[comp.sys.mac.system] MachTen

dennisg@kgw2.bwi.WEC.COM (Dennis Glatting) (01/15/91)

could someone provide me with information about MachTen???
i'm considering it as an alternative to aux.  i am a proficient Mach
programmer and have been writing multi-tasking and multi-threaded applications 
commercially for over a year.  I  find the ipc mechanisms in Mach far superior to any
other form of unix i've been exposed to.

i'm looking for a review of machTen (there was one in Unix Today!).
has anyone out there used it?  if so, then what is your opinion?
does anyone have an email address for the MachTen folks?

thank you.


--
 ..!uunet!kgw2!dennisg  | Dennis P. Glatting
 dennisg@Xetron.COM

hardiman@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Paul V Hardiman) (05/09/91)

There has been some interest in the COMP.SYS.MAC.SYSTEM and COMP.OS.MACH
newsgroups about the MachTen implementation of Unix for the Macintosh.
I received information on the system from Tenon Intersystems, the company
that produces it.  I've summarized the information below.  For more
detailed information, contact:

Tenon Intersystems
1123 Chapala St.
Santa Barbara, CA  93101
(805) 963-6983

************************************************************************
I have no relationship with, nor am I a customer of, Tenon Microsystems.
************************************************************************

MachTen is an implementation of Berkeley 4.3 BSD Reno Unix based on 
Mach 2.5.  MachTen will run on any Mac from the Classic, LC, SE,
and up, provided the Mac has 2mb RAM and a 20mb hard disk.  80mb-100mb
hard disk is recommended.  The system doesn't require an MMU, but will
use it if one is installed.

MachTen stores all Unix data files in Mac form, so that Mac programs
and Unix programs can share data.  The MachTen environment allows all
Mac applications to run concurrently with Unix programs, providing
true Unix multitasking.

FEATURES

Communications:  MachTen supports communications over AppleTalk, Ethernet,
and serial lines.  It includes the full Berkeley TCP/IP suite.  It also
supports Internet routing, remote line printer access via lpr, UUCP, and 
Unix-to-Unix file exchanges via the Berkeley 'R' series.

Distributed File System:  MachTen includes an implementation of Sun's
Network File System (NFS), both client and server capabilities.

Software Development:  MachTen includes SCCS, a 'C' compiler, loader,
assembler, debugger, and Make.  A complete set of libraries is provided
that allows 'C' programs access to the Mac Toolbox.

AVAILABILITY

MachTen is supposed to ship in May, 1991.

PRICES

Kernel system software:       2-user license           $ 595
                              unlimited user license   $ 835

The kernel system includes some documentation in HyperCard, and some
printed.  Full printed documentation is optional at $ 175.

Development system software:  2-user license           $ 990
                              unlimited user license   $ 1230

The development system includes some documentation in HyperCard, and
some printed.  Full printed documentation is optional at $ 225.

Upgrade from kernel license to development license is $ 395.

There is no upgrade from 2-user license to unlimited user license.

dmanning@ecs.umass.edu (Dave Manning) (05/11/91)

In article <11972@uwm.edu>, hardiman@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Paul V Hardiman) writes:

> There has been some interest in the COMP.SYS.MAC.SYSTEM and COMP.OS.MACH
> newsgroups about the MachTen implementation of Unix for the Macintosh.
> I received information on the system from Tenon Intersystems, the company
> that produces it.  I've summarized the information below.  For more
> detailed information, contact:
> 
> Tenon Intersystems
> 1123 Chapala St.
> Santa Barbara, CA  93101
> (805) 963-6983

After reading Paul Hardiman's article on MachTen, I called Tenon and found 
out a couple of other bits of information.  

1) XWindows is NOT supported on the current version of MachTen, but will be 
on the next release - due out in August.  New users can upgrade at that time.

2) Paul forgot to mention that the MacPlus will be supported.  The abolsolute 
minimum drive needed is 20mb, but the company said a 40mb would be much 
better.  With only a 20, the user would be very limited on what he or she can 
do.

3) Students will receive a 10% discount from Tenon Intersystems.

4) Because MachTen stores Unix files in Mac form, one does not have to 
partition the drive as with A/UX.  Also, MachTen is started by double 
clicking its icon.  Other advantages of this are that no drivers for printers 
or other AppleTalk devices are necessary.  MachTen runs under the Apple 
system, so the drivers in the Chooser are the same.  Also, any software that 
runs under Multifinder, will run under MachTen (provided you have enough RAM 
for everything).

In conclusion, MachTen is a great system for people without the higher end 
Macs.  It is much cheaper to buy MachTen and a Classic, then A/UX on a IIci.  
Also, it seems to run all of the standard Unix goodies.  As soon as I can 
come up with the money, I plan on purchasing a copy.  Then, I will be able to 
see how it compares with A/UX on my IIci.  

Thank you Paul Hardiman for bringing the information to this conference 
group.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Manning                                University of Masachusetts
Electrical Engineering, Class of '92            Amherst Campus
Internet: dmanning@umvlsi.ecs.umass.edu
Bitnet:   dmanning@umaecs.bitnet
(413) 549-2804
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ladd@cbnewsc.att.com (david.ladd) (05/14/91)

In article <13634.282b0cee@ecs.umass.edu> dmanning@ecs.umass.edu (Dave Manning) writes:
>In conclusion, MachTen is a great system for people without the higher end 
>Macs.  It is much cheaper to buy MachTen and a Classic, then A/UX on a IIci.  
>Also, it seems to run all of the standard Unix goodies.  As soon as I can 
>come up with the money, I plan on purchasing a copy.  Then, I will be able to 
>see how it compares with A/UX on my IIci.  
>

Has MachTen actually been released? Do any net.people have it? 
Or is the use of the present tense above premature?

gary@neptune.ctc.contel.com (Gary Bisaga x4219) (05/16/91)

With this talk about MachTen, I would like to ask: Is there a similar
type distribution for the 386?  By "similar" I mean primarily that you
don't need an AT&T source code license to get it (the documentation the
folks at Mt Xinu sent me indicate that to get Mach from them I need
this license).  I don't want all the source, I just wanna run the thing!
(Actually I would like the source but there is only a limited pot of
money ...)

Gary Bisaga (gary@ctc.contel.com)