[SunRescue] Re: Speaking of SGI equipment...

[Bjrn Ramqvist]

David Champion wrote:
> 
> I've spent several years with IRIX -- 1.5 or so around the 5.2-6.0 time
> frame, and, more recently, 8 months or so with anywhere from 6.2 to
> 6.5.3.  I loved IRIX for a while, and that was with no graphics head.

<<SNIP>>

> driveers would fail, patch, work, fail, patch, work, then be obsoleted
> on one piece of hardware by one OS release and by another OS release
> for another pience of hardware.  XFS didn't work right for years.  I'm
> trying not to write a full list of IRIX's flaws.

This sounds very odd to me, really.
I've been working with SGI's almost every day now for the last 1.5
years, everything from 5.3, through 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and last, all versions
of 6.5 to 6.5.6. I'm sorry, but I guess these things just hasn't
happened to me.
I've ran Indigio, Indigo2, Indy, Octane, O2 and Origin and the only
trouble I've had has been the Indigo2 - SCSI-trouble, strange timeouts
and such. Although, even if it has some flaws we don't mind much about
it since it's too slow for our standards anyway. (getting replaced)
I didn't catch the XFS-train until very late, IRIX 6.4 even. Things
probably had got much better then.

Patches is every OS disease. Seems like the only OS that totally lacks
patches must be *shiver* WindowsNT, which instead rely on "service
packs". Geez.
Right at this very moment, the patch-distribution has changed since the
introduction of 6.5. Now, for every "bugfix" they send out a new update,
instead of shipping 10's of thousands of patch-CD's every month. You
know, I have a LARGE mountain of old IRIX patch-CD's.
Of course, this looks more like M$ approach "service packs", but it's a
heck lot easier to say "I've installed update 6.5.5" instead of trying
to tell every patchnumber. I like it, but I don't expect everyone to
like this.

> I haven't been using IRIX for about 6 months now.  I miss it.  I really
> miss it.  It was a lot of fun.  I will be greatly saddened when SGI go
> under, but I can say they're getting what they deserve.

For what I've seen, they finally got back to their old tracks again.
After some reorganisation and some insane market-guy (which got kicked 2
weeks later) they finally have convinced me, and others, that they will
fully support IRIX and their hardware for ages. Last number I've heard
was 10 years, for atleast.
If you had seen some of the new chipsets, graphic engines and all the
exotic hardware that's coming soon, you'll regret you even had the
thought. :-)

Nothing personal, just another view.

	/Regards, Bjorn