richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk) (11/11/90)
Reference has been made to the compatibility with various hardware of Esix, ISC, etc., a number of times recently. It seems kind of silly that current compatibility lists from all the vendors are not available in this forum. It's not that there's a whole lot of data, or that they're hard to come by, but it sure seems like it. What can we do to get the current compatibility lists from Esix, ISC, SCO, Dell, UHC and the others made available here? -- Richard Foulk richard@pegasus.com
fangchin@portia.Stanford.EDU (Chin Fang) (11/12/90)
In article <1990Nov11.143254.2666@pegasus.com> richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk) writes: > >It seems kind of silly that current compatibility lists from all the >vendors are not available in this forum. It's not that there's a whole >lot of data, or that they're hard to come by, but it sure seems like it. In the case of ESIX, I don't feel the compatibility list is comprehensive enough, especially for motherboards. I have tried ESIX rev.B - ESIX rev. D on several systems assembled using no-name motherboards with good results. However, they were all exercises to satisfy my curiosity. I confess these "exercises" were not comprehensive either (or even rigorous). But if you want ESIX's latest compatibility list, you always can call ESIX marketing at Freemont, California. It will be mailed to you. I have done so. People at ESIX marketing are quite helpful too. > >What can we do to get the current compatibility lists from Esix, ISC, >SCO, Dell, UHC and the others made available here? > > What I would like to suggest here is that people contribute their experience with different hardware using all flavor of 386 Unices. So that other then these official compatibility lists that you can get from unix vendors, we here can have a net-confirmed compatiblity list for all 386 Unices. Anyone who wants to take up such a project? Ideally such a list would be distributed like the really helpful FAQ from virtual technology. >-- >Richard Foulk richard@pegasus.com Chin Fang Mechanical Engineering Department Stanford University [Rockwell International, Rocketdyne Div.] fangchin@portia.stanford.edu fang@rocket.cadcam.rok.com
bill@unixland.uucp (Bill Heiser) (11/12/90)
In article <1990Nov11.143254.2666@pegasus.com> richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk) writes: > >What can we do to get the current compatibility lists from Esix, ISC, >SCO, Dell, UHC and the others made available here? > I agree that on-line copy is easier to deal with --- but failing that, you can call Esix Sales at 415-683-3749. I'm sure they'd be happy to send you a hardware compatibility list. -- home: ...!{uunet,bloom-beacon,esegue}!world!unixland!bill bill@unixland.uucp, bill%unixland.uucp@world.std.com Public Access Unix - Esix SYSVR3 - (508) 655-3848 other: heiser@world.std.com Public Access Unix (617) 739-9753
calhoun@usaos.uucp (Warren D. Calhoun) (11/12/90)
In <1990Nov11.190952.24003@portia.Stanford.EDU> fangchin@portia.Stanford.EDU (Chin Fang) writes: >>What can we do to get the current compatibility lists from Esix, ISC, >>SCO, Dell, UHC and the others made available here? >What I would like to suggest here is that people contribute their experience >with different hardware using all flavor of 386 Unices. So that other then >these official compatibility lists that you can get from unix vendors, we >here can have a net-confirmed compatiblity list for all 386 Unices. Anyone >who wants to take up such a project? Ideally such a list would be distributed >like the really helpful FAQ from virtual technology. I have been stung by the "compatability bug" more than once. I think that this idea has merit and could probably be coerced into maintaining it. I am not a *nix guru or anything, but I can afford the time to collect and reduce the compatability data and make a periodic posting. If I could find an archive server package, I could even set up a hardware/software compatability archive from which requests for specific combinations could be made. [Twist my arm a little] -- | SSG W.D. Calhoun | UUCP: ...!uunet!usaos!calhoun | | Gas Turbine Engine (52F) Branch | INTERNET: calhoun%usaos@uunet.uu.net | | The U.S. Army Ordnance School | CompUServe: 76336.2212@compuserve.com | | Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060 | Voice: (703) 664-3396/3595 |
rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) (11/12/90)
Two cautions on these "compatibility lists": - They get out of date in a big hurry. - A software vendor's list includes what has been checked out in one way or another; thus while presence of some hardware on a list is a good sign, absence is not necessarily a bad sign. With all the nameless motherboards (which probably come via a hundred channels from about a dozen manufacturers, if that:-), various controllers, odd bits of add-on hardware, etc., the things which *do* end up in compati- bility lists are the big names, the squeaky wheels, and others which appear for random reasons (like somebody in the company buying one and reporting results). Suggestion for a first cut: Make an INcompatibility list instead. That is, keep track of everything that someone has tried and failed. -- Dick Dunn rcd@ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd Boulder, CO (303)449-2870 Cellular phones: more deadly than marijuana.
jay@metran.UUCP (Jay Ts) (11/12/90)
In article <1990Nov11.143254.2666@pegasus.com>, richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk) writes: > Reference has been made to the compatibility with various hardware of > Esix, ISC, etc., a number of times recently. > > It seems kind of silly that current compatibility lists from all the > vendors are not available in this forum. It's not that there's a whole > lot of data, or that they're hard to come by, but it sure seems like it. > > What can we do to get the current compatibility lists from Esix, ISC, > SCO, Dell, UHC and the others made available here? Why don't you call these companies, get their lists, and type them in? :-) Seriously, if you want a compatibility list, the vendors are very happy to send them out. Just call up a sales rep and ask. I'm posting this mostly to point out that anyone who is building 386/486 systems to run any type of UNIX on should aquire these lists FIRST!!! Also, I've found that the lists should not always be taken too seriously. There is a lot of well-supported hardware and software out there that will work fine with UNIX. I've found the best method for me is: 1. Look at the compatibility lists. If you're interested in something that's not on the list, then: 2. Call the UNIX vendor and ask. 3. Call the hardware/software company and ask. Jay Ts Metran Technology uunet!pdn!tscs!metran!jay
calhoun@usaos.uucp (Warren D. Calhoun) (11/12/90)
In <1990Nov12.070444.8046@ico.isc.com> rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: >Two cautions on these "compatibility lists": > - They get out of date in a big hurry. > - A software vendor's list includes what has been checked out in > one way or another; thus while presence of some hardware on a > list is a good sign, absence is not necessarily a bad sign. >With all the nameless motherboards (which probably come via a hundred >channels from about a dozen manufacturers, if that:-), various controllers, >odd bits of add-on hardware, etc., the things which *do* end up in compati- >bility lists are the big names, the squeaky wheels, and others which appear >for random reasons (like somebody in the company buying one and reporting >results). >Suggestion for a first cut: Make an INcompatibility list instead. That >is, keep track of everything that someone has tried and failed. That was my idea, essentially. Not so much a compatability list in the sense that the manufacturer provides them, but a database of experiences with certain hardware/software configurations. This would not be meant to replace the lists that come from the manufacturer but rather, supplement them with information on some combinations that they do not list. Obviously, this could not be a truly definitive database, or one that would be deemed "official". It would merely be something to lay out real-use information to interested parties. -- | SSG W.D. Calhoun | UUCP: ...!uunet!usaos!calhoun | | Gas Turbine Engine (52F) Branch | INTERNET: calhoun%usaos@uunet.uu.net | | The U.S. Army Ordnance School | CompUServe: 76336.2212@compuserve.com | | Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060 | Voice: (703) 664-3396/3595 |
jmm@eci386.uucp (John Macdonald) (11/14/90)
In article <1990Nov12.070444.8046@ico.isc.com> rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: |Two cautions on these "compatibility lists": | - They get out of date in a big hurry. | - A software vendor's list includes what has been checked out in | one way or another; thus while presence of some hardware on a | list is a good sign, absence is not necessarily a bad sign. In addition, you have to worry about the number of on-board switches, installation options, and kernel options that are available. Just because one person succeeds or fails to amke a combination of hardware and software work does not mean that someone else (or even the same person working from a different starting point) will be able to duplicate that success or failure. Aren't open systems with minimal standards fun? -- Cure the common code... | John Macdonald ...Ban Basic - Christine Linge | jmm@eci386