cut down" version >of UNIX running in the terminal. > >First off, does anyone have any idea on whether this is true >and, if so, what's in a "cut down" UNIX in this instance? Secondly, does >anyone out there know what "services" TowerView Services and the >Operating Executive are providing? I hazard a guess that what's really involved >here is screen and network device support plus some memory management ??? Yes, the operating system in the TowerView is called XINU (Xinu Is Not Unix), which the astute will also notice is UNIX backwards. The higer end TV has a Motorola 68020 and couple of megs of memory. In this OS, the X server is running, as well as network support and diagnostic stuff. The TowerView can be setup to run over the network or over a serial line. Currently, TV can run over Towernet (XNS I think) and TCP/IP over ethernet. I do not know what release of X the server is currently. One thing pretty unique about the TowerView with its mini-operating system is that it can "download" applications to itself and run them locally, which potentially can really speed up an application. However, you are limited by memory and other constraints as to what and how many applications can be downloaded and run on the TowerView itself. You wouldn't use this feature for most things since distributed processing is a big advantage of X, but it is there for any time critical applications. I used it briefly when I worked for NCR and took an X-Windows class. It was nice terminal, except the one we used was smaller than the terminals we use here at my new job (Visual 19" displays). Towerview is worth looking at, but make sure they support it on the hardware you intend to hook it up to. --John -- John Ramspott gatech!stiatl!jer Sales Technologies, Inc 3399 Peachtree Rd, NE Atlanta, GA (404) 841-4000