Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!samsung!spool.mu.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!hsdndev!spdcc!dirtydog!ima.isc.com!brian From: brian@ima.isc.com (Brian Holt Hawthorne) Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.motif Subject: Re: X response on a 386, how good is it? Message-ID: <1991Mar29.154721.22778@ima.isc.com> Date: 29 Mar 91 15:47:21 GMT References: <9103251356.AA14882@ge-dab.GE.COM> <9103280333.AA05145@pandonia.canberra.edu.au> Sender: usenet@ima.isc.com Reply-To: brian@ima.isc.com Distribution: inet Organization: Myriad Productions, Watertown, MA 02172 Lines: 38 In article <9103280333.AA05145@pandonia.canberra.edu.au>, jan@pandonia.canberra.edu.au (Jan Newmarch) writes: |> > |> > We are looking for information on the performance of X Windows (either |> > with or without Motif) on the 386 platform. We are especially interested |> > in SCO Unix and AT&T System V systems. |> > |> |> I once had the experience of running Interactive Unix + X server + mwm |> + applications on a 20Mhz 386 with 4Mb RAM. I wouldn't ever do it again: |> it would take 26 seconds to start up an application. This is quite simply |> because of lack of memory. What you need to make it workable I don't know, |> because the system died before I could afford more memory. You really need 8MB to run X under almost any OS and CPU. This is quite acceptable on a 20Mhz 386 running Interactive Unix. There was an article in Byte magazine last year comparing 386 X servers that you might want to look into. I didn't have anything to do with Interactive's X server or Motif, but apparently it received quite favorable reviews. I don't know anything at all about the AT&T X server, and my one experience with the SCO X and Motif setup (teaching a Motif programming course unrelated to Interactive at an SCO training center) was, well, I probably shouldn't say, or I will be accused of spreading evil, nasty rumors and using the net for commercial purposes. Feel free to contact me by email if you want my personal opinion in gory detail. =brian P.S. Myriad Productions is the entity that represents my non-ISC work. This message was composed and posted from Interactive equipment, but otherwise has no relationship to Interactive. I am solely responsible for its content. Email brian@ima.isc.com Fax->email 508-294-0128 Fax (ISC) 617-661-2070 Phone 617-661-7474 x206 upstream from the last bend in the Charles River