🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <635@ndmath.UUCP> milo@ndmath.UUCP (Greg Corson) writes:
>If you get a MicroVax 2000 with Ultrix you get X windows right?  Ok, so
>what do you get when you buy a Vaxstation 2000 with VMS?  What kind of
>graphics/windowing software is included and how would you compare it
>with X windows under Ultrix?
>
We have a VAXstation 2000 with color.  With VMS you get "UIS" and "GKS"
(maybe we paid for GKS?).  They are two DIFFERENT methods of producing
windows and graphics.  VWS appears to be DEC's own windowing software
and rides above both UIS and GKS.  For example, VWS gives you the option
of creating VT220 and TEK4014 windows.  Working within one of these windows,
you can invoke a program that is FORTRAN calling GKS routines for it's
own windowing.  When the GKS program runs, it can create its own window on
top of the VT220 window, yet VWS lets you click on the VT220 window and
bring it to the top.

The biggest problems I've found is that the CPU doesn't have enough horsepower
to concurrently handle the windowing, menus, and graphics when trying to do
interactive graphics.  Things start to break up, menus slow down, etc.  Also,
moving a window is SOOOO much harder than it is on the Macintosh that sits
alongside the VAXstation!  AND, if I resize the GKS window, it does not get
repainted!  Right size, but nothing there.  Fortunately, the application
program has a selection box to RETURN and if I can find it blindly, it will
paint the new window at the new size.

The VAXstation 2000 runs our Fortran application at 3 times the speed the
same application runs on a VAX-11/780 (no FPU).  Computation intensive stuff.
The mouse and selection box interaction is a dream when using the application,
but the application does not use interactive or dynamic graphics.  "Here's the
results;  just look at them."

By the way, we have a SEIKO color hard copy unit attached.  It's VERY nice
and does an outstanding job of producing high quality color hard copy quickly.
A bit pricey, tho.

Despite the heading, we're now BP America.  
Rob Lake
(216)-586-2461
-- 
Rob Lake
{decvax,ihnp4!cbosgd}!mandrill!nitrex!rbl