🚀 go-pugleaf

vaitkus@oyster.cps.msu.edu (Keith P Vaitkus) writes:

>I am looking to buy a 486 system in the next month. I guess that Im going with
>the PC architecture because it's so @#$% *CHEAP* right now, but I have many
>reservations about this platform because of the operating system....

>I have been a unix user, albeit not a guru or a sys admin, and Ive gotten used to
>the features of sun sparcs stations and the NeXt stations (which uses Mach --
>which I understand to be a friendlier, more compact version of Unix). I don't
>want to give up such features as large (by PC standards) workspaces (somewhere
>around 1000x1000) and 15+'' monitors. 

>I also use and like Xwindows and demand a flat memory model. (640K is just
>*unbelievable* with todays technology level!) 

There are several commercial UNIXes available. But, you seem to be short
on $$$ (just like me :-) ), so you want to spend the money on good hardware
instead of, at least sometimes, expensive and lousy software without
support and sources to compensate for that.

I am planning to use 386BSD on the system I will get next week (I hope, to
get it finally).
As mentioned in the other follow-up posting, you have to be careful to
select the right hardware pieces if you want to run UNIX on a PC (386 or 486)
hardware. This is not just the SVGA-Boards for X-Windows but also the type
of Bus (ISA, EISA, ISA+local-bus, EISA+local-bus) etc.

I did install 386BSD (base system with GNU c, c++, groff, etc.) in about 2 hours
on a no-name 486/25 Mhz box with 100 MB Conner Harddisk. I have a 25 MByte
MS-DOS partition and the rest is used by 386BSD. Because the ethernet
controller didn't work (hardware problem - checksum error in address ROM)
I had to install the system from 10 3.5" floppies.

You should look at this system, too. You can get X-Windows (for the ET-4000
based VGA boards) for it.
The newsgroup for discussing this, the FAQ, etc. is comp.unix.bsd.
Take a look there.

Of course, if you want to do real development for a customer and he insists
on using Informix, Oracle, etc. as the database management system, you have
to choose another UNIX system, like Interactive UNIX, SCO (oops), Dell UNIX,
etc. I am sorry that this list is not complete but I can't remember
all those names in the game.

Hope this helps,

Norbert.

P.S.
The installation of 386BSD was a complete success the first time I tried it.
"Thank you very much" goes to the Jolitz's (sp ?) and all the other contributors
to this system.
-- 
Norbert Bladt, Ascom Autelca AG, Worbstr. 201, CH-3073 Guemligen, Switzerland
Phone: +41 31 999 65 52			FAX: +41 31 999 65 44
Mail: nbladt@autelca.ascom.ch   UUCP: ..!uunet!mcsun!chsun!hslrswi!aut!nbladt