From: alexl@alvarez.COM (/dev/null)
Newsgroups: biz.sco.general
Subject: Need recommendations for SCO *NIX OS
Date: 28 Dec 92 06:45:44 GMT
Organization: [resent by] The SCOGEN gateway and Propagation Society
Resent-From: mmdf@xenitec.on.ca
Submit-To: scogen@xenitec.on.ca
Cc: messina@netcom.com
Precedence: bulk

.>   From: Tony Porczyk <netcom.com!messina@uunet.UU.NET>
.>   Subject: Need recommendations for SCO *NIX OS
.>   Message-Id: <1992Dec27.215112.20258@netcom.com>
.>   Organization: Messina Software
.>   Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 21:51:12 GMT


.>   I need some advice from experienced SCO *NIX users on the choice of
.>   the OS.  I want to run *NIX as a terminal server.  X is not important,
.>   although it would be nice if I could add it later on.  Here are the
.>   specs of the hardware i want to use, with questions following it:
.>   (I tried a couple of dealers, but they didn't seem overly informative)

.>   Motherboard     Micronics Gemini 486/33 w/16 MB of memory (ISA bus)
.>   BIOS            Phoenix 80486 ROM BIOS Plus Version 0.10 G17-2
.>   Disk Controller SCSI Adaptec 1542B
.>   Disk            340 MB SCSI Maxtor
.>   Video           Oak 512 + VGA B&W monitor
.>   Keyboard        Northgate Omni Key 101
Gee so many questions, The best way I know how is to answer each 
one individually.



.>   1. Will any known SCO *NIX run on it?  Is anyone running it in a
.>      similar configuration?  Any suggestions for changes (not too
.>      extensive, hopefully)? 
                We run this all the time, although I am not too 
familiar with the Micronics motherboards, They should not pose a 
problem. The Adaptec is the best, most reliable adapter that I 
have seen work under SCO. (and it is directly supported by the OS 
|-)  )   You might want to consider EISA instead, this will leave 
you with a little growing space should you need it.


.>   2. I would like 3+ user version with development tools (no X, not
.>      yet).  What would you recommend?  How much would it cost?

        SCO prices their software at a 1-2user, and a 3+ user 
version the 3+ user version for SCO sells at $895US and $1295US 
for Xenix and Unix  respectively

.>   3. Would it be possible to add windowing system later on to it?
        If you mean X, yes you can use SCO's X windowing system 
or choose to use many others that are available.  
        If you are going to be using dumb terminals and want 
"windows" you can look into SCO Portfolio, it has a nice menu 
interface plus directory, calendar, calculator, and allows for 
multipole "windows".



.>   4. I need to find (hopefully, as inexpensive as possible) a
.>      spreadsheet and a database (up to 20-40 MB total table size) that
.>      would exchange data nicely (from database to spreadsheet essential,
.>      the other way is an icing on the cake).  Any recommendations? 
.>      Costs involved? 

                I know of any off the top of my head, but that 
doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

.>   5. Does troff come with all of the SCO *NICES?  Support for HP Laser
.>      Printers PCL?
                I use postscript printers all the time.

.>   6. Are there SCO *NICES that support 3+ users, but do not require Dev
.>      Tools?  (For the end user's platform).  How much do they run?
                The dev tools are extra they are not required to 
run the OS.

.>   7. Can SCO *NIX be installed from floppies (before the tape is added
.>      later on)? 
                Yes, SCO installs off of floppies and provides 
support for SCSI tape drives, as well as all of the major 
cartridge tape drives.

.>   8. Any recommendations for (inexpensive but reliable) SCSI tape?
                I have found that Sankyo tape drives are very 
reliable. I have used the 150MB, 250MB, and 525MB without a 
hitch.


.>   Since the above would be planned to develop for (and serve) small
.>   offices, the cost factor is *very* important. 

.>   Thanks a million,

.>   Tony



If you need anymore help e-mail me and I'll see what I can do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  /  ) //            _//                   Alexander Lopez
 /--/ // _  _.,      /    _____   _  __.   Alex Alvarez and Associates
/  (_</_</_/ /\_    /___ (_) /_)_</_/  |_  alexl@alvarez.COM
                            /         (|   305-649-8900