Very Computer

                                                Scott

Get yourself a copy of Coherent.  It's sold by Mark Williams Company, and
comes in two flavors, v4.0 and v3.2.  You won't be able to use v3.2 --
becuase it requires a 386, but v4.0 should work.  MWC charges $99 for
either version, regardless of price.  They do include nice documentation,
and their o.s. is much more stable (if it doesn't include as many nice
features -- like TCP/IP networking).  

A few notes -- you will be limited to programs that fit in 64K of ram.  You
won't be able to run X.  There are probably other limitations as well.  This
is because the 286 is an old cpu which doesn't have as much support for
protection and large-space addressing as the 386.  Coherent 3.2 is the only
286 based version of Un*x I know of worth messing with.

On a side note: if you're going to do anything real with Unix, get yourself
a 386 or 486 and save yourself some headaches. :-)

PS: There is a group devoted to Coherent on the internet... comp.os.coherent,
I think.

====================================================================

Software Co-Ordinator           |     68 Barrows Hall, UC Berkeley
Haas Computing Services         |     Ph: 510-643-5923 Fax: 642-4769
====================================================================

   - David Summers

--
                         "Never under-estimate the bandwidth of a station-wagon
David Summers             full of tapes, hurtling down the highway."

Quote:

>Get yourself a copy of Coherent.  It's sold by Mark Williams Company, and
>comes in two flavors, v4.0 and v3.2.  You won't be able to use v3.2 --

Quote:>becuase it requires a 386, but v4.0 should work.  MWC charges $99 for

That should be that you won't be able to run 4.0, but you should be able
to run 3.2.  I haven't been getting much sleep lately -- CS classes,
programming for work, and hacking Linux have all taken their toll. :)

BTW, I own both versions and would be willing to sell them, only becuase
Linux is so Cool :).  The two versions are against one license, so you
would be legally bound to run only one or the other version of the OS, at
least at the same time.  (No copies on different computers.)

If you're interested, make an offer.  I'd need to verify that this is legal
under MWCs license (i.e. transfer of license).

====================================================================

Software Co-Ordinator           |     68 Barrows Hall, UC Berkeley
Haas Computing Services         |     Ph: 510-643-5923 Fax: 642-4769
====================================================================

: Get yourself a copy of Coherent.  It's sold by Mark Williams Company, and
: comes in two flavors, v4.0 and v3.2.  You won't be able to use v3.2 --
: becuase it requires a 386, but v4.0 should work.

This is good advice--just one problem...it's   W R O N G.

Coherent version 4.x and (potentially) higher require a 386, minimum.
For a 286 you could use 3.2.1 or earlier.

Except for that little problem, though, it's good advice.

Also, you might be able to find an old copy of Xenix/286 floating
around somewhere which should also work for you. I doubt if SCO still
sells it, though.

Linux is 386-specific, unfortunately.

Fred

--
____ Tim Pierce                /  ?Usted es la de la tele, eh?  !La madre

Total:                         $965

You can also salvage many of these parts (vga card, floppy drive, case).  
Granted, this is a minimum system, but it is very usuable.  I've seen postings
about people running 386bsd on a 20MHz 386sx (price: ~$150).

-sl

Quote:> A 386sx is a drop in the bucket these days.  Even a full fledged dx cpu is a
> commodity.  If you're willing to spend the time to look in a magazine like
> Computer Shopper and maybe assemble systems yourself, a PC can be very cheap.

Quote:> VGA card                      ~$70

Quote:> Mono VGA monitor (all you really need) ~$150

Quote:> Total:                         $855
> You can also salvage many of these parts (vga card, floppy drive, case).  

Quote:>  I am in desperate need of any and all help!!! I am currently trying to
>  find a Unix OS for an Intel 286 machine.

: Get yourself a copy of Coherent.  It's sold by Mark Williams Company, and
: comes in two flavors, v4.0 and v3.2.  You won't be able to use v3.2 --
: becuase it requires a 386, but v4.0 should work.  MWC charges $99 for
: either version, regardless of price.  They do include nice documentation,
: and their o.s. is much more stable (if it doesn't include as many nice
: features -- like TCP/IP networking).  

: A few notes -- you will be limited to programs that fit in 64K of ram.  You
: won't be able to run X.  There are probably other limitations as well.  This
: is because the 286 is an old cpu which doesn't have as much support for
: protection and large-space addressing as the 386.  Coherent 3.2 is the only
: 286 based version of Un*x I know of worth messing with.

You have forgotten SCO Xenix 286 and Minix 1.5.

--
       o o      
---oOO-(_)-OOo--------------------------------------------------------------
                  | Klaus Guhr, Marktstr.33 | Phone   :   +49 +228 48 53 60  

                  |                         | FAX: 08.00 - 20.00 h | Data:?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 uid 0 is expired. Shutdown in 1 minute!                              

Not correct. ( Only a mistake, I think.)

V 4.0 needs 386 or 486
V 3.2 will run with a 286

But the rest is right:
:
: A few notes -- you will be limited to programs that fit in 64K of ram. ..

I don`t know much about 3.2, I am running 4.0 and I'm very pleased about it.

Regards
Werner

+++++++++++++++
+ Werner Heisch Danziger Strasse 13  D 6800 Mannheim 71
+ Phone (modem) +49 621 476860

+++++++++++++++
--

--

| Frankly, I think the proper "unfortunate" fact is that 386 machines
| are still out of the financial grasp of many people (most notably
| students, who also generally seem to be the most enthused about PC
| Unices).  I don't find it unfortunate that Linux doesn't run on a 286
| any more than I find it unfortunate that it doesn't run on a 4004.

  The difference in cost between the 386SX and 286 is pretty small these
days. Anyone who can afford enough memory and disk for UNIX should be
able to find $50 or so more.

--
bill davidsen, GE Corp. R&D Center; Box 8; Schenectady NY 12345
    Last year I worried that Bush would die and let Quayle take over.
    This year I worry that Hillary will die and let Bill take over.

: A 386sx is a drop in the bucket these days.  Even a full fledged dx cpu is a

(etc, etc)

: Granted, this is a minimum system, but it is very usuable.  I've seen postings
: about people running 386bsd on a 20MHz 386sx (price: ~$150).

I use Coherent 4.0, the 32-bit 386-specific version, on a 16-mhz 386-SX.
It has 2 MB of RAM, and the 45 MB hard drive is divided evenly down the middle.
22.5 MB for DOS/Windows3.1 (which I can run just fine, thank you), and 22.5
for Coherent. Obviously, I'm not running gcc or X11R5 on my computer, but
I can use Coherent very well...

-S.

--

Disclaimer: I own TSC's opinions. :)
APK Public Access Internet: telnet to  ! Drown the soul, and through the eyes
wariat.org or call 216-481-9436        ! you'll see the future so cold &
(2400 baud) or 481-1960 (9600 and up)  ! lonely         (House of Love)