On 23 Jan 99, at 22:59, Bob Chapel wrote:

> 3. @40 "Dumb" Wyse50 Terminals attach directly (well not
> exactly...they are telneting in to the server using "kermit" I
> believe (I am rather a bit in the dark about the hows and whys of
> dumb terminals)

  Telnet looks like a dumb terminal, but shows up on a network port rather
than an RS232 serial port.  I don't specifically know about the AS400, but
the Unix minicomputers I've used have had 12-96 RS232 ports for direct
terminal attachment.  It's possible that these are connected into a
front-end "terminal server" which is then networked to the AS400.

  Wyse *did* make some "X terminals", which are kind of like diskless
workstations with good graphics, and connect using TCP/IP, but I'm
pretty sure the "Wyse 50" is an older serial model.


> A few quick questions:
>
> 1.)Is the Netware Server redundant?  Can't Win NT be installed on
> top of UNIX?

> The Netware server provides file storage/security for the 15 or so
> users who need programs not available on the UNIX machine

  UNIX, NT and Netware are all OSes.  Each has its own range of supported
hardware, and its own ideas about what executable binary files look like.
There *is* a tool included with NT Server which would allow you to
migrate files and users from the NetWare machine to an NT Server box,
but that may not be an option if your users rely on any NetWare-
specific (executed on server) applications.

> 2.) Has anyone used x-windows? Is it user friendly? (I have a lot of
> non-typing computer phobes to train who know only how to point and
> click ... if it won't use up too many network resources I would just
> as soon give them a GUI (We can't afford to give them all updated
> machines at this point so Win95 is really not an option yet)

  Before White Pine got into CUSeeMe (sp?), I worked on a couple of their
X-server products.  [X strikes people as strange because the local machine,
with screen and keyboard, is viewed as a "server" providing UI support to
an application running on some host.]  These included a product for 386es
with 4MB or more of RAM -- you might see if it's still available.
  The X network protocol (runs on top of TCP/IP) is fairly efficient, but I
don't know if anyone supports it over IPX (which is what the NetWare portion
of your network is probably using.
  You need to determine what the needs of your "specialized
software package we are running on top of it".  If it's not written to
support a GUI and mouse, users may get frustrated when clicking on
things doesn't have any effect.


David G

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