[geeks] Tru64 licensing/availability...

[Eric Dittman]

> > anyone know what the score is with availability of Tru64 and its use
> > on Digital Personal Workstation 433au's?
>
> 1. Is it really a "au"? Only the "au" can run the SRM console that Tru64
> / OpenVMS / (Net|Open|Free)BSD needs. The "a" is NT only. (I heard of
> dirty tricks to convert the "a" to SRM, so that at least *BSD can run on
> it.)

No, the only difference between an "a" and "au" is the peripherals
that were shipped with the system.  Any "a" can be converted very
easily to an "au".  No dirty tricks required.  Just set the os_type
variable to VMS or UNIX and the machine will believe it is an "au".
Use VMS if you are going to run VMS and UNIX if you are going to
run Tru64, Linux, or *BSD.  The setting will influence which PALcode
is used, so you want to make sure you use the right one.
Then, make sure your peripherals are supported by SRM and the
operating system you are going to use.

> 2. This is a really nice machine. I am typing this on a PWS 500au
> running Tru64. You can expand the RAM with ordinary PeeCee (read cheap)
> ECC SDRAM up to 1.5 GB. The "au" has a Qlogic ISP1020 UW SCSI adapter.
> And EIDE, but who wants this? Graphics card can variate from PeeCeeish
> ATI / Matrox cards to the high end 3D 4d[456]0t cards from Intergraph.
> (On a par with the SGI Impact line.)

All later model "a" and "au" systems had a Qlogic ISP1040 UW
SCSI adapter built-in (although the SRM will call it an ISP1020,
which is Fast-Wide).

I've got two of the original models and on of the later models.

> With Tru64 you will get a solid, mature and performant UNIX with a
> strong BSD flavor that can Move Big Rocks (C) (R) (TM). It feels very
> comfortable after a litle bit GNUification. (read: somthing better then
> /bin/sh / /bin/csh.) I like it much more than e.g. HPUX. (This may
> depend on my preference for BSD Unix in general. ;-) ) 

It's a shame about HP PHUXing over Tru64.
-- 
Eric Dittman
dittman at dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/