3 Dec
1999
3 Dec
'99
2:35 p.m.
I've got a little good news today... it sounds
like I'm getting a
MicroVAX!!! Dunno what flavor, but it must be a little newer - it's running
Ultrix. So... I have a few questions:
Cool, hard to answer many questions without knowing if it's a MV II, or a
newer system. I like the Q-Bus MicroVAXen, but I hope it's one of the newer
ones.
1) Is there a webpage/FAQ of different uVAX types with
initial specs? I
don't know 'zactly what I'm getting yet, but I'd like to get familiar
with
the uVAX line beforehand, so I don't sound like a complete dummy... ;-)
You should find the following usefull:
http://anacin.nsc.vcu.edu/~jim/mvax/mvax_faq.html
http://eisner.decus.org/vms/faq.htm
http://www.montagar.com/hobbyist/
http://www.montagar.com/hobbyist/links.html
2) Is there a hobbyist licen[sc]e of older versions of
Ultrix in case he
can't find me any OS media, or is it the consensus here of "why the #&^@^(
do you want to run that Unix crap anyway when VMS is better/more fun/etc.?"
Unfortunatly no. The closest I'm aware of is the Tru64 Hobbyist Kit for the
Alpha, which I hear is quite good, but I just ordered my copy so can't say.
I'm generally one of the people asking why the (^(*& do you want to run UNIX
on a VAX, but I've got to confess that one of these days I want to get
Ultrix running on one of my MV2's (the versions I've got are so old they
won't support newer systems). Basically though I prefer to run UNIX on new
fast hardware (I've got Solaris, Linux, and OpenBSD systems), though I am
keeping my eyes open for a newer DECstation for NetBSD.
If you get the system with Ultrix on it, you might consider getting some
other disks so you can run both Ultrix and VMS on it.
3) Can *all* Vaxen run with a serial terminal (just in
case this one
doesn't come with a framebuffer / compat. monitor... I have to Lear-Siegler
ADM-31's (IIRC - I saved 'em for $5 each and just set them in my garage...
they'll need a little cleaning.) I'd hate to get a uVAX sans monitor, and
find that it needs one to work... I don't want this box to be a doorstop -
I want to use it! :-)
Well, since you said it's a MicroVAX, that tends to indicate you need a
serial terminal. I run a lot of my systems, including a couple
AlphaStations with VT420's instead of monitors. Not sure how well the
ADM-31 will work, you might find a PC running a terminal program such as
Telix might work better.
Well, I don't want to flood all the VaxHeads with
a ton of newbie
questions, so the FAQ locations would be really nice & I can leave you
alone until I'm smarter in these woods... but with all the bad bummin' talk
about all these computers we can't save... I saved a VAX!!! ;-)
Ask away.
Zane