Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!ukma!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!purdue!ames!think!bloom-beacon!goldhill.COM!jne
From: jne@goldhill.COM
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: X server for the Sun summary
Message-ID: <8909062251.AA21108@godzilla.goldhill.com>
Date: 6 Sep 89 22:51:29 GMT
Sender: root@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 68


Thanks for the replies.  Here's a quick summary of the various
choices for a server for Sun-3 and Sun-386i's.

OpenWindows (Sun's joint X11/NeWS server):
 Various people sent me replies regarding the release date ranging from
 "August 31 (1989)" to "soon".  I have never been able to get a firm commitment
 from Sun, however, on a ship date.  I have used both Beta-2 and Pre-FCS
 of OpenWindows, and it ain't too bad. Pre-FCS is noticeably better than
 Beta-2.  I hope that there's similar improvements in FCS.  Neither one is
 as fast as monochrome X11.R3 from MIT. Without a firm commitment on ship
 date, however, I'm still kinda stuck.

MIT's X11.R3 sample server
 Pretty fast in monochrome.  Some folks said they didn't think color was
 too bad.  I then sent out a request for copies of their compiled server
 (in case I messed up in optimizations).  I got zero replies to this request,
 so I stand with my original opinion -- color's pretty slow.

MIT's X11.R4 sample server
 Only the shadow knows...

Quest (advertised in SunObserver)
 Available from 
  Quest Systems Corporation
  3333 Bowers Ave.
  Santa Clara, CA  95054
  Phone 415-966-1310 FAX 415-966-1002
  risk-free evaluation copies available
 I have not seen the product, but it is "node locked", and here's one
 anonymous person's opinion.  I quote:
    We bought the Quest server for about $900.00US. Xbench showed it to be
    significantly faster in monochrome graphics tasks like drawing filled
    areas. In drawing lines it was a bit slower (than MITXV11R3 +fixes 1-10+
    Purdue +gcc1.34).
    Color graphics such as kaleid *seemed* slightly faster. Unfortunately,
    stuff like xterm refreshes, scrolling text and xman were no better
    than MIT X. Since these things form most of our use of X, we really
    weren't terribly pleased with it.
 I think it's available discounted now for ~ $600.

Aurora (advertised in SunObserver)
 Available from
   Aurora Technologies, Inc.
   One Kendall Square, Suite 2200
   Cambridge, MA  02139
   Phone 617-577-1288 FAX 617-577-1209
 I have no information other than it's 386i only.  Someone called me
 from Aurora, but I haven't had a chance to look into it yet.

Torch Technology
 Available from 
   Torch Technology
   Abberley House
   Great Shelford
   Cambridge CB2 5LQ
   UK
   phone: +44 223 841000 (Intl.)
           (0223) 841000 (UK)
   price 295 pounds sterling
 I don't know anything else about it.

Enjoy.

Jeff Eisen
Gold Hill Computers
617-621-3404
jne@goldhill.com