From: rick@sjsumcs.sjsu.edu (Richard Warner)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.networking
Subject: Re: Including OS/2 in a small work-group
Date: 27 Jul 92 15:20:21 GMT
Organization: San Jose State University - Math/CS Dept.

orville%weyrich@tnet.com (Orville R. Weyrich) writes:

>For about $300/node I can set up TCP/IP and NFS to share files between
>OS/2 and MS-DOS/Windows platforms :-(

>If I leave OS/2 out of the picture, I can use Novell NetWare Lite to get
>the same functionality as TCP/IP and NFS in a small local area net, for
>only about $70/node. :-)

>But then I am stuck with a FAT file system. :-(

>What I really want is Novell NetWare Lite for OS/2 or else a much cheaper
>source for TCP/IP and NFS for DOS/Windows [I want DOS nodes to be able to
>"publish" network volumes as well as "mount" them.]

TCP stacks can be had for cheap (nothing - using CUTCP or NCSA).  NFS is
expensive, generally, because it is costly to implement.  Development 
costs are high, plus NFS vendors pay Sun a license fee ....

>I don't consider Novell Regular 2.xx or 3.xx to be reasonable cost --
>what I want is a simple inexpensive peer-to-peer network that 8086
>and 80286 processor nodes can participate in.

>Or have the vendors involved (Novell, IBM, etc.) conspired to suppress
>the functionality that I want in order to enhance sales of more expensive
>solutions [that may be worth it if I needed their full functionality,
>which I don't]? :-(

It seems as if everyone is quick to postulate 'conspiracy' when the price
of a product does not fit their expectations.  Again, you can get
TCP stacks for little/nothing (CUTCP/NCSA).  IBM has to cover the costs
of development, distribution, and support for their product.  NFS
products have these same costs, with the added burden of license payments
to Sun.  There is only one 'free' NFS implementation - SOSS.  But this
is the server side of NFS, not the client side that you want.  The NFS
client market is owned by Sun; the only other major player in this
field at the moment is Beame & Whiteside (Novell's client side NFS is
a licensed version of B&W's).

Peer-to-peer networks are a niche market.  IBM had one - the IBM LAN
program - which was a dog.  It required a lot of memory, and then ran
at tortoise speeds.  Novell ate it for lunch and ArtiSoft (LANtastic)
picked up the crumbs.  Now with OS/2 and other OS's on the horizon there
may be new markets for peer-to-peer, but it will take a while for 
offerings to show up and then market acceptance will determine how long
they stay. 

There is another option you have ignored, but it is not that cheap and
it definitely leaves out you 8088/6 boxes.  That is DesqView/X.  DVX
can run over IPX, so you could have a Netware-lite LAN and then run
DVX on the clients.  Not 'publishing' the way you want, but it does
permit peer-to-peer access.  Cost of DVX is $180 at our local store.

>orville

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>Orville R. Weyrich, Jr.                          Weyrich Computer Consulting
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