🚀 go-pugleaf

I've got a whole pile of questions related to multi-user applications of a 
'386 based machine, as well as just general selection of such a machine.

1.  What OS is this easiest in? (I'm talking about hooking up 3-6 dumb 
    terminals)  Which is most reliable?  Crashes least?  Needs a guru the
    least?  Basically, I just want to run one application, allowing access
    to a common data base from all the terminals.  Actually, I want people
    who are computer illiterate to do this, without me having to maintain
    the system for them.  I want to be able to go away after it's set up,
    leaving the users with little more than a "this must be done every . . ."
    list and instructions for essential hardware maintenance.
2.  Any brand names (hardware) to choose/avoid?  I know right now I can't 
    afford IBM.  I can't even afford to SAY IBM.  I know better than to buy a
    no-name clone, but past that, I just dunno.
3.  Another problem is a large amount of air-borne dust.  We're talking about
    enought to get thick black (carbon, I think) dust on anything that isn't 
    cleaned > once a month.  (The dust comes from the acetlyne (sp?) torches.)
    Not to mention the ever-present cigarette smoke.  My concern here is (I 
    guess) primarily effect on the disk drives.  I know it's not good for the
    rest of it either, but such is life.

Any other relevent comments will be appreciated.

I would also appreciate responses being emailed as I don't read this group 
regularly enough; I'll summarize and post/distribute if I get any/sufficient 
requests for it.

Many thanks,

Walt Dexter
w-dexter@uiuc.edu
University of Illinois