Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!voder!apple!phil
From: phil@apple.UUCP (Phil Ronzone)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: diskless mac-II A/UX
Message-ID: <6633@apple.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Nov-87 23:32:48 EST
Article-I.D.: apple.6633
Posted: Wed Nov  4 23:32:48 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Nov-87 17:49:09 EST
References: <235@bernina.UUCP> <933@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: phil@apple.UUCP (Phil Ronzone)
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, USA
Lines: 39
Keywords: NFS, diskless, A/UX

In article <933@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> verber@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark A. Verber) writes:
>
>The idea of a diskless MacII running A/UX has been *strongly*
>suggested to Apple.  They held a meeting a few months ago with the
>universities who had recieved seed units to discuss possible
>improvements for A/UX.  Everyone present stress that they would really
>like A/UX to boot via the network.  This idea goes very much against
>the philosphy of computing that is present at Apple.  They prefer the
>idea of stand alone machines that can share resources, i.e.  being
>dependant on another machine for booting and all disk use doesn't sit
>well with them.  On the other hand, they seems to hear the pleas of
>the the university people (who will be some of the biggest customers).
>I expect that we will see diskless A/UX in the next year or two.
>Apple hasn't committed to this, as far as I know, but they seem to
>understand why this will be important to succeed in the higher
>education market.
>Computer Science Department			         Mark A. Verber
>The Ohio State University			 verber@ohio-state.arpa
>+1 (614) 292-7344				  cbosgd!osu-cis!verber

No, no, Mark - we are NOT against diskless A/UX systems. It is very
simple - we didn't have the time (and lacked access to appropriate
source code) to implement the "page serving" protocols that SUN uses.
We have NFS and YP - but not the disk page protocols. I assure your
that Apple Marketing, on a regular basis, begs for full diskless
A/UX capability. The rational demands of Higher Ed are transmitted to
Apple software engineering with great fervor. If I just
had another 12 or so very very experienced UNIX programmers ... :-)


Philip K. Ronzone
A/UX Technical Manager

MAIL:  Philip K. Ronzone
       Apple Computer
       Mail Stop 27AJ
       10500 N. DeAnza Blvd.
       Cupertino, CA  95014

UUCP:  ...!{sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual,unisoft}!apple!phil