X server for original PC (8088/8086)

Steven M Jones classiccmp at crash.com
Fri Aug 19 18:56:14 CDT 2016


On 08/19/2016 11:08, Chris Hanson wrote:
>
> Back in the day, did anyone produce an X11 server for DOS-based
> 8086/8088 systems, say with support for Hercules or CGA graphics?
> Or was that strictly a 286-or-better thing, given the overall
> constraints of the 8086 architecture?

I realize this pretty divergent from your question, but... ISTR there
was a barebones X terminal that used the 8086, but I can't find it via
Google. I got to prod at one on some occasion, it was pretty much a joke.

Don't recall what might have been under the covers handling the video,
but the theme was low-spec. Contrast to the HP 700/X terminals used a
combination of 34010 and 80186:

Models             Display  Resolution  Planes  Processor  Coprocessor
------             -------  ----------  ------  ---------  -----------
700/X Grayscale      19"     1024x768     8    34010/60MHz 80186/16MHz
700/X VGA Color      14"      640x480     8    34010/60MHz 80186/16MHz
700/X Hi-Res Color   16"     1024x768     8    34010/60MHz 80186/16MHz

( From SunFLASH Vol 26 #9, Feb 1991 )

--S.





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