Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!caen!uflorida!bernhold
From: bernhold@red8.qtp.ufl.edu (David E. Bernholdt)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Running X on a Sun 3/50
Message-ID: <28363@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Date: 2 May 91 01:32:16 GMT
Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU
Organization: Quantum Theory Project, Univ. of Florida
Lines: 24
Originator: bernhold@red8


We're experimenting with running X on our diskless 4MB Sun 3/50
workstations with 68881 coprocessors.  Using the standard X11R4
distribution, we obtain performance which is, on balance, not too much
worse than with SunView.

It seems logical to suppose that given the configurability of X, there
might be some things to squeeze out a little extra performance on this
platform.  (Please don't respond with "get more memory" or "upgrade to
SS2s" since we're looking specifically at the _existing_ hardware.)

Since the biggest bottleneck seems to be paging over the network, our
first thought is to look for ways to reduce the memory load of the X
system.  On this track, would it be possible and helpful to produce a
special version of Xsun which only supports the 3/50's monochrome
frame buffer?

Any other ideas for improvements over the standard distribution would
also be welcome.  Thanks in advance.
-- 
David Bernholdt			bernhold@qtp.ufl.edu
Quantum Theory Project		bernhold@ufpine.bitnet
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL  32611		904/392 6365