[comp.unix.microport] Unix for 286

tkevans@fallst.UUCP (Tim Evans) (04/17/89)

In article <18459@gatech.edu>, ken@gatech.edu (Ken Seefried III) writes:
> VenturCom sells a version of System V release 2.0 for the 80286 that
> has most of what Microport has plus real-time extentions.  It even
> works, unlike, apparently, some of Microport.
> 

The Social Security Administration "Office Support System" (a networked
general office automation project) runs Venix V.2.2 on about 250 real
AT's.  The standard installation is with 1 meg RAM, 40 meg hard disk;
each machine supports two users (second user on a real PC via RS232).
Even with 1 meg, I found Venix to be in many respects faster than
my Microport with 2.2 megs.  The reason, I think, is that Microport
attempts to be "real UNIX," for all purposes; Venix seems to be 
optimized (at least the one our vendor sold us) for more common office
tasks.  At the same time, it does silly things like dumping core on  
simple things like small 'vi' "macros".

Although OSS is an office-automation project primarily used by casual
office types (mainly word processing), knowledgable users are fairly
happy with it for general-purpose *NIX work.  (NOTE:  Venix comes fully
bundled--everything is included.)

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Tim Evans  2201 Brookhaven Court, Fallston, MD  21047   (301) 965-3286