[comp.unix.i386] X on the 386

sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) (02/13/90)

I have some questions about running and developing X-windows on the 386.
Since I am somewhat ignorant about 386 and X things, any help provided
will be appreciated.

How much memory should be loaded up to run X?

Are Interactive's X packages stable?  I'd ask about SCO but their
development package isn't available yet.

Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
on the 386?

Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?

Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?

Any multiport serial board recommendations/warning?


Respond via email.  Thanx.
-- 
Michael Sullivan          uunet!jarthur!aqdata!sullivan
aQdata, Inc.              sullivan@aqdata.uucp
San Dimas, CA             +1 714 599 9992

terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) (02/13/90)

sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:

>I have some questions about running and developing X-windows on the 386.
>Since I am somewhat ignorant about 386 and X things, any help provided
>will be appreciated.

>How much memory should be loaded up to run X?
Minimum of 8 MB.  If you are going to run large applications, 12 MB
would be better.  I'm using Xsight from SCO, and 8 MB is tight at 
times.  ;-(.  

>Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
>on the 386?
Yes.  AT&T also has an X product.  The MIT distribution X11R4 libraries
are supposed to build under AT&T SysV R3.2, but you still have to have
a server.  

>Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?
Not that I'm aware of.  SCO's stuff will be heavily slanted toward Motif. 
>Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?
Serial, because you can put it on a multi-port board and not loose
a perfectly good interrupt for nothing but a mouse. 

>Any multiport serial board recommendations/warning?
I use a dumb Digiboard 4-port board and it works fine.  

>Respond via email.  Thanx.
I would have, but I thought others might be interested in the info.  
-- 
Terry Hull 
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kansas State University
Work:  terry@eecea.eece.ksu.edu, rutgers!ksuvax1!eecea!terry
Play:  terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us, rutgers!ksuvax1!eecea!tah386!terry

cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill) (02/13/90)

In article <1990Feb12.180931.1093@aqdata.uucp> sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:

I know you asked for email, but this is the kind of info that is best
discussed on the net, rather than behind the lines.

>How much memory should be loaded up to run X?

At least 8MB.  You can get X running with 4MB, but you get real mad when
the system swaps/pages in a program as you move the mouse pointer from
one window to another.

>Are Interactive's X packages stable? 

Yes.

>Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
>on the 386?

You could get the X server from Interactive and then port the X11r3 or X11r4
library stuff. 

>Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?

Not sure, but I believe lots of the open look stuff has been released on the
X11r4 tape.

>Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?

I prefer serial so I don't use up an extra slot.  And it can go on a multiport
card port.

>Any multiport serial board recommendations/warning?

Eqinox megaport (12 or 24 ports/card) is great.
Maxspeed card (8 ports/card) is pretty good
Bell Tech ICC aint worth the expence (if it is still available)



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david@loki.uif.uiuc.edu (David M. Lyle) (02/13/90)

In article <1990Feb13.031759.1777@tah386.manhattan.ks.us> terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) writes:
>sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:
>Yes.  AT&T also has an X product.  The MIT distribution X11R4 libraries
>are supposed to build under AT&T SysV R3.2, but you still have to have
>a server.  
>
>>Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?
>Not that I'm aware of.  SCO's stuff will be heavily slanted toward Motif. 

I believe that AT&T has a development product available.

palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (02/13/90)

From article <1990Feb12.180931.1093@aqdata.uucp>, by sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan):
> I have some questions about running and developing X-windows on the 386.
> Since I am somewhat ignorant about 386 and X things, any help provided
> will be appreciated.
> 
> How much memory should be loaded up to run X?

  At least four meg. 8 meg to stop swapping with several windows.
> 
> Are Interactive's X packages stable?  I'd ask about SCO but their
> development package isn't available yet.


 Depends what you mean by 'stable'. Speaking of SCO's development package
not being available, can someone tell me how you can sell a OS and 
not have the development system done??? How does SCO compile the OS
without a stable development system. Or is the development system unstable
that's why they dont' sell it?? If that's the case wouldn't the compiled
OS be unstable? Chicken and Egg type stuff I guess.



> Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
> on the 386?

  ESIX, Dell, ATT, and Intel.


> 
> Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?
> 
> Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?

 I tried both the LogicTech serial mouse and bus mouse and the 'bus mouse'
definitely responed better.


> Any multiport serial board recommendations/warning?

  I believe their are some problems with Micronic's cache boards and 
Digiports smart serial io cards. Or has this been fixed?


-- 
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geoff@tolerant.com (Geoffrey Leach) (02/13/90)

From article <1990Feb12.180931.1093@aqdata.uucp>, by sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan):
 
> I have some questions about running and developing X-windows on the 386.

> How much memory should be loaded up to run X?

ATT Open Look 2.0 beta suggested a minimum of 6.  I don't know what there
number for the final release will be.  Get lots.
> 
> Are Interactive's X packages stable?  I'd ask about SCO but their
> development package isn't available yet.

We run ISC's X without any problems.  No development on this platform, tho.
 
> Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
> on the 386?
> Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?

ATT Open Look 2.0.  Find an ATT distributor, if you can.  2.0 should hit
the streets any day now.
 
> Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?

Open Look supports both.  We like the but mouse, but it does grab an 
interrupt, so if you need lots of these, try serial.

sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) (02/14/90)

From article <1990Feb13.042736.24039@virtech.uucp>, by cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill):
> 
> I know you asked for email, but this is the kind of info that is best
> discussed on the net, rather than behind the lines.

I just figured this stuff has been gone over a zillion times already.
If it hasn't, then discuss away.
-- 
Michael Sullivan          uunet!jarthur!aqdata!sullivan
aQdata, Inc.              sullivan@aqdata.uucp
San Dimas, CA             +1 714 599 9992

phil@lindy.Stanford.EDU (Phillip Lee) (02/14/90)

In article <1990Feb12.180931.1093@aqdata.uucp>, sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:
> I have some questions about running and developing X-windows on the 386.
> Since I am somewhat ignorant about 386 and X things, any help provided
> will be appreciated.
> How much memory should be loaded up to run X?
> Are Interactive's X packages stable?  I'd ask about SCO but their
> development package isn't available yet.
> Are there any alternatives to SCO and Interactive for X development/use
> on the 386?
> 
	Sorry the mail bounced so I post this instead.         

	Interactive X11 system is very good and it is very fast.  I saw
the demo with Matrox board and it runs at 1280x1024 and it is very very
fast ... If money is no object I would recommend the above system with
8meg RAM (4meg minimal but slow) 386-33 with 387 or 486.  If money
is a concern which it is true in most cases then I would recommend ESIX
5.3.2 rev C which cost $595 for 2 user system that come with everything
including the X11 development system.  BTW this is what I have and I like
it alot.  Anyway with the ESIX system you need at least a 386-25 and 387
and 4meg but 8meg will make life alot easier.  You need at least 60 meg
but 100 meg to be useable.  I have a V-7 VRAM with 512k and it is capable
of 1024x768 but ESIX only support 800x600.  If you need 1024x768 get
Orchid Prodesigner 512K and it is better to have at least a 16 inch monitor.
BTW all of the X11 out there only support 16 colors, and they are working
on 256 colors.  I have NANAO flexscan 9070s and it is very good, but it
would be nice to have a 19 or 20 inch screen so you can have multiple window
on screen.  I have not start using the X11 development system yet so I don't
know how good it is.  BTW ESIX and Interactiver are the only two vendor out
there that have X11 developments system and Interactive X11 dev cost ~$300
more.  If you have more question on ESIX X11 I will be very glad to answer them.
My email address is phil@lindy.stanford.edu. BTW the speed of ESIX X11 is
very good compare to Interactive.                   Phil

guy@auspex.auspex.com (Guy Harris) (02/14/90)

>>Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?
>
>Not sure, but I believe lots of the open look stuff has been released on the
>X11r4 tape.

The XView Open Look toolkit, and an Open Look window manager, have been
released on the X11R4 tape, but I suspect porting XView to S5R3 would
take some work.  It's derived from SunView, and depends on a variety of
BSDisms (and SunOSisms?) at present.

peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) (02/14/90)

In article <1990Feb13.031759.1777@tah386.manhattan.ks.us> terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) writes:
> [for X] Minimum of 8 MB.

I've used X with 4 Meg, which was OK for 4 or 5 XTERM windows, but no good
for real X applications.

> Yes.  AT&T also has an X product.

Also, X is available from Intel for their V.3.2 version.

> >Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?
> Not that I'm aware of.  SCO's stuff will be heavily slanted toward Motif. 

Intel's stuff comes with a bogus OpenLook style window manager, that
convinced me (if I needed convincing) that Open Look isn't what I want on
*my* screen.
-- 
 _--_|\  Peter da Silva. +1 713 274 5180. <peter@ficc.uu.net>.
/      \
\_.--._/ Xenix Support -- it's not just a job, it's an adventure!
      v  "Have you hugged your wolf today?" `-_-'

steve@tacky.UUCP (Steve Cook) (02/14/90)

in article <8019@lindy.Stanford.EDU>, phil@lindy.Stanford.EDU (Phillip Lee) says:
> know how good it is.  BTW ESIX and Interactiver are the only two vendor out
> there that have X11 developments system and Interactive X11 dev cost ~$300
> more.  

   Accoording to Micro Cornucopia Issue 50 (Nov-Dec 89) "UNIX Packages
   for the PC", Dell Unix (an enhanced repackaging of Interactive Unix) 
   also has an X Windows package.


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 uunet!ames!elroy!tacky!steve   RDA Logicon (818) 584-0188 

gwe@cbnews.ATT.COM (George W. Erhart) (02/14/90)

In article <1990Feb12.180931.1093@aqdata.uucp> sullivan@aqdata.uucp (Michael T. Sullivan) writes:
>How much memory should be loaded up to run X?

I use AT&T's OpenLook (tm) 2.0 End User package. I previously had
8 megabytes and found that with a few xterms, and xclock, and all of the
OpenLook related processes running, there was only 100K of free RAM left.
I have now gone to 12 megabytes and am comfortable this the added room.

>Are there any Open Look development packages available on the 386?

OpenLook also has a Development package that contains the libraries for
X11R3 plus the OpenLook stuff.

>Which type of mouse is better:  bus or serial?

I have slots to burn ... I prefer the Bus mouse.
-- 
George Erhart
AT&T Network Systems/Bell Laboratories
att!cbdkc1!gwe

garyb@crpmks.UUCP (Gary Blumenstein) (02/18/90)

In article <8019@lindy.Stanford.EDU> phil@lindy.Stanford.EDU (Phillip Lee) writes:
>[..]                        I have a V-7 VRAM with 512k and it is capable
>of 1024x768 but ESIX only support 800x600.  If you need 1024x768 get
>Orchid Prodesigner 512K and it is better to have at least a 16 inch monitor.
>BTW all of the X11 out there only support 16 colors, and they are working
>on 256 colors.  I have NANAO flexscan 9070s and it is very good, but it
>would be nice to have a 19 or 20 inch screen so you can have multiple window
>on screen.  

I have a 9070s also and I like it alot.  I'm using an STB EM-16 VGA and ISC's
1024x768 non-interlaced server for X.  I can fit four, 80 column x 25 line 
xterm windows on the display at the same time and still have room for icons.  
Be forwarned however, the print is tiny and most people would not be able to 
tolerate it using the default font.  Also, the monitor is advertised as a 16"
display; the manufacturer measures the internal tube diagonal and not what you
actually see.  The sceen size that you see is more likeabout 15 1/2".

A much more reasonable font is provided with the xpcterm client.  I find this
much more usable and quite pleasing to look at although it's a little larger
and multiple 80 col. x 25 li. windows will overlap some.  Also, the display 
does flicker to some extent when you are looking at large areas where you have 
light color backgrounds.  Using the inverse (i.e.  light forground, dark 
background) eliminates this problem.

In summarry, the NANAO Flexscan 9070s and STB VGA EM-16 is a relatively 
inexpensive way to have a decent VGA based X server.  I'm a happy buckaroo.
Now it's off to the development system!...

                                               - Gary -
--
Gary M. Blumenstein, UNIX Network Administrator // CIBA-GEIGY Corporation USA
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