timr@sco.COM (Tim Ruckle) (06/14/91)
May 1991 ... The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. (SCO) is accepting orders for the
SCO XENIX 386 Operating System Release 2.3.4 for 386 and 486 computers based
on Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) or Extended Industry Standard
Architecture (EISA). Direct Updates from previous releases and a Micro Channel
Architecture (MCA) version will also be available. Information follows:
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PRODUCT NAME: SCO XENIX 386 Operating System
DESCRIPTION: Release 2.3.4 of the SCO XENIX 386 Operating System has all of the
capabilities of Release 2.3.2 plus a number of new features. Numerous
improvements include selected online documentation, the Korn shell (ksh),
improved SCSI performance for ISA and EISA, reduced packaging for less shelf
space, a completely rewritten System Administrator's Guide for easy
maintenance, fewer floppies, reworked 8-bit international utilities, an
updated games supplement, several SCO UNIX System device drivers adapted for
SCO XENIX to provide new functionality and UNIX System compatibility.
In addition, all Support Level Supplements (SLSs) have been incorporated into
the product.
SCO XENIX 386 Release 2.3.4 is an AT&T-licensed implementation of UNIX System
V. It is optimized for high-performance systems and supports standard ST-506,
SMS OMTI, and Adaptec SCSI-based hard-disk subsystems.
This release contains the full set of utilities necessary to run both XENIX
and UNIX System applications (including COFF binaries), administer the system,
install SCO and third-party applications, edit files, and take full advantage
of such features as demand paging, virtual memory, 4 Gbytes of linear address
space, and 32-bit functionality.
Standard features include simplified, menu-driven installation; the ability to
run thousands of XENIX and UNIX System applications; a powerful, menu-driven
system administration utility; online help; MS-DOS hard disk co-residence and
concurrent MS-DOS and UNIX System V operation with SCO VP/ix; electronic mail;
HoneyDanBer uucp and Micnet networking; extensive hardware support: printers,
mice, tape drives, modems, terminals, multiport cards, etc.; link kit
installable device drivers; four command processors: ksh, sh, csh, and vsh; vi
and ed editors; SCO MultiScreen virtual consoles; programmable function keys,
including selectable colors and program access to the hardware bit map;
terminfo and termcap terminal description databases; mapchan tty character
mapping utility for 8-bit international peripheral support; and a serial
console option that allows a serial terminal to replace an expensive display
adapter.
AVAILABILITY: The GT version of the SCO XENIX 386 Operating System Release 2.3.4
shipped worldwide on 5.25" and 3.5" media in May 1991. Stand-alone packages of
the Release 2.1.0 SCO XENIX 386 International Supplement also become available
in May. The 386 Micro Channel version of Release 2.3.4 is anticipated to begin
first customer shipments on 3.5" media at the end of third quarter 1991.
Direct Updates to the GT version of the SCO XENIX 386 Operating System Release
2.3.4 from 386 GT versions are now available. Updates from 386 AT versions and
286 AT versions are anticipated to become available in July, 1991. These
updates require reinstallation of the operating system. An intelligent update
for the Release 2.3.2 GT and MC versions which does not require reinstallation
is anticipated to be available at the end of third quarter 1991.
APPLICATION: Full application and peripheral support with Release 2.3.2 has been
maintained. All supported SCO applications and system software packages have
been verified to run under Release 2.3.4. A complete list of supported
peripherals can be found in the SCO XENIX System V Configuration Guide.
SCO XENIX 386 is an ideal system for small-business, multiuser computing,
point-of-sale systems, or as a platform for turnkey vertical applications. Its
compact size and low cost make it attractive to a variety of potential users.
It is an excellent multiuser operating system for 386- and 486-based personal
computers.
RELEASE 2.3.4 ENHANCEMENTS:
- Installation Roadmap included to orient new users.
- Revised packaging for less weight and shelf space. Product will use standard SCO 2-pack carton.
- Improved installation procedure.
- Expanded multiuser support: up to 200 simultaneous gettys.
- Korn shell (ksh) included for convenience and UNIX System compatibility. Job
control is available in the version shipped as part of SCO UNIX System V.
- Support update UFM (SLS number xnx155) incorporated for numerous fixes and
new functionality.
- Revised documentation: extensive changes to System Administrator's Guide
(trouble shooting information, better examples, etc.), and Reference Man
pages.
- Selected online manual pages improve ease of use and simplify maintenance.
The complete set of online manual pages is still available in the SCO XENIX
System V Text Processing System.
- Improved DOS file-handling utilities: transfer multiple DOS files with a
single command, change upper-case filenames to lower case and lower to
upper, etc.
- All utilities are now ``8-bit internationalized'' for consistent behavior in
all SCO XENIX 386 product versions.
- UNIX System mscreen utility adopted for improved performance and 8-bit data
handling.
- Back-up schedule modified to correspond with the SCO UNIX System V/386
schedule for compatibility.
- Updated termcap and terminfo files to current UNIX System standard, offering
more supported terminals and better UNIX System compatibility.
- The "scopatch" utility included to simplify adding SCO-provided kernel
patches.
RELEASE 2.3.4 HARDWARE SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS:
- New SCSI driver with performance improvements and scatter/gather support for
the Adaptec 154xB (GT version). Now allows up to 7 hard disks per adapter,
with 2 adapters supported per system.
- Larger hard disks now handled by fdisk and badtrk utilities.
- VGA screen-saver facility.
- PostScript printer support.
- Improved IBM Proprinter and Epson printer support.
- IRWIN 4100 bus adapter and 4251 multiplexor card.
- Hayes V series dialers.
- QIC 80 tape drives.
- Keyboard mice.
- UNIX System console driver adopted for improved reliability, enhancements,
and application compatibility.
- UNIX System mouse driver adopted for performance, and SCO Xsight
compatibility improvements.
- 16550 UART fifo chip support for improved serial driver performance and
reliability.
RELEASE 2.3.4 MC HARDWARE SUPPORT ADDITIONS:
-UNIX floppy driver adopted for external 5 1/4" floppy drive support.
-UNIX disk drivers adopted for Seagate ESDI, IBM SCSI, Adaptec SCSI support.
-Support for Adaptec 1640 series SCSI adapters.
DOCUMENTATION INCLUDED:
SCO XENIX System V Installation Roadmap
SCO XENIX System V Release Notes
SCO XENIX System V Installation and System Administrator's Guide
SCO XENIX System V Tutorial and User's Guide
SCO XENIX System V User's Reference
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Hardware: Any 386 or 486 computer based on Industry Standard
Architecture (ISA) or Extended Industry Standard
Architecture (EISA)
RAM: 1 Mbyte (minimum)
2 Mbytes (recommended)
Hard Disk: 20 Mbytes (minimum), additional space required for
multiuser operation
Media: 5.25" 96tpi dshd or 3.5" 135tpi dshd
Optional: Register-compatible ST506, IDE, RLL, or ESDI Disk
Controller; OMTI 8620/8627 Direct ESDI Disk