Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!samsung!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!news From: lester@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (K R Lester) Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn Subject: A540, R140, R2xx etc Message-ID: <1991May7.032554.7526@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU> Date: 7 May 91 03:25:54 GMT Sender: news@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU Reply-To: lester@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (K R Lester) Organization: School of Physics, Uni of Sydney, Australia. Lines: 35 Nntp-Posting-Host: suphys.physics.su.oz.au I am considering buying an ARC, however although brought up on ACORN's BBC OS, I have to admit I prefer the elegance of Unix. Living in this country (OZ) makes getting info difficult, so I know almost nothing about the ARC Unix boxes. Can someone with a few spare moments at acorn, or anyone for that matter, enlighten me about the following points. (Feel free to add any extra observations) a) What are the unix boxes available and their specs? b) How do they comapre to the A540 say. c) Do they also come with RiscOS (ie can I run them as unix/RiscOS just by rebooting, including normal podule use etc) d) Is it easy/possible to write drivers for the unsupported RISC-OS podules under unix (I know this is a loaded question) e) Which version of unix is it. .. And don't say RiscIX (:-)). f) Is it to all intents and purposes like any other unix - ie no little hidden features/ implementation botches :-). g) What is approx UK cost of the unix boxes (with say 100Meg SCSI) h) Monitor costs? i) I've heard that there was a problem with the cursor on large screens due to a Vidc bug. Is this still a problem? j) Does anyone know when the next nonexistant series of machines will be hypothetically coming into real existance? I appreciate any help/suggestions offered Kim -- _______________________________________________________________________________ I lester@physics.su.oz.au I DOS - the original computer virus. Kim Lester: Dept. High Energy Physics, I Sydney University, I OS/2 on PS/2 - half an operating Down Under I system on half a computer. _______________________________________________________________________________