[comp.unix.i386] Alternative ESIX manuals?

steveg@enrico.UUCP (Steve Godersky) (07/26/90)

I am buying a UNIX System V flavor called ESIX
(development version for a 386).
I am having trouble affording the Manual Set which runs $300+
Are there any equivalent manuals that will provide a good
level of support which I can buy individually for less?
I am thinking particularly of manuals for Xwindows, Sys Adm,
network support and driver support.
Or, are the ESIX manuals worth it and/or irreplaceable?
I use System V at work but I still have much to learn,
and I'm no great C programmer, either.

Replies should reach me addressed to Steveg @iii.com

Thanks to you all.
Steve Godersky 
Innovative Interfaces, Inc.

jon@savant.UUCP (Jon Gefaell) (07/30/90)

In article <1481@enrico.UUCP> steveg@enrico.UUCP (Steve Godersky) writes:
-I am buying a UNIX System V flavor called ESIX
-(development version for a 386).
-I am having trouble affording the Manual Set which runs $300+
-Are there any equivalent manuals that will provide a good
-level of support which I can buy individually for less?

Addison Wesley, I think it is, has a complete set. These are probably
a better deal pricewise, as well as quality wise.
I
Being a firm believer in RTFM'ing I bought the ESIX manual set.
It SUX. Basicaly... Overstuffed three ring binders that don't fit
well into the slip cases, let alone into the binders (too damn many pages,
not enough binders, or large enough binders) The paper is ULTRA thin, and
worse of all, rife with errors (note the page on tset in particular)

The errors may be derivative, but the rest surely is inexcusable. DON'T
buy the current set! Talking W/ JR at ESIX Friday revealed that a new
printer or whatever is making the next set... So they should be better,
but don't hold your breath...

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paul@dialogic.com (The Imaginative Moron aka Joey Pheromone) (08/01/90)

In article <828@savant.UUCP> jon@savant.UUCP (Jon Gefaell) writes:
>In article <1481@enrico.UUCP> steveg@enrico.UUCP (Steve Godersky) writes:
>-I am buying a UNIX System V flavor called ESIX
>Addison Wesley, I think it is, has a complete set. These are probably

Close, but no cigar. It's Prentice Hall, not Addison Wesley.

Note that they produce two sets of manuals - Generic System V and
System V/386.  The second set has extra docs on 386 specifics -
including (most useful) definitions of each 386 device (disk, display,
keyboard etc.).  I would strongly suggest that this is the set you
get.

BTW, does anyone have a price for the full set ?

Also, a moan at *IX/386 vendors - why not produce docs that list the
*differences* between your system (esp. device behaviour) and stock
System V/386 - then we could buy (or you supply) the base set, along
with your diffs.
--
Paul Bennett	      |  			| "I give in, to sin, because
Dialogic Corp.	      |   paul@dialogic.UUCP	|  You have to make this life
300 Littleton Road    | ..!uunet!dialogic!paul	|  livable"
Parsippany, NJ 07054  |	 			|  Martin Gore

fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (08/03/90)

In article <1263@dialogic.UUCP>, paul@dialogic.com (The Imaginative Moron aka Joey Pheromone) writes:

> Also, a moan at *IX/386 vendors - why not produce docs that list the
> *differences* between your system (esp. device behaviour) and stock
> System V/386 - then we could buy (or you supply) the base set, along
> with your diffs.

We have been trying to get vendors to do custom versions of our pocket
references with changes for years.  We have custom printed references
for various vendors (Unisys, Motorola, Prime, SUN, SCO) but they have just
been cover changes like adding their logo.  SCO got the best deal as we
have a Xenix version that is based on their product.  The otheres get
a "this is sort of like your system" version.

Admittedly I have a vested interest in this idea but I think it would be
great if there was one "big, huge manual set" for UNIX in general and
then small guides like our command summaries for each specific version.
-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX
     uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl            (206)527-3385