gchamber@nfsun.UUCP (Glenn Chambers) (07/31/90)
Hello, unix: I am investigating possible Unixes to use for a project with some fairly strange parameters. Namely: 1) Client/server application with Pc's as clients, and the to-be-named unix box as the server. 2) Pc's are to run Novell networking (Yes, I know, I'd rather be using TCP but there are marketing types involved.) This obviously requires an implementation of Portable Netware for the box. 3) Application requires an SQL database. We are currently using Informix but could probably port to a comparably featured SQL critter (embedded SQL a requirement). 4) There should be a minimum of 'extra cost' items for the system the application delivers on. In particular, configuring the kernel as described in the FAQ list should not require purchase of any developer's packages for the systems going into the client site. 5) In the development environment, we will also be running TCP/IP to our development machines; the client sites will not. 6) The end users of our system will probably not be Unix-aware. A hand-holding sysadmin package is therefore a benefit. For purposes of this discussion, we can assume that hardware is fairly unconstrained; pick a brand-name or generic Unix box, and put a UNIX on it. The question before us is strictly 'What Unix is best?' I have already learned that 386/ix (Interactive Systems) has a Portable Netware implementation (allegedly done by NCR) and have inferred from recent traffic that Informix runs on 386/ix. What I don't know is what kind of pricing I can expect, and what the alternatives are. If you know of or sell a Unix (for 386 PC clones or other iron), please E-mail me with information (esp. pricing) or with warnings (stay away from brand-X, they eat children and torture cats). If anyone else is interested (morbid curiosity, maybe?) I will email the results to them. E-mail to ...!uunet!nfsun!gchamber or gchamber@nfsun.UUCP Thanks in advance. Glenn Chambers Intelligent Technology Group