[comp.sys.amiga.misc] U Lowell board question

logan@netxcom.netx.com (Jim Logan) (06/08/91)

Please note the Followup-To line!!!
Please note the Followup-To line!!!
Please note the Followup-To line!!!


In article <1991May7.142305.7287@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
mathnew2@watserv1.waterloo.edu (mathNOOS [mathNEWS editors]) writes:
# I was wondering if somone could help me. I am looking at purchasing an
# AMIGA 3000UX (100 MG HD, 5MB RAM), and I had a few questions about it.
# 
# 1) What documentation/manuals come with it?

Three manuals.  One is installing UNIX, one is learning UNIX, and
I don't recall the third.  Others should feel free to correct
me!


# 2) How stable is the current version of UNIX, and what is the upgrade
#    policy/costs for new versions of UNIX?

Let me put it this way: if you want to use the serial port or the
UFS filesystem, wait until release 2.0 comes out this summer.  I
think C= said that the upgrade cost will be the cost of the
media.  ($50?) 


# 3) How does one switch between AMIGA DOS and UNIX, and is it possible
#    set the machine to default to one of them on boot up?

You hold down the outer mouse buttons and a menu will appear when
you boot.  If automatically defaults to the last OS used, unless
you booted from a floppy.  


# 4) Is there a list of programs that do not have DOS 2.0 compatability
#    problems out there? If there is could someone mail it to me?

The only programs I've had problems with are games that do
strange things with my floppy drive for copy-protection
purposes.  Any other program that I've tried will work under 1.3
if not under 2.0.  Sometimes the programs look ugly and
chunky because they use the lowest resolution graphics.  I
usually don't buy programs that look chunky, so I can't say I've
had too much experience using older programs on the A3000.


# If there are any other tidbits of info. out there that I should know
# about, I would appreciate hearing them.

If you want to use X windows, you will not be satisfied with the
internal graphics chips.  I can really only fit one 80x25
window on the screen with a small clock in the corner.  You will
have to buy a U Lowell board if you want to be able to have more
than one 80x25 screen open at the same time.  The response time
is better than what I've seen under ISC UNIX for the 386.
C= says the new X11R4 server in AMIX 2.0 is faster than that.

I'm still not 100% sure that the U Lowell board will work with my
1950 monitor.  Does anyone else know?  Commodore?

I'd love it if I could get 1024x768 (or whatever the highest
resolution of the board is) on my 1950 monitor with 256 colors. 
I realize that the monitor only provides 800x600, but it seems
that the board should be able to display the 1024x768-pixel image
on my lower-res monitor.  Not every dot will be mapped to one RGB
cell on my monitor, but it should still look okay, right?  I
heard a rumor that you can change the oscillator for the type of
monitor you want to use.  I hope it's true.   


-- 
Jim Logan                Home: logan%gimlet@uunet.uu.net
Consultant               Work: logan@netx.com
Net Express, Inc.       Phone: (703) 749-2269