prbrig01@ULKYVX.BITNET (NEWS_PERSONALNAME) (06/07/91)
I have an information/opinion request. I am in need of a FORTRAN programming system for my personal use. It may be that I will need to expand to C and C++ in the near future. My needs are for scientific programming. I request information and opinions on which platform I should use. As of now, I own an SE/30. If I continue on the SE/30 I believe I will need to purchase AU/X 2.0 or MPW. Is this correct? Would this be the best solution. I have been told that the NeXT uses 'real' Unix and is a superior platform for scientific programming. An alternative is to get a SUN or Iris workstation. Is the increase in power worth the vast price increase. As of now, remaining with my '30 or a NeXT would seem best. Comments/opinions are welcome. As always Ed Wright
petrilli@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Chris Petrilli) (06/07/91)
Ed Wright writes: I have an information/opinion request. Who doesn't? I am in need of a FORTRAN programming system for my personal use. It may be that I will need to expand to C and C++ in the near future. My needs are for scientific programming. I request information and opinions on which platform I should use. As of now, I own an SE/30. If I continue on the SE/30 I believe I will need to purchase AU/X 2.0 or MPW. Is this correct? Would this be the best solution. I have been told that the NeXT uses 'real' Unix and is a superior platform for scientific programming. I do believe that there are Fortran compilers on the Mac without moving to A/UX, but they will have problems allocating large amounts of memory (no VM). Having used a NeXT, HP 9000, Sun (Sparc, 3, 4) and IBM RS/6000s, I still lean toward the NeXT. If you do not need the ABSOLUTE performance, but instead something that increases productivity, go with the NeXT. If you have access to a network of NeXT machines, Zilla will allow REAL computations (I heard a rumor of Zilla running on a Connection Machine 2, now that's power). All NeXT machines run Mach, with a BSD4.3 implementation on top of it. For many people (myself included) this is REAL Unix (as opposed to the Sys V stuff), but nonethe less, it is a FULLBLOWN Unix machine, with all the niceties that go along with it. An alternative is to get a SUN or Iris workstation. Is the increase in power worth the vast price increase. As I said before, get a Sun if you MUST have the performace, but you will be more productive on the NeXT, I know I am, but I program in C, and Objective-C (and of course Lisp). The NeXT is THE biggest bang-for-the=buck on market... As of now, remaining with my '30 or a NeXT would seem best. Why use yesterday's technology today... use tomorrows technology today. (hey, think I can sell that to NeXT :) ). Comments/opinions are welcome. Thank you. Chris -- | Chris Petrilli | petrilli@gnu.ai.mit.edu | I don't even speak for myself.