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• Compaq (Tru64)
• Quote from IBM WebSphere site"V3.5 supports Windows NT, Windows 2000, Solaris, AIX, AS/400 and HP-UX. V3.02 supports Red Hat Linux, Caldera Linux, OS/390 and Novell Netware"
• HP
  

True, Sun does not actively provide support to all of the other platforms -- but the people who write those platforms generally do (and who better?)... For example, the BlackDown distro of the JVM supports Debian, RedHat, Slackware, and SuSe for x86, PowerPC, Alpha, and SPARC. Besides, Sun support for that PLATFORM would only be necessary if your are writing the VM. The java binary is the same regardless of platform.

It's not going to happen next month, but I think this is the future of computing.

In our research in the Mercury Project, we are exploring some of these ideas. Between the iPAQ handheld and the Mercury BackPAQ, we are building a device that will have simultaneous access to multiple wireless networks so that it can use the best available communications. It has a camera for taking pictures or for video conferencing. It has a headset jack so that we can explore speech-driven interfaces on handhelds. It has an accelerometer for gesture-driven interfaces. It has 32MB of flash for additional file storage.

The software side of the project is actually more interesting than the gadget side. That is where the action is. If you have to manually invoke ifconfig, iwconfig and route, then only the geeks are going to use these devices. We are going to have to develop systems (devices and infrastructure) that are much more advanced than the current ones. They need to be able to take care of themselves and to carry out what the user wants to do. We need to be able to tell our devices to "Make it so" and expect the right thing to happen. Now maybe I'm talking science fiction.

Some of the other comments are about applications. Although Moore's Law is helping us out with computation, memory, and disk space, we should not expect monolithic desktop applications to run on handheld devices. We would like to have componentized applications that adapt to the device they are running on, to the input and output devices being used, and to the available network connectivity.

See here for a good presentation on the Itsy

If you'd like to try out Itanium-based systems for yourself, we happen to have one running Linux in the Compaq Test Drive Program. Check it out and see for yourself just how it performs. Sign up on the Test Drive web site, and we'll give you a free shell account on not only our Linux Itanium system, but also on a wide variety of Alphas, x86's, and even StrongARM's running lots of different operating systems.

PocketNES is the first game to do a good job with on screen controls. Jimmy's J-Five does an even better job, since you can use the stylus for movement, speed, and weapon selection, and the buttons for firing.

PocketQuake is being worked on so it supports the stylus for movement (mlook). The new version with this might be available on Monday, or later this week. Once mlook is implemented, you'd have most Quake movement functionality implemented (just combine it with clever use of the existing buttons). Also, you should be able to use the upcoming iPAQ ThinkOutside and GoType keyboards for the iPAQ (neither is currently available for the iPAQ, but iPAQ compatible versions of each are expected soon).

(Per the developer, Dan East) Monday's release will first address running it from a storage card (right now you can only do that with a patch), and allowing for task switching (right now it doesn't play nice with the CPU and doesn't allow switching to other apps). It might have the mlook feature available by then.

And once it has more speed improvements, it'll be very playable. And then think about enabling the multi-player features with the upcoming 400 Mhz iPAQ (maybe by September). A quick IR game of PocketQuake sound quite possible (not to mention using Wireless Ethernet or Ricochet Wireless 128 Kbps).

And when Palm comes out with their StrongArm Palms, it might be possible to do a port to the platform. But that might take one or two years...

Here they are: http://research.compaq.com/wrl/projects/itsy/movie s.htm

Oh, & the Itsy runs Linux...

We have a number of these as web servers, and yes, they hold two internal drives. For a web server, that is usually fine (2x36GB is usually plenty). However, you can always add an external array if you wish for. Of course, Compaq's dual 933MHz is a lot more respectable.

We have a number of these as web servers, and yes, they hold two internal drives. For a web server, that is usually fine (2x36GB is usually plenty). However, you can always add an external array if you wish for. Of course, Compaq's dual 933MHz is a lot more respectable.

Alphas are fairly common in the server (and rackmount server) market. True, you probably wouldn't want to stick one in a 1U, but still...

Um, I hope you didn't mean "you wouldn't want to put an alpha in a 1U," because its already been done:

AlphaServer DS10L

I have a Comapq iPaq that works great with either wired or wireless NICs (PC Card type II). I'm going to be using it with the Ricochet PC Card as soon as they hit the market.

I agree with you here. I believe this perception is utterly lame and wrong, but I have to agree that it's common. At least in the US, it seems.

About MS, what is there market they have a monopoly in? Tell me that. OS's you say, thats typical. Thats what everyone thinks But tell me, do they have a monopoly?

Yes. Also in the web browser business nowadays.

YOu say they are because they dont open docs, api's or whatnot. That is not a legal requirement.

Well, it could have helped their case if they had done that. But now, this wasn't the situation, and hence they are accused of using monopoly tactics (not opening specs to the competition can be such a tactic, yes).

Yes, they should, but no, they dont have to. Ever.

I think it clearly shows that you don't understand laws against monopoly tactics. Yes, if you are in a monopoly position, you might very well be required to not further crush the competition by not providing for example specs or equal access in other ways.

Besides that, you and I know that there are other OS's out there. Why dont they package ever Compaq with linux? Why not? Because no one wants linux.

I guess the fact that you can indeed buy Compaqs with Linux on them directly from Compaq shows how insanely wrong you are in your arguments.

People think linux sucks, or is hard to use. Right or wrong, thats the perception. Compaq, and its customers, want the features that MS offers - compatibility, software support, ease of use, etc.

The compability Microsoft provides is with other Microsoft products. Other types of compability has never been much of an interest to Microsoft.

Like it or not, thats true. Compaq could package Linux or FreeBSD with its computers, but doesnt

They do. Perhaps you should check your "facts"?

because sales would take a hit.

Gee, so providing more alternatives than just Windows preinstalled would make sales drop? What kind of "logic" is that? If you provide more alternatives, your number of sales either stays the same (in the worst case, because noone buys the new alternatives) or grows (because the new alternatives attract new customers). I think that the fact most famous computer vendors now happily ship computers with Linux proves that this segment is indeed also lucrative.

In fact, everyone who sells computers with Windows does so because it guarantees a certain level of compatibility.

Compatibility with other Microsoft products.

You cite Apple, Netscape, etc as being proof they are monopolies. The fact is, Netscape's product was made useless by MS, by bundling. Bundling is mostly and should be legal.

Gee, in this case maybe it isn't, because that might be considered an illegal monopoly tactic, given the situation. Once again, I think you show that you fail to understand anti-trust laws.

This move helped consumers

Reducing choice by surpressing the competition benefits consumers? How?

Browsers are now standard issue for every major OS. All of them. Before, you had to pay for them. MS helped us all there.

Yes, browsers are now standard issue. That does not mean that they have to be considered part of the OS (office software is standard issue, but also not a part of the OS), nor that we wouldn't have this situation anyway. The reason web browsers are now standard issue and popular apps is because the growth and popularity of the web. The reduction of web browser choice for the consumer on the major client platform is pretty irrelevant to the web explosion, I think.

The fact is, that MS is not, by any reasonable defintion a monopoly in OS's. They cannot control the market place for OS's, they cannot force a standard down everyone's throats (despite best efforts).

I think many people who have witnessed the home computer industry the last 15 years will disagree with you here. Microsoft has on numerous occasions tried to control their platform, and in many cases to reduce competition.

Just because they dont use 'industry standard' protocols or api's doesnt mean that they are breaking the law. Thats their choice.

Yes, it can indeed mean that they are breaking a law. That's what anti-trust laws are about. Some action that would otherwise not be illegal can be illegal if you are in a monopoly situation in your particular market. These regulations are to benefit the consumer by helping further healthy competition not to shrink below the low level that it already is in most monopoly situations.

Some Additional Linux Distribution Suggestions

• Caldera Systems
• Turbo Linux
• SuSE
• Mandrake

• Sun/Open Office
• Applix/Applixware Office
• Oracle
• HP
• Compaq
• Dell
• GNU

• Osborne/McGraw-Hill
• O'Reilly
• Sybex

Why waste time drooling over one of these when you could be lamenting your lack of an AlphaServer GS320? Let's compare the two, shall we?

• Max memory: GS320: 256 GB, E10k: 64GB.
• Aggergate inter-processor bandwidth: GS320: 51.2 GB/s, E10k: 12.8 GB/s
• Total PCI slots (and yes this can be important depending on your application as it translates into aggregate I/O bandwidth): GS320: 224, E10k: 64

The E10k can have more processors than the GS320, but they're not nearly as fast as the Alphas. Besides, memory bandwidth, and in parallel applications inter-processor communication (which is often just shared memory updates) is the kicker (who cares how many processors you have if they're all waiting?). The GS has more local memory bandwidth per processor and more inter-processor bandwidth than the E10k or (AFAIK) anything else.

[Yes, I work for Compaq; no, I'm not a marketroid; I'm an engineer in the Alpha microprocessor group.]

I also find it ammusing that Compaq had completed porting Tru64 over in April of 1999 but decided to drop the port. It took them only 4 months to do the port.

They may not be making alphas any more but they could decide to start back up at any moment.
Apparently.
--Shoeboy

Let's see. Depending on who you want to sell on the issue, we certainly have the big boys. IBM , HP and quite likely Compaq (the TrueUnix/VMS folks, not the crappy box assemblers) can quite likely deliver expensive support and professional Linux services. Of course it's up to you to determine the quality. But you also have to do that when EDS is shipping 10 of their clones with bad haircuts to you.

Then there are specialized companies whose most prominent representation is probably Linuxcare.

Finally and - in my experience most importantly there are the distributers who base their business model basically on services. I had outstanding experiences with SuSE (American site) which guided me through struggles getting X up on my notebook. They made a very idealistic, determined and goal oriented impression and delivered far better support then what I've seen with companies that charge $1/4 million a year (and that was the free issue installation support). They run a professional services department and they have various support plans including 24/7 - and dedicated resource plans. Pricing looks quite reasonable.

I can't vouch for Red Hat, Mandrake , or Caldera, but at least Red Hat has a good reputation.

So, here we go. There's a lot around to chose from and compare. If the gentlemen in the suits insist on an IBMHPSUNDEC rubber stamp, here you go and you probably pay for it through your nose. Not that the distributers quite give away theire services, but from what I've seen there seems to be excellent value there.

been there, done that

I know that VA Linux sells some systems that have 16 memory slots (yes, Intel machines!).

here is a link to a HP server that supports up to 128GB of memory in one box. I know it's a high end unix server, but wasn't itanium intel's pathetic attempt to compete with these kind of machines?

then there is the coveted Sun Enterprise 1000 which seems to support up to 68GB of RAM, plus a bunch of others from SUN

Then there is this bad-boy from IBM, which supports up to 96GB

Of course there are the Alpha servers, of which the GS series is an example. Up to 256MB.

There are boards that support way more than 8 RAM slots and have been for some time. Hell, you can get a system that supports more than 16GB from ebay.

PS, anyone who wants to donate one of the linked systems, please reply to this and we will arrange something :-).

-----
# cd /

Your figures are wrong. While English is still the most-used language on the internet, ". . .the Internet IS becoming increasingly multinational, with English-speaking surfers dwindling below the 50% mark".

Linux is a fine OS, guys.. But isn't using Linux for a cellular phone a bit like using a cannon to kill a flea? I mean, it's not like I can port Quake III for Linux to my PalmPalm cellphone.

No need, man, it's been done.

Digital (Compaq) developed an x86 Dynamic Binary Translator running on Alpha called FX!32. FX!32 won Byte Magazine's "Best Technology" award at Fall Comdex '95.

Dynamic in this case means that some code is emulated on the fly, and some is translated. This approach was pioneered for bytecode systems in Smalltalk implementations in the 80's, and of course is now used in Sun's HotSpot and other dynamic adaptive JVMs.

Static binary translators have been around for even longer, and were used (among other things) for running VAX programs on Alpha. A useful overview of this sort of technology appeared in the Digital Technical Journal 4:4 (1992). HP also performed binary translation between the HP3000 and the Precision architecture, but I can't find on-line info on that, just a citation to a paper article (1987). There is also a useful survey article on static and dynamic binary translation.

What is presumably novel in Transmeta's approach is that their instruction set architecture (ISA) is tuned specifically for dynamic translation (see page 12ff of Transmeta's paper The Technology Behind Crusoe Processors . Some microcode architectures have been designed specifically for general emulation (most have been tuned for a particular macroinstruction ISA), e.g. the early Lisp Machines (1976-81).

It's kind of cool; they actualy sample executing code (including kernel) at regular intervals by interpreting some instructions from the instruction stream instead of just recording the instruction pointer. This enables them to gather statistics about the outcome of instructions, physical location of load/store instructions, whether the instruction hit in the cache, how long it took to execute the instruction, and so on.

There is supposedly a downloadable evaluation version of the software at their website (problem of course, is that it only works on alphas running Tru64 Unix or Windows NT).

It's kind of cool; they actualy sample executing code (including kernel) at regular intervals by interpreting some instructions from the instruction stream instead of just recording the instruction pointer. This enables them to gather statistics about the outcome of instructions, physical location of load/store instructions, whether the instruction hit in the cache, how long it took to execute the instruction, and so on.

There is supposedly a downloadable evaluation version of the software at their website (problem of course, is that it only works on alphas running Tru64 Unix or Windows NT).

Looks like it supports 'em to me... arm32 and arm26. NetBSD was the OS that ran on DEC's DNARD network appliance thing.

So use redundancy. RAIT is the tape equivalent of RAID for disks. Basically, your data is written across an array of tapes with varying amounts of redundancy (from simple parity, all the way up to mirrored ECC stripes, depending on how much you want to spend :-). There uses to be a CLARiiON DLT array, but since EMC's buyouy of Data General, that seems to have been discontinued. Still, there are plenty of other suppliers of tape arrays. Here's one from Adic, and here's one from Compaq.

hi,

just to give you the URL of this offer:
http://www.testdrive.compaq.com/

(so this is not off-topic here a special *BSD-URL: http://www.testdrive.compaq.com/os/#bsd ;)

have fun,
Mi"nothing to do with CompaQ"ke

Well, Mobile Linux will only be useful if it is done right... so that it is actually stable, usable, and as "idiot-proof"/easy to use as WinCE and PalmOS... Palmtops are a user-driven market, and most of the users are not engineers... While Linux gives access to cheaper, more familiar development environments (Gnu compilers, etc.) for OpenSource engineers, there needs to be more than just that...

Some more Linux Handheld links, including the actual specs of Pengachu, which reveal that 900mhz is the RF band (in case you thought it was the clockspeed), etc...

The Project Pengachu home page (specs, etc.)

MobiliX has various Mobile linux links / resources.

Gmate, the Korean company producing a (somewhat expensive) Linux PDA that looks rather a lot like the one from Samsung

Compaq Itsy

Pokemon Pengachu vs. Pokemon Itsy!

I'm still waiting for the 802.11 wireless linux handheld capable of displaying remote X applications, but it looks like we're getting closer.

The Compaq iPaq Pocket PC, which can run Linux and X, can be hooked up to an expansion sleeve with a CardBus slot. You can then stick in any old 802.11 card. I've seen it working, and it rocks.

[I do work for Compaq, but I'm a hacker, not a marketroid.]

I'm still waiting for the 802.11 wireless linux handheld capable of displaying remote X applications, but it looks like we're getting closer.

The Compaq iPaq Pocket PC, which can run Linux and X, can be hooked up to an expansion sleeve with a CardBus slot. You can then stick in any old 802.11 card. I've seen it working, and it rocks.

[I do work for Compaq, but I'm a hacker, not a marketroid.]

Especially odd to me was compaq because they are following in Digital's (RIP) practice of letting just about anybody test drive their boxes over the net, so they must be pretty confident that they have their security tight enough to prevent at least bulk mischief.

I was intending to do something like this, but since its already done I will just add a couple of things...

A wide range of system configurations, changeable without system or user program reorganization. Windows: Only three reboots to install a sound card! Linux: Exchange anything but the kernel without rebooting Microkernels: 8-D

Well I take this to mean 'hot plug' (since dorking with the system/modules is 'system reorganization') which as far as I'm aware linux doesn't support but Win 2k if your HW supports it, AIX, and Solaris do.

Hierarchical structures of information for system administration and decentralization of user activities. Not entirely sure what they mean by this...
I think they mean NDS, Active Directory (which is basically LDAP with a bunch of support) and of course LDAP if you are willing to spend the time to get it to support all the cool stuff NDS does .

I'd expect Gateway/AOL to follow Compaq's pricing structure for their iPaq Home Internet Appliance , in which they offer a $400 rebate for a 36-month committment to the MSN Companion Service.

Email the VP in charge of Worldwide support:

Peter Blackmore

For several of my (integer) applications, an alpha 21264 at 466 Mhz is literally twice as fast as a pentium III at 500 MHz speed. Something like 20% of this is in the compilers. For one application, the fact that the alpha is 64 bit is the killer point. For the other, I'm not sure what the issue is. The tests are on the smallest cache size 21264 currently shipping, which is 2M.

As for what is the best price/performance ratio, this is a tougher call. Remember that to most people one system twice as fast is worth lots more than 2 systems once as fast. And yes, especially in a beowulf.

One area where alpha _systems_ really clean up is in memory bandwith and (64bit) PCI bandwidth. For applications like cplant where the network (myrinet) is faster than a PC PCI bus, this is a killer factor.

All of this information is available in the Compaq Quickspecs. Here is the link to the MA8000 quickspecs for North America: http://www5.co mpa q.com/products/quickspecs/10545_na/10545_na.HTML

I don't know if this support was available back in april, it may not have been, or the sales rep may have been one of the Proliant old guard types.

I got a little hands on time with an RA8000 and Linux last week and it was very slick and easy to set up.

Compaq does still produce VMS. It is now known as OpenVMS, and you can find out all about it on the OpenVMS Web Site. <shameless-plug>You can also try out OpenVMS in the Compaq Test Drive Program, should you so desire.&lt/shameless-plug>

Compaq does still produce VMS. It is now known as OpenVMS, and you can find out all about it on the OpenVMS Web Site. <shameless-plug>You can also try out OpenVMS in the Compaq Test Drive Program, should you so desire.&lt/shameless-plug>

OLEDs have been mentioned for a while: 1998 by Compaq, lightly technical discussion from chemsoc, a view that says OLEDs complement rather than replace TFT-LCDs from Electronic Business-Asia (August 2000), January of 1999 shows that Idemitsu Kosan, a Japanese chemical company, has demonstrated(search for "organic") 640x480x16mil with OLEDs.

Some US patents of interest: US05965901 (Cambridge Display), US05247190 (a 1993 Cambridge Patent), US04539507 (a Kodak claim geared towards reduced power consumption).

And so on.

Two fellas at Eastman Kodak who are real important on this issue are Steven A. VanSlyke and Ching W. Tang, both of whom have were sent in 1995 to give lectures in Japan on OLED technology.

My two cents says, it's about time companies stopped hyping this to the press in underdetailed press releases and actually start showing something for all their R&D efforts. Quit trying to make it the be-all end-all product the first time and get us cheaper, less power-hungry displays. When tube manufacturers realize their goose is cooked, prices will plummet for Digital TV in the US and OLED manufacturers will be handed the display market on a silver platter.

If you want to work on Unix itself, rather than just using it, Compaq hires interns to work on parts of Tru64 UNIX. Feel free to mail me at bobbell@zk3.dec.com for more info.

If you want to work on Unix itself, rather than just using it, Compaq hires interns to work on parts of Tru64 UNIX. Feel free to mail me at bobbell@zk3.dec.com for more info.

While maybe not exactly what you're looking for, Compaq's Alpha Development Group (you know, the people who make the highest performance microprocessors in the known universe) hire lots of interns and do all of their real work on Unix.

If you're not into microarchitecture or heavy EE work, there's still plenty of software development in their CAD group. There's also plenty of hardware-software boundary work in their verification group.

You can send your resume and any inquiries to:

Jaye Girouard, University Relations
Compaq Computer Corporation
Alpha Development Group

jaye.girouard@compaq.com

334 South Street
SHR 3-1/T25
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Voice: 508-841-2452

[Disclaimer: I work for ADG.]

Wait a minute, there are drivers already for the NIC / wireless functionality? And, you spent ca. US $1,100 for the ;base station + 1 wireless NIC from Compaq to watch/do wireless streaming video? Not to mention CF/PC cards---or a pedestrain modem, for me? I am wondering how feasible/affordable is this kind of talk. I envy your disposable income level -- really. If what you mention is available under Linux, then fabulous! I'm not sure it is though. Please prove me in the wrong.

Me pican las bolas, man!
Thanks

Wait a minute, there are drivers already for the NIC / wireless functionality? And, you spent ca. US $1,100 for the ;base station + 1 wireless NIC from Compaq to watch/do wireless streaming video? Not to mention CF/PC cards---or a pedestrain modem, for me? I am wondering how feasible/affordable is this kind of talk. I envy your disposable income level -- really. If what you mention is available under Linux, then fabulous! I'm not sure it is though. Please prove me in the wrong.

Me pican las bolas, man!
Thanks

Compaq has several Alpha options.

(I don't work for Compaq, but I use a big pile of DS10L 's.)

Compaq has several Alpha options.

(I don't work for Compaq, but I use a big pile of DS10L 's.)

If you need shared-memory, you'll have to pay the bucks and get one of Compaq's larger systems and run Tru64Unix.

If you can do smaller or distributed-memory (MPI) jobs, get a number of the 1-space DS10L and run either Tru64Unix or Linux . The other great thing about going Alpha/Linux is that Compaq has ported their excellent compilers , so you don't have to give up performance by going with Linux.

(Yes, I know you can run Tru64U-compiled executables on Alpha/Linux by copying the appropriate libs, but strictly-speaking it's a violation of the Tru64U license. Please let's not get into a discussion of how this is a great arg for open source solutions, etc. I agree. Run Linux on your Alpha, use gcc if that's good enough, buy Compaq's compilers if you need performance.)

If you need shared-memory, you'll have to pay the bucks and get one of Compaq's larger systems and run Tru64Unix.

If you can do smaller or distributed-memory (MPI) jobs, get a number of the 1-space DS10L and run either Tru64Unix or Linux . The other great thing about going Alpha/Linux is that Compaq has ported their excellent compilers , so you don't have to give up performance by going with Linux.

(Yes, I know you can run Tru64U-compiled executables on Alpha/Linux by copying the appropriate libs, but strictly-speaking it's a violation of the Tru64U license. Please let's not get into a discussion of how this is a great arg for open source solutions, etc. I agree. Run Linux on your Alpha, use gcc if that's good enough, buy Compaq's compilers if you need performance.)

If you need shared-memory, you'll have to pay the bucks and get one of Compaq's larger systems and run Tru64Unix.

If you can do smaller or distributed-memory (MPI) jobs, get a number of the 1-space DS10L and run either Tru64Unix or Linux . The other great thing about going Alpha/Linux is that Compaq has ported their excellent compilers , so you don't have to give up performance by going with Linux.

(Yes, I know you can run Tru64U-compiled executables on Alpha/Linux by copying the appropriate libs, but strictly-speaking it's a violation of the Tru64U license. Please let's not get into a discussion of how this is a great arg for open source solutions, etc. I agree. Run Linux on your Alpha, use gcc if that's good enough, buy Compaq's compilers if you need performance.)