From: willmore@iastate.edu (David Willmore) Subject: Re: Intel, the Pentium and Linux Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 04:37:19 GMT
khockenbury@vaxc.stevens-tech.edu writes:
>willmore@iastate.edu (David Willmore) writes:
>> Linux doesn't run on a 200Mhz Alpha or an HP 705. Do you think that any
>> Linux system runs faster than either of those two machines? It's nice,
>> but linux is far from as full blown a Unix as many of the current production
>> Unixes. For example: How much memory can a Linux system support?
>Theoretically, 1GB. :-)
The comparison was for systems, not whatever the architecture can
support. Can you go get a machine with 1GB of memory? You can for an
Alpha or an HP 705.
You're not likely to see more than a few Linux systems with more than 32
Meg. There just aren't that many motherboards that will hold much more.
>256 MB.
Last time I checked, I was told 16Meg. Who's right?
>64.
That makes it hard to support more than a fraction of that number of
users, doesn't it? If they start running 'screen,' you're in for even
fewer users.
>100K+ xstones. (XS3)
This is one of the areas where Linux is doing great. Anyone with an S3
card can get some amazing performance for much less than the cost of a
fast workstation. ;)
>> How stable is the X server?
>Enough that I haven't had problems. :-)
Congratulations. There are more than a few people who haven't shared
your experience.
>> Does it have a good fortran? (ok, no fortran jokes)
>Well, *good* I dunno. We've got f2c, and the guy working on GNU fortran
>(g77) is using a linux machine.
Not here yet is the same as 'no'. DEC kept saying that OSF/1 for
DECstations was coming out 'any time now.' :) Sure, it's not the same,
but if it's not here, you can't use it.
>> Pascal?
>p2c is about it for the moment. But who wants to write in pascal, anyhow? :)
I fully agree, but some instructors don't. They still think that Pascal
is a good learning language. *shudder*
>> Can you buy Arc/Info for it?
>What is it?
It's a large geospatial database with intense memory, graphics, and disk
needs. It likes *big* boxes.
>> Any other comercial package?
>Motif should be coming soon, and I believe Waffle is available.
Waffle? Isn't that a food? You have me on Motif, I should have said
application. :)
>I will admit to wanting an alpha, too, though. :^)
Maybe if enough of us beg DEC for one...naw!
Later,
David
-- =========================================================================== willmore@iastate.edu | "Death before dishonor" | "Better dead than greek" | David Willmore | "Ever noticed how much they look like orchids? Lovely!" | ===========================================================================