Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!MJB
From: MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr)
Newsgroups: unix-pc.general
Subject: new2Unix questions
Message-ID: <13630@cup.portal.com>
Date: 17 Jan 89 07:21:54 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 20

I recently acquired a 20mhz/386, with 2megs memory and 43meg Priam. I believe
UNIX/XENIX/VPix or something will be needed in the near future. I will want to
use X-windows and eventually add 1 or 2 terminals.
    I have a few questions about such a setup, and I realize that they've been
asked before, but I could not find an archived collection geared specifically
to them.
        1) How much memory is needed for a unix-pc system in a minimal unix
           configuration? an adequate configuration? good configuration?
        2) Same thing for a harddisk?
        3) When the 386 acts as system unit/console to 1 or 2 terminals, can
           it still be used to do non-administrative tasks (do word processing
           etc.)? is there significant system degradation in speed (more than
           say an additional terminal would decay system speed)?

    I've been using an Amiga with 2.5megs for years, and I've been disappointe
by the speed of Windows/386 v2.1 by comparison. Since I haven't spent alot of
resources (time and money) at this point on MS-DOS/386 yet, i thought now 
would be a good time to look at the alternatives.
    Any comments, advice, or opinions would be appreciated? Thanx for your hel
                               - MJB -