NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/comp/sys/ibm/pc/hardware/37146

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-25 | 11.2 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!agate!doc.ic.ac.uk!warwick!uknet!mucs!lucs!scst74
From: [e-mail] (Mr. D.W.F. Liu)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: UNIX for the PC (Long)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 25 Jan 93 18:11:02 GMT
Sender: [e-mail] (News Eater)
Organization: Computer Science, Liverpool University
Lines: 236
Nntp-Posting-Host: hod.csc.liv.ac.uk

Hello there,
    Oops, just realised, I shouldn't have posted the original request
to this newsgroup, but there was quite a lot of interest so I apologise
for mailing this here.
        Here's some of the replies I got for a request for UNIX on the PC.
Thanks to the dozens of people who sent me all the info.  Hopefully this
should be of interest to many users.
        The most replies I received mainly expounded LINUX (I've included
the FAQ for that newsgroup at the end) and second came BSD.  Sorry if the
information's a bit messed up, I was sorta rushing so I could get back to
work.  Hope it's of help so, here's the info......

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+                        From The Dude called Denby.                       +
+          In an infinite universe there are infinite possibilities        +
+                 [e-mail] is just one.              +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


From: [e-mail]

Well, You are asking a lot! Especially that thing about having to run
MS-Windows programs, but still asking for a UNIX ...

You have several options:

1) For a PD UNIX, check out the 386bsd project. It is an implementation of the
   NET-2 distribution from Berkely, which corresponds roughly to BSD 4.2, I
   think. Comes with full source code for the kernel and all binaries, of
   course. It is at present a research project, but the software runs remar-
   kably well, even though the current version is 0.1. Check out comp.unix.bsd
   for more info.
   You can download a boot-floppy from agate.berkeley.edu; look for a file
   called dist.fs. It is a raw image of a 1.2 MB floppy, so You should also
   get the 'rawrite' utility to put it on a floppy. (1.2 or 1.44 MB floppy
   both works.).
   X11 has been ported to 386bsd, under the name  of 'Xfree86'.
   BUT: It is pure UNIX, will not run neither DOS nor Windows apps.

2) If you really want to run DOS or Windows apps, you're stuck with MS-DOS
   as the operating system (or OS/2, if you want to). But you can still
   get X/Windows and multi-tasking, if you get the DESQview/X software from
   Quarterdeck Office Systems.
   DV/X is an X/11 implementation for DOS (X11R4). It has been integrated
   with the DESQview multi-taksing environment, so that you have an environ-.
   ment that combines some of the good things from UNIX and DOS: UNIX multi-
   tasking and standard graphics plus the apps from DOS/Windows.
   DV/X will also allow you to access X/Windows programs running on UNIX-
   machines via a TCP/IP network, if you have access to one. (This does re-
   quire that you buy some add-on software). You can stlil run all of the
   DOS & Windows apps, of course.
   DV/X is a commercial product, so You'll have to pay for it. I believe
   the list price in the UK is around 200 pounds, but the street price may
   be lower.
   There is a newsgroup for DV/X, comp.os.msdos.desqview

In either case, You'll need a 386-based system, with minimum 4 MB RAM. But
get 8 MB if you really want to use it. HArd disk of around 130 MB is also a
good idea. (386bsd takes nearly 200 MB if you keep all of the source code).

Personally, I have tried both environments, and I prefer the DV/X because
it allows me to keep all of those trusted DOS apps that I have been using for
ages.

From: [e-mail]

I highly recommend 386BSD 0.1 (0.2 coming out in a month or two) which
can run Xfree86 X windows.  You can ftp it from wuarchive.wustl.edu
in /mirrors4/386bsd/386bsd-0.1

From: [e-mail] (David Thomsen)

Interactive Systems is in Santa Monica, CA.  They were independent for
years but were then bought by Kodak (at least a portion was bought).
Kodak then sold out and ISC was bought, in total, by SUN Microsystems.

ISC represents the base for Solaris 2.0 on the Intel platform.

ISC is less buggy that SCO, higher in performance, and easier to install and
use.  Their configuration utility, "kconfig", is really nice.  They have
a generalized and configurable High Performance Disk Driver (HPDD) that gets
the most out of Adaptec and Bus Logic controllers.

The X windows is very good and includes the Looking Glass desktop manager
from VISIX which is done with Motif.

--


From: [e-mail]-arpagw (stockman harlan w)

Check the internet "unix for 386" and linux news groups -- the Linux
group gets about 50-100 messages/day, and there are several servers in
England with complete binary distribution. People seem very happy with
Linux, but it isn't binary compatible with all SVR4.

MST Unix in the US will give you a complete system -- C compiler, sdb,
X11, TCP/IP, NFS -- for $600. I have MST, and found only one complaint--
the X11 server was set up for SVGA only, which is very slow. If you buy
their base system ($450, I think) and buy SGCS xwga servers for ATI
Ultra or S3 cards, you will get a 10 to 20-fold X11 performance kick.

                                LINUX FAQ

From: [e-mail] (Lars Wirzenius)

Purpose of this article

        This article is a weekly reminder of how you can find
        information about Linux.  It doesn't answer any questions
        directly, but it tells you where you can probably find an
        answer by yourself.  I'll try to keep this article short to
        save bandwidth, although it does mean I have to be quite
        brief.  Please mail any comments, corrections and suggestions
        to [e-mail].

        Thanks to all the people who have helped form this document.
        I'm sorry I can't list your names, you're just too many.

Major FTP sites for Linux

        textual name                            numeric addr   Linux directory

        tsx-11.mit.edu                          18.172.1.2     /pub/linux
        nic.funet.fi                            128.214.6.100  /pub/OS/Linux
        ftp.mcc.ac.uk                           130.88.200.7   /pub/linux
        kirk.bu.oz.au                           131.244.1.1    /pub/OS/Linux
        utsun.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp                   133.11.11.11   /misc/linux
        ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de           131.159.0.110  /pub/Linux
        fgb1.fgb.mw.tu-muenchen.de              129.187.200.1  /pub/linux
        ftp.dfv.rwth-aachen.de                  137.226.4.105  /pub/linux
        Tupac-Amaru.Informatik.RWTH-Aachen.DE   137.226.112.31 /pub/Linux
        sunsite.unc.edu                         152.2.22.81    /pub/Linux

        Filenames in this article are relative to the directories
        given above.

        tsx-11 and fgb1 are the official sites for Linux' GCC.
        ftp.mcc is home of the MCC interim release.  Some sites mirror
        other sites.  Please use the site closest (network-wise) to
        you.

        Zane Healy posts (every now and then) a list of BBS's that
        have Linux available for download.  Try them if you can't FTP.
        You can also try various ftpmail-servers, for example by
        sending mail to [e-mail], with the word help in
        the subject.

"Releases" (or different versions) of Linux

        The official release (Linus' bootdisk and Jim Winstead's
        rootdisk) can be found on most ftp sites (at least tsx-11 and
        nic.funet.fi).  Unofficial releases include the MCC interim
        release, said to be easy to install, from ftp.mcc (and other
        sites), the SLS release, which should contain most of the
        important stuff (from tsx-11), Dave Safford's kit, based on MCC,
        but includes X, and Martin Junius' mj-release, similar to the
        official release with a lot of added programs (from ftp.dfv).
        See also the FAQ for more information.

Installation documents

        Ian Reid's INSTALL.doc (nic.funet.fi, in the images directory)
        and Chuck Boyer's "(DOS) Beginner's Guide to Linux v0.95a" are
        a bit outdated but still helpful installation instructions.
        The root disk has instructions for installation, and the MCC
        release has its own instructions.  The FAQ (see below) also
        has something to say on this matter.

The general Linux FAQ (FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions list, with answers)

        The FAQ contains a LOT of information, and is pretty long
        (posted as two parts).  Everybody should read it, 'cause it
        really does contain solutions to the many common problems.  It
        can be FTP'd from at least tsx-11 (docs/FAQ_xxx, where xxx is
        the date), and nic.funet.fi (doc/FAQ_xxx).  Also check the
        archives at pit-manager, send mail to
        [e-mail] with the word help in it.

The GCC README, release-xxxx, and FAQ

        README and release-xxxx (xxxx is version number) contain
        instructions for installation.  It seems that most of the
        problems people have had with the release 2.2.2 are due to
        misreading or not reading these files.  GCC also has its own
        FAQ.  It and the other two files are part of the GCC
        distribution (in file 2.2.2misc.tar.Z).

Mailing-lists

        There are several mailing-lists for Linux.  Check the FAQ for
        more information about them, including how to join.

Other newsgroups

        Not all problems you encounter while using Linux are Linux
        specific.  You may also want to read several groups in the
        comp.unix hierarchy, comp.sources.wanted, alt.sources.wanted,
        and especially any FAQs in these groups.

Documentation for various programs

        Most of the various software packages come with some sort of
        documentation, often in files that have names similar to
        README.  It is a VERY good idea to read them with care.  It is
        boring to see (_and_ answer) questions that are answered in
        the documentation.

Finding the current releases of programs

        New releases and new programs are usually announced in
        comp.os.linux and/or the mailing lists.  Other than that, you
        more or less have to check the FTP sites.

        Linus' .plan contains some information about the current
        kernel.  finger [e-mail].  (It is often
        quite long!)

        Please try to use the current releases, if possible, at least
        of the kernel and compiler.  If you have a problem, please
        first make sure you have a current release, it often helps.
        Don't use alpha test releases unless you _like_ problems.

Ongoing projects

        James Callison maintains a list of who is currently doing what
        for Linux.  Mail to
        constellation!biglaw![e-mail] (if that
        doesn't work, try [e-mail]).  The list is
        posted regularly to comp.os.linux.

Getting software

        Most or all of the software is available via FTP.  If you
        don't have FTP, see "How to find sources" in news.answers, and
        the Linux FAQ.