gors@well.UUCP (Gordon Stewart) (09/27/89)
We are interested in running X applications over a fast modem
connected to an X terminal. Does anyone out there have any
experience doing this? What special software (if any) would we need?
How fast a modem do we need in order to get acceptable (to a patient
listener) response time?
Thanks for your help.
Karin Meyer
--
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gors@well.sf.ca.us
(Doolan) | (Meyer) zs04+@andrew.cmu.edu (Zachary T. Smith) (09/28/89)
Don't bother. It says in the server-porting documentation that X needs about 5 kilobytes per second data rate to work. In the same paragraph they mention that a 9600 baud connection (hinting at a phone line hookup) would be unacceptably slow. Zach T. Smith (zs04+@andrew.cmu.edu)
montnaro@sprite.crd.ge.com (Skip Montanaro) (09/28/89)
In article <kZ8WsPe00W0MA_Xlpm@andrew.cmu.edu> zs04+@andrew.cmu.edu (Zachary T. Smith) writes:
Don't bother. It says in the server-porting documentation that X needs
about 5 kilobytes per second data rate to work. In the same paragraph
they mention that a 9600 baud connection (hinting at a phone line hookup)
would be unacceptably slow.
For those who aren't content with what others say can't be done, take a look
at GraphOn's X terminal. You run it through a Sun, which is where the X
server actually resides. A different protocol is used to communicate over
the serial line to the terminal.
I borrowed an evaluation unit we have and hooked it up at home through a
Trailblazer Plus. With a bit of diddling of ~/.awmrc to avoid extra bitmap
transfers, it appeared to work okay. Granted, I wouldn't want to use it day
in, day out, but for largely text-oriented work it's fine.
One use that has been suggested is to take on the road when you're in demo
mode. Another possible use is for a developer who's confined to home for an
extended period of time due to illness. It's not a workstation, but it might
be a good substitute in some situations.
--
Skip Montanaro (montanaro@crdgw1.ge.com)troyb@hpdml93.HP.COM (Troy Bergstrand) (09/29/89)
Mark Opperman from Sun Microsystems presented a paper at the Summer '89 Usenix conference which covered a X11 over serial line scheme with adequate performance for transfer rates as low as 2400 baud. The paper is entitled "At Home With X11/NeWS Windows" and can be found in the conference proceedings.
harden@ics.COM (10/03/89)
Check out the GraphOn X terminals. They are quite different from the traditional X terminals in that the server executes on the host, not on the terminal. They then use a private protocol to communicate with the host. This is acceptable at 9600 baud. I don't actually have a terminal, but I saw one at Xhibition '89. Their address is GraphOn Terminal Corp. 1980 Concourse Dr. San Jose, CA 95131 -Aub Harden harden@ics.com *********************************************************************** * * * Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc. | Everything you wanted to * * 163 Harvard Street | know about X but were * * Cambridge, MA 02139 | afraid to ask... * * * * voice: 617/547-0510 fax: 617/547-0758 e-mail: info@ics.com * ***********************************************************************