[rescue] The onyx godness

[Curtis H. Wilbar Jr.]

>From: "Jeffrey J.Nonken" <jeff_work at nonken.net>
>To: The Rescue List <rescue at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: Re[4]: [rescue] The onyx godness
>Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 11:55:05 -0500
>
>On Mon, 13 Jan 2003 11:16:47 -0500, you wrote:
>
>> On Monday, Jan 13, 2003, at 10:42 US/Eastern, Jeffrey J.Nonken wrote:
>>
>> > Actually, this started when I said something about making a PS/2-to-Sun
>> > keyboard/mouse converter, and people started telling me I'm making all
>> > the
>> > wrong choices.
>>
>>
>> Heh. You sure are. But don't let anybody tell you it's wrong to learn
>> something new.
>>
>> I want a converter to use a Sun keyboard on a peecee.
>
>When I started looking up protocol and hardware specs on the 'net, I had
>every
>intention of making converters to go both ways. Once I've gone from PC to
>Sun,
>going the other way should be relatively simple. Both interfaces are 2-way
>and
>I'll already know the protocols, so I'll be more than halfway there.
>
>And it would allow me to use a Sun keyboard and mouse with my PS/2 KVM switch
>with both my PCs and SS20s.
>
>But the derision with which my initial enthusiasm was greeted has pretty much
>turned me off to the project.

I don't know about other people, but converters for both directions I would
welcome....

>
>> > I'm starting to think the whole thing is a mistake. I should work on
>> > learning
>> > Linux and give the Sun hardware away.
>>
>>
>> No, no. Do both. Run Solaris on the SPARC stuff, linux and BSD on the
>> peecees. Learn it all. The utilities and basic systems are alike enough
>> that you'll be comfortable in both once you're comfortable in one. It
>> doesn't take long. What did one guy here say? 25 commands?
>>
>>
>>
>> > I'll keep the tape drive, I'm getting some use out of that.
>>
>> Keep it all. Seriously.
>
>Why? It seems like a lot of effort with little return. I've had the things
>for
>four months and I can't even turn one of them into a firewall/router. Using
>software that came with it. I don't really have much use for an SS20, and my
>wife's monitor isn't compatible. She'll end up remote-controlling it from her
>PC using a Windows app, fer crissakes.
>

How old is your PC monitor ! ? ! ?

I've used a Viewsonic 7 (17" monitor from around 1993 ?)... the Sun's
default 1152x768 drives it beyond it's rated specs a bit, but it works great !

Most PC monitors made after 1995-7 should be able to deal with the Sun fine.

Also, depending on your graphics adapter, you can ratchet down the Sun's
graphics output....  outputs of 1024x768, 1152x900, and 1280x1024, and
possibly higher may be selectable.  Using a serial console to change
the setting in the open boot prom should allow you to bring this into the
range your PC monitor can handle.

If your unsure of what you have for video, if you have an Sbus graphics
card then send me the first seven digits (the part number) from it's bar
code (usually located on the physical sbus connector).  If your using the
13W3 video connector on the system itself, then I'd assume you have a
VSIMM (4MB or 8MB) which is SX video.  I'd be glad to look up what you
need to do to bring this into range of what your PC monitor can handle.
(unless your PC monitor is limited to 800x600 or below for resolution,
in which case your probly pretty well sunk).

>
>---
>The sun's not going down; the horizon's coming up!
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-- Curt