cyang%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Cheng Yang) (04/27/91)
Hi, everybody! I have a 20 MHz 286 machine with a 287, 4 MB RAM, a 100 M hard drive and a 1024x728 monitor. I am now considering to run UNIX and X window on that. ( I know it will be slow since the machine only runs 2.5 MIPS) The reason I am trying to run UNIX and X window is because I can learn more about UNIX operation working in kernel mode. ( I can't do much while I am not a super user using BSD in the university.) Speed is not needed to me and price is very important. (Students are so poor, everyone knows) Which UNIX and X are best for 286 machine? How is the $99 Coherent? It claims it's better than Xenix. Is it true? Where to get UNIX source/binary files (ftp site)? Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks a lot for your time in advance. ***************************************************************************** * Ho capito, signor,si!........ * * * *Cheng Yang Home Address: * *Department of Computer Science 808 East, 300 South, #3 * *University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 84102 * *E-Mail Address:cyang@peruvian.utah.edu Tel: 801-322-1918 * *****************************************************************************
berggren@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Eric Berggren) (04/29/91)
cyang%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Cheng Yang) writes: >Hi, everybody! I have a 20 MHz 286 machine with a 287, 4 MB RAM, a 100 M hard >drive and a 1024x728 monitor. I am now considering to run UNIX and X >window on that. ( I know it will be slow since the machine only runs 2.5 MIPS) Nice setup, however, what you ask is virtually impossible. There are UNIX flavors available for the 286, but X-Windows is definately a 32-bit beast. >The reason I am trying to run UNIX and X window is because I can learn more >about UNIX operation working in kernel mode. ( I can't do much while I am >not a super user using BSD in the university.) Speed is not needed to me and >price is very important. (Students are so poor, everyone knows) Which UNIX >and X are best for 286 machine? How is the $99 Coherent? It claims it's >better than Xenix. Is it true? Where to get UNIX source/binary files >(ftp site)? Well, (suppose you now have a 386), X-Windows under Coherent is impossible, because it only allows 64k executables (I am told, do not quote), I have had little success with large files and Xenix, however, they do have their version of X called OpenDesktop (but lotsa $$). To date, there is no complete version of UNIX sources on the net. There is some BSD stuff floating around, but it's been stripped of everything even thought of by an AT&T son-of-a.. I mean person. There is in development a 386 BSD project soon to be "released." I do not know whether it will be a complete package (as it is based on 4.3 with AT&T stuff). BSD 4.4 supposedly will be AT&T free and will be released to the public (I am told, do not quote), and a 386 version of this as well... Summary, you will need at least a 386 to run anything good. I can't really recommend any 386 UNIX systems (as I am still trucking around with a 286, but will soon upgrade and wait for the 386BSD system) You will need somthing that is similar to BSD in order to use get mit X running. Anyway, hope this helps. Have phun! -e.b. > >Any suggestions are welcome! >Thanks a lot for your time in advance. >***************************************************************************** >* Ho capito, signor,si!........ * >* * >*Cheng Yang Home Address: * >*Department of Computer Science 808 East, 300 South, #3 * >*University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 84102 * >*E-Mail Address:cyang@peruvian.utah.edu Tel: 801-322-1918 * >***************************************************************************** ============================================================================== Eric Berggren | "Life is a Turing Test; Computer Science/Eng. | We're all automatons!" berggren@eecs.cs.pdx.edu | - (click, whir, buzz, chirp)