Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!lloyd
From: lloyd@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Lloyd W. Taylor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Running Mac software on X workstations
Message-ID: <1991May1.135133.24233@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 13:51:33 GMT
References: <9958@discus.technion.ac.il>
Organization: Johns Hopkins University
Lines: 33

shaulm@CS.TECHNION.AC.IL (Shaul Markovitch) writes:

>I ran across an extremely interesting announcment of a product
>which allows execution of Mac application from X workstations.
>If this product works smoothly and doesn't cost too much it
>can save me the need for buying large screen for my SE30 -
>I can just use my large SUN screen. (Actually, people with
>X workstation can probably just buy a screenless mac).
>I would also be nice to be able to move information easily
>between the two machines using cut and paste (without the need for FTP).
>Now, this sounds too good.  Does anybody have experience with that
>product that can be shared with us?

We bought a copy and tried it out.  It does work as advertised. 

There are a couple of things to be aware of:

	1.  Only one person can be 'logged in' to the Mac at a time.
	    You cannot run multiple simultaneous users.  In addition,
	    XPort "takes over" your Mac, disabling the local screen and
	    keyboard.

	2.  It is an *incredible* network hog.  For one Mac to one X
	    server, it used up approximately 20% of an ethernet.  I
	    shudder to think what would happen if it were used across
	    our backbone by more than a couple of people at a time.

We're keeping it around as an interesting solution to a certain class
of problems.  If you do use it, be prepared to put your Mac and X
Server on a private ethernet, as the bandwidth requirements are very
high.

-- Lloyd Taylor