Xref: utzoo comp.lang.c:24362 comp.misc:7611 comp.os.misc:1044 comp.software-eng:2636 comp.sys.sgi:2536 comp.unix.i386:1638 comp.unix.ultrix:2300 comp.unix.xenix:8900
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!dinorah!art
From: art@dinorah.wustl.edu (Arthur B. Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.misc,comp.os.misc,comp.software-eng,comp.sys.sgi,comp.unix.i386,comp.unix.ultrix,comp.unix.xenix
Subject: Question about portability issues
Keywords: What have we gotten ourselves into!?
Message-ID: <1051@dinorah.wustl.edu>
Date: 7 Dec 89 19:37:58 GMT
Followup-To: comp.lang.c
Organization: Washington University (St. Louis)
Lines: 53

Greetings netlanders!

    Pardon the extreme cross posting!  We are working on a large
software project (ca. 20+ person-years).  It has been developed thus
far in C to run on a DECstation 3100 running Ultrix (BSD derived)
using X11R3 (but not DECwindows).  It is a multi-process system, with

    It has become apparent that we will need to have this system
running on a Silicon Graphics 4d series box running IRIX (System V
derived), and a scaled down version of this system on some 80386 or
80486 based "PC" running Xenix or some other *ix. These will probably
all be developed in parallel (common source, using #ifdef's and the
like where necessary). 

    Unfortunately, all of us are raw novices at this cross-system
portability issue, and we collectively have very little experience on
non-BSD derived Unixen.

    What I am looking for, therefore, is any wisdom on what is going
to be necessary.  I am looking for any of:

    * How much more time (than just developing under Ultrix) will this
      take? 

    * Should some people develop and others port, or should we all
      learn to write portable code by porting what we write.

    * Any recommendations for a 386/486 box and/or operating system?

    * Any major pitfalls to avoid?  If we can learn from other's
      mistakes, that would be wonderful!

    * Any problems with using BSD sockets?  X Windows?  File system
      issues?  Something else?

    * Any techniques that you have found helpful in doing this type of
      thing?

    Please respond by e-mail to art@dinorah.wustl.edu or
...!uunet!wucs1!dinorah!art (I can't possibly find time to follow ALL
these groups! 8^).  If you are interested in a summary of the
responses, please indicate that, and what newsgroup you would like to
see it in if there are a lot of requests.  I will summarize in one
form or another to all who ask.

    	 Thanks in advance!
    	    -art smith
(art@dinorah.wustl.edu   or   ...!uunet!wucs1!dinorah!art)

Most of the words in the first three paragraphs are somebody's
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Usual disclaimers apply.