From: jwinstea@jarthur.claremont.edu (Jim Winstead Jr.) Subject: Re: Coherent vs. Linux - a comparo Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 00:17:56 GMT
In article <1993Jun18.123755.7732@csx.cciw.ca> hcp@csx.cciw.ca (H.C. Pulley) writes:
>I can say I like Coherent because you get a manual, tech. support and it is
>easy to install. Just a few disks. How many hours do you want to spend
>ftping the Linux SLS, copying it to DOS floppies and then loading them in?
>Too much hassle for me.
Well, Coherent is too expensive for me. I'm a student with access to
the Internet, so Linux comes to me for free (neglecting tuition, of
course - but I'm paying that regardless of Linux).
>And I don't have enough disk space to hold the SLS and all of my own files.
>I *only* have 125MB set aside for UNIX. The SLS with X is about 70-90MB, I
>think. This doesn't leave much space for my files or mail or news.
>Coherent+gcc+X will be much less than that (50MB at most).
Aw, only 125MB? Funny, I have the same thing, with the following
installed:
Linux 0.99pl10
XFree86 1.2 (and I'll upgrade to 1.3 soon)
TeX
Emacs
gcc (with Objective C and C++ support)
groff
Tcl/Tk
networking
and those are only the major packages I have installed - it doesn't
include all the little things like less, jed, a2ps, etc.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that leaves me with more than 40
megs free.
You don't have to install the full SLS, and in fact you probably don't
want to - there is a lot of programs in there that you would likely
never use.
>You don't get real paper manuals with Linux.
Yet. As the Linux Documentation Project produces robust documentation,
you can rest assured that someone will make it available in hardcopy.
That will undoubtedly be cheaper than buying Coherent - and if you're
like me, and just want the documentation online, it's still free.
Not everybody wants "real paper manuals" especially if they have to
pay for them.
>The DDK is not needed to run X or gcc. If you want to develop device drivers,
>then it is $49.95.
It goes without saying that this is free for Linux.
>"Why get UNIX verions? They are expensive and I can emulate DOS versions."
>Coherent versions may not be expensive. And how much software runs on that
>emulator anyways? Not all of it. And if you're just going to emulate DOS
>programs, why run Linux anyways?
How applications are really available at "Coherent-friendly" prices?
With the growth of SVR4 and their diminishing price, I'm willing to
bet you'll see SVR4 binaries drop in price, too. Remember, WordPerfect
for DOS is still hundreds of dollars - not exactly a Coherent-friendly
price, and with Linux, the WordPerfect that you bought a year ago when
you were running DOS is still usable under a DOS emulator while you
use Linux to do other work.
I don't think any sane person would use Linux just to run DOS
applications, but it's very nice to be able to run WordPerfect or
something similar every once in a while, or use something like Quicken
to manage your finances without having to reboot into DOS.
Not all software runs on the emulator yet because it's still under
development. Give it time. The amount of software that runs on the
emulator now is far greater than the amount of "Coherent-friendly"
priced software that runs under Coherent.
>What happens to me if I lose my internet link? How will I ftp my Linux
>updates? What if I have neither internet nor usenet? How will I get my
>support? With Coherent all I need is a phone and I have support.
With Linux, all you need is a phone and you have support. Do the names
SoftLanding Systems and Yggdrasil have any meaning to you? They both
produce Linux distributions that are updated regularly. There are
companies providing Linux support. More than one, even - what happens
if MWC goes out of business?
>Yes, Coherent is missing some things right now (TCP/IP, fast I/O,
>paged virtual memory) but I can wait.
Yes, Linux is missing some things right now (IBCS2, SVR4 ELF, robust
documentation) but I can wait.
Does Coherent support any sort of shared library system? I can't
imagine running without one - I simply don't have the disk space for
it.
>And when I read the Linux FAQ recently it said that shared memory and
>semaphores aren't yet done for Linux? Have they been implemented yet?
>Coherent has SysV compatible versions of each.
SYSV IPC and semaphores have been available as patches to the kernel
for some time. They became part of the default kernel as of 0.99pl10.
How long has Coherent 4.0 been out and virtual memory not implemented?
I would hardly try and bag on Linux for not supporting something,
because it's more likely to gain support in the near future than
anything Coherent is lacking. Linux simply has a vastly larger user
base and a user base that has greater access to the resources
necessary (kernel source is the big example) to implement things like
SYSV semaphores and shared memory or IBCS2 capabilities.
-- loveritablessencentipedependentalism+ Jim Winstead Jr. (CSci '95) andaterrificklengtherealityearguessy| Harvey Mudd College, WIBSTR mpathybridgenerationiceremonymphysic| jwinstea@jarthur.Claremont.EDU alendareadvertisexpresshothoughthend+ or jwinstea@fenris.Claremont.EDU