🚀 go-pugleaf

This is now a discussion of tracking changes in architecture: should it be
moved to a different forum?  --dave


| In article <4576@yunexus.UUCP> davecb@yunexus.UUCP (David Collier-Brown) writes:
|   Architecturally, the low-end worker needs an inexpensive processor with
| moderate power...  It does require that the components evolve to
| track their high-cost brethren (so one can use this years software on
| them: 68010s need not apply!).

henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
| Just to be difficult :-), I would contend that this is exactly wrong.
| It will not be economical to provide processors to the low-end worker
| unless one can be confident that they will *not* need to track the headlong
| progress of high-cost computers...

  Hmmn...
  This raises the question of which model of computing is best suited
to this "class" of user.  Distributed storage & processing is good for the
autonomous(sp?) user, centralized for the "pool".  Lets not...

  Restricting ourselves to people who will usefully use an older workstation
forces us to track the market within the window that the vendor wants
to provide us with.  My old Sun 2[1] at Interleaf was perfectly suitable
for running StunnedOS 3.5 and a (rather large) application.  The day
they drop support of 3.5 and the 2, I can't afford to use it for anything
but a personal machine!


| I think Rob Pike has the right idea:  put something positively doddering,
| like a 68010 :-), on the desks, and have it do *nothing* but interaction.
| Centralize the heavy computing where it can be updated centrally in a
| relatively economical way.

  I have to agree: the "2" would make a good X server, ditto a PC-XT, and
tritto an Xterm.  This means that I only have to stay within the window
for **hardware** maintenance, and can contract it out if necessary.
If the organization permits one to do so, this is a good choice.

  

--dave c-b
[1] the Sun 2 is in fact a 68010: this is the only architectural
    statement in the whole posting...
-- 
David Collier-Brown,  | davecb@yunexus, ...!yunexus!davecb or
72 Abitibi Ave.,      | {toronto area...}lethe!dave 
Willowdale, Ontario,  | Joyce C-B:
CANADA. 416-223-8968  |    He's so smart he's dumb.