Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!rutgers!mcdchg!ddsw1!karl From: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386 Subject: Re: Comparison of 386 UNIX offerings Summary: Some information Keywords: 386/ix, SCO, UNIX V.3.2, UNIX V.4 Message-ID: <1990Feb1.202942.5160@ddsw1.MCS.COM> Date: 1 Feb 90 20:29:42 GMT References: <206@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM> Reply-To: karl@mcs.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) Distribution: na Organization: Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. - Mundelein, IL Lines: 90 In article <206@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM> ewasser@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM (Ed.Wasser) writes: >I am currently in the process of gathering information about UNIX offerings >from various UNIX vendors for INTEL 386/486 based microcomputers. The two >vendors that I am currently interested in are INTERACTIVE Systems Corp. and >Santa Cruz Operation. Both ISC and SCO currently offer versions of the UNIX >operating system based on AT&T UNIX System V Release 3.2. It is also my >understanding that both vendors are currently working on versions of UNIX >based on AT&T UNIX System V Release 4.0. This is correct. If experience from the past serves, ISC will be first with the V.4 release. >Can someone who has experience with or compared the current versions of ISC >386/ix Release 2 and SCO UNIX V.3.2 enlighten me as to what the advantages of >one product over the other are from a technical standpoint. Ok, here 'ya go... Good points: o ISC - Faster file system performance. - Better SCSI support at the present time (higher speed) - System V.3 core system; no add-on "security features" that break applications. - High performance X-windows server - Lower cost for complete system o SCO - Better Xenix compatibility - Ability to develop for Xenix, System V.3 I386, or MSDOS systems - Security features (if you need them, they can be nice) - More hardware devices supported in the base release Bad points: o ISC - Support, if not purchased through a reseller, can be a problem. - Hardware support is spotty -- fewer peripherals have drivers for ISC. o SCO - SCO Unix 3.2 has a few "warts" at present, including problems with mouse recognition and the development system. Tape drive trouble has also been reported. - SCO Unix 3.2 is a >new release<; some products are not yet shipping. - SCO's TCP/IP uses broadcast packets to identify license numbers; this causes performance problems in large ethernet installations. >In addition, I need information concerning what features each vendor will be >adding to their AT&T UNIX V.4 based release. I would appreciate any preliminary >information that can be provided for comparison purposes. > >The areas that I am most interested in are: > > DOS Compatibility (VP/ix, dossette, other forms of DOS/UNIX support) > - Any differences in VP/ix implementation or release level ? Not if you have the current stuff. Both seem to work about the same as far as we can determine, and have the same problems. > - Will future VP/ix releases support DOS 4 ? No information. > Performance enhancements > - What areas does one vendor have a performance advantage over the > other ? (networking, disk i/o, video, etc.) ISC's X11 support is excellent. Disk I/O also is faster on ISC at the present time; we've seen more than 1MB (megaBYTE)/second through the filesystem on ISC using SCSI adapters! SCO can't touch this right now, although I understand they are working on it. > Networking support > - Is either vendor planning to provide an LM/X interface for UNIX > applications ? No idea. > - What networking support currently exists ? TCP/IP & NFS for ISC, TCP for SCO at present. NFS is orderable, but I haven't heard of any production releases actually making their way to customers yet. > Security enhancements SCO has "C2" security certification; ISC does not. Disclaimer: We sell both. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, !ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"