What kind of Used Unix system to buy? 2

[JMPEL34]

Hi,

I'm just a basic PC user, with a CAD background. I start a new job using using various CAD and Nesting software with Unix as the OS.

My Question is this: I'm looking to buy a used Unix system just a mini tower. Any suggestions about the type/brand to get or stay away from would be great.

I'm going to use it at home for training myself. Is Redhat similiar to Unix I'm not sure the direction to go at this time.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[PHV]

Is Redhat similiar to Unix
As far as I know, Redhat is a Linux distribution, so a unix OS.

Hope This Helps, PH.
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884 or FAQ222-2244

 

[fredericofonseca]

if you have an intel box you can choose from any of the following

Linux (several distros available)
BSD
Solaris


All are free either for all usage or for non-comercial use (Solaris case for example).

You can use almost any PC even a PII or PI would be enough for your training.

Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[JMPEL34]

Hi Frederico,

You mean to say that I don't need a special computer to run a Unix type system?

Will my personal HP Pavilion work?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[PHV]

Take a look here:

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Hope This Helps, PH.
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884 or FAQ222-2244

 

[jwenting]

Better look at what your company uses.
If they have software for a specific Unix flavour you should try to get a computer running that same flavour or you won't be able to run their software (provided that's what you want it for and they can give you licenses to use at home).

 

[fredericofonseca]

If you stick with one within the group I mentioned, or if you can get your hands on a SCO Open Server or SCO Unixware then your PC will do.

Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[cdlvj]

SCO Openserver is solid, Sun just announced a free version of Solaris 10. Although if you use it in a commerical envirnoment, you will need to purchase.

The Unix's are pretty much the same, generally commands are similar, with some having different options. GNU compiler is available for most, and if you cannot obtain the binarys, then you can get the source and compile. Now they have the configure script which makes the make file based on your system. Very nice.

Unix systems on PC go back to the 386's. One of the 1st systems I worked on had 8 meg of memory and a 40 meg drive, and it was a workhorse.

Good Luck.

 

[dUbbsNIX]

Linux is NOT UNIX. Further to Frederick post. You have BSD UNIX systems, Release V version (like Solaris) and Linux which is derived from both.

 

[jwenting]

Linux IS Unix just as BSD IS Unix and SV IS Unix.
Unless you mean some distributions which may not conform to the ISO standards, but that's not talking of the entire platform...

 

[cdlvj]

Exactly jwenting, and if you become familar with one, then the rest are very easy.

 

[kcongdon]

JMPEL34,

1. Find out model numbers and names or as much as you can about the HP Pavilion's video adapter, sound card, network adapter, the monitor,and any other hardware you might want to use. The video adapter and monitor are especially important if you want to run any Linux/Unix OS with a windows style GUI.

If you want to know if Solaris for X86 will run on a HP Pavilion, check Sun's Hardware Compatability List. Pick the HCL for the version you want to use:

http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl/

2. If you want to figure out which flavor of UNIX/Linux is running on the workstation at your new company, try the Rosetta Stone of UNIX:

http://bhami.com/rosetta.html

I wouldn't go typing random commands to see what they do. Just look up the ones you use on the new workstation.

 

[JMPEL34]

Thanks for all these tips and suggestions to every one and I can see I have my work cut out for me!

What I am wondering now is what does BSD and SV stand for? and also what is the kink between Linux & Unix that some people say are the same and others say they are not the same?

 

[KenCunningham]

Just to clarify, BSD is the Berkeley Software Distribution, whilst SV (actually AT&T's System 5), two of the major players in the early evolution of unix systems. To my way of thinking, Linux is a development based on unix and to that extent can be used interchangeably with it.

 

[jwenting]

Linux was created to provide a Unix style operating system on x86 hardware.
It has since expanded to be (nearly?) POSIX (that's the effort to merge BSD and SVR4 into a common standard) compliant and to be available on many more platforms.

It is however still less stable than the commercial versions and sees a lot more development of the core system because of it (and the maverick nature of its developers who are constantly tinkering, which may account for the lower stability as there's no real penalty except red faces among your peers if you mess up) making it less suitable to mission critical applications.

 

[spamly]

There's obviously no easy answer to this, so I'd suggest doing what I'm doing. My workcenter bought VMware for my work PC. It's a HP 2.4 Ghz with 1 GB of RAM. Using VMware, I've configured Solaris x86 (both 9 and 10), FreeBSD, and Fedora Core 2. This gives me the ability to play with several of the more popular operating systems.

 

[chipperMDW]

There's a difference between UNIX(TM) and Unix.

UNIX(TM) is an official label that can only be placed on an OS that has undergone a series of tests determined by the Open Group, who has the license to the UNIX trademark or some legal thing like that. It costs lots of money to get those tests run for your system.

Linux (and, to my knowledge, the recent BSDs) aren't backed by big companies with the money to pay for those tests, so they can't be officially called UNIX(TM). They are instead called Unix, which basically means that they're close enough, but haven't paid for the tests.

In addition, Linux does some things slightly differently than "traditional" UNIX, including low-level stuff like the calling convention for system calls. If you're nitpicky about that, you can call Linux "Unix-like" or "Unix-compatible.

 

[chipperMDW]

Oh, and also, Linux was written from scratch by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s or maybe late '80s, while the other Unices have at least some of their code derived from the original UNIX OS written back in... '79?

If you want to get picky about that part, you can call Linux a reimplementation of UNIX.

 

[chipperMDW]

Whoops. The original UNIX was 1969, not '79 -- a full decade off.

So sue me; I wan't alive back then, so I'm allowed to forget dates.

 

[vgersh99]

I refuse to take advantage of my opponent youth and inexperience.

[(c) Ronald Reagan - 1984]

vlad
+----------------------------+
| #include<disclaimer.h> |
+----------------------------+