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From: mh2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Mark Hahn)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: OS cost component of workstation
Message-ID: <8bC=xse00VpgQb9lNc@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: 8 Nov 90 02:14:16 GMT
References: <2840@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> <1990Nov6.222057.17797@ico.isc.com>,
	<2855@crdos1.crd.ge.COM>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Lines: 17
In-Reply-To: <2855@crdos1.crd.ge.COM>

there is hope in the future for using commodity parts
for cheapix, but it's not here now.  pervious posts have
identified a major weak point in the plan: monitor and 
graphics adapter.  there are some bits of news in the press
about a new IBM standard called XGA, which is, 
as I recall, 1024x768 in color.  it seems reasonable to expect 
the same painful bank-selecting interface as VGA,
but hopefully not the same slow initial implementation.
if you buy the argument that volume makes for cheap prices,
you'll want to wait for XGA to become a commodity.

on the other hand, I'm beginning to think an x terminal
and a headless PC is the way to go.  does anyone have
reviews of to offer?

regards,
Mark