home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Newsgroups: comp.unix.msdos
- Path: sparky!uunet!think.com!ames!purdue!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!expert.cc.purdue.edu!vyainsm
- From: vyainsm@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Sean Vyain)
- Subject: UNIX on a PC
- Message-ID: <Bxvs45.KHq@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
- Keywords: unix pc systems
- Sender: news@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (USENET News)
- Organization: Purdue University
- Distribution: na
- Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 22:07:17 GMT
- Lines: 41
-
- Hi. I have been thinking about getting a UNIX box for home, but I have
- several questions that I haven't found answers to. At first I wanted to get a
- used workstation (read: SUN), but recently I have been questioning how reliable
- such a system would be, and how much it would cost to maintain. Then, I started
- thinking about getting a PC clone. This seems more likely.
-
- My questions:
-
- How do fast PC clones, like a 486DX/66MHz, compare with more traditional
- workstations for performance? Are the processors fast enough?
- The disk systems? What kind of buses give the best results?
- EISA? VESA?
-
- How do different UNIX implementations for PCs, such as 386bsd, Coherent,
- Linux, etc..., compare to say SunOS? Are the more expensive
- UNIXes (read AT&T) really worth the price?
-
- How much, in the way of system resources (disk space, RAM, disk cache,
- processor cache) do you find necessary to get the same level
- of performance as a traditional workstation?
-
- Who makes reliable equipment that is reasonably priced with decent
- support? I am thinking of mail order companies like ZEOS, or
- LodeStar.
-
- How much does it cost to get access to Internet from home for USENET
- news, email, and ftp access? For those who work for companies
- that have Internet access, what are the company pocilies on
- personal use of the network connection?
-
- And finally, how much did you pay for your setup?
-
- Thanks for taking the time to read through all those questions, and thanks again
- if you're planning on replying. If you think that this discussion isn't worth
- continuing on the net, feel free to email me at:
-
- vyainsm@cs.purdue.edu
-
- Thanks again to all those who reply,
-
- Sean Vyain
-