daniel@world.std.com (Daniel Smith) (06/09/91)
[will forward replies or post summary if volume warrants] My wife (sprice@well.sf.ca.us) and I (daniel@island.com) are looking to buy a machine to use for Windows 3.0 and Unix development/amusement. A rough sketch of what we have in mind follows. If you have some notes on your computer purchase kicking around, and can email me a copy, I'd appreciate it. Note: I speak Unix, she speaks Dos and OS/2, and we're not currently up on ISA/EISA hardware; but you can send us pretty technical stuff and we'll catch on quick. What it will be used for: Some Windows 3.0 development (wife), and some X11/Unix hacking (me). Some CAD. Some DTP. Some Tray Racing and other graphics. Pretty much single user stuff (but we can be somewhat demanding users :-) 486DX 25 - we thought of a 386, but since the 486 comes with a math coprocessor, the price difference doesn't seem so large. Which BIOS? AMI? Phoenix? 4 meg RAM to start - what is a good cache size to start with? at least 300 mg HD - yeah, but what type? being a Sun-oriented developer at work with my own Sparc, I'm tempted to "just say SCSI". What do you use? Does ESDI have any advantages? What's the controller that you like, and how much cache do you have on it? Can you safely mix drive types (two or more drive controllers)? 1024x768x256 SVGA - I've read in a couple of places about ATI's board. Thumbs up? Some 14" or larger non-interlaced monitor - wide open to suggestions. A mono hercules and mono monitor to use for debugging. (later) Logitech or some other decent "Hi-res" mouse - what's the advantage/potential problem of having a serial vs bus mouse? Tape backup - How's Colorado? Mountain? Anything compatible with the DC6150's I'm used to using on my Sparc? 2400 baud modem with G3 fax capability. Anyone making a good 9600 baud modem that does fax as well? Do any variants of intel based Unix have trouble with internal modems? ethernet card (later) - there's an Apollo across the study :-) If you get a hand scanner, such as Logitech's ScanMan, can you get OCR software that will work with it? Actually, is there any Dos or Windows OCR software that can just work off of a file in some given graphics format? We will most likely be using SCO Unix with this. What are the hardware compatibility issues with the major variants of intel based Unix? Also, my wife has heard that Windows and SCSI don't get along, is this true? Any keyboard/case/power supply incompatibily probs we should know about or stay away from? I lean towards Keytronic. I imagine 250 watts will do. Any problems we should know about in configuring it so we can boot into dos or Unix? Do certain drives/BIOS/etc have probs with this? What's the price range for this sort of setup? What would you toss out to bring the initial investment down to $3500-$4000? We have no problem with building the machine ourselves. Gee, there's a ton of questions here! I will be happy to pass along responses I get. Hmm, perhaps there is a need for a FRL (Frequently Recommended List)? Daniel -- daniel@island.com .....Daniel Smith, Island Graphics, (415) 491 0765 x 250(w) daniel@world.std.com ...4000 CivicCenterDrive SanRafael MarinCounty CA 94903 dansmith@well.sf.ca.us .I must write this, or Island will take away my coffee. Could we continue with the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing-Data:TNG