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Bob -
There are two approaches to getting access to all the software resources
you might need: (A) Networking and (B) Emulation. Linux just happens
to offer some of each, but I'm not yet using Linux as I have other
routes to UNIX functionality. But I'm going to pick up an "experienced"
486 machine next time I'm at the computer graveyard. Probably about $30
worth of hardware to run Linux for the experience of it. :=}}}
Emulation:
I wanted to run QCharts (a Windows-only program) alongside my Mac-based
console. I bought VirtualPC and found that I could run both the MacOS
(including the Mac-based MachTen UNIX) AND VirtualPC running QCharts,
but only one "side" (Mac or VirtualPC) could do TCP/IP at any one time.
No single connection serving both sides. I was told that SoftWindows
would work that way, but a Pentium became available and I settled for
the real thing alongside my Mac.
Networking:
I need a very potent compute engine to run my market prediction system.
There are two mini-supercomputers in the outer office (Stardent TITAN
UNIX workstations with a total of 3 80 Megaflop parallel vector processors).
I have an Ethernet TCP/IP Lan connecting: A Mac G3, the Pentium, and
the two UNIX workstations. The way it goes is: The Mac talks via modem
to my ISP, letting me send e-mail (sic), get quotes off the Web, and
letting me trade via the Web. The Mac runs a UNIX (MachTen) that lets
me do UNIX-things on the Mac and provides 6+ telnet windows (via TCP/IP) to the
TITANs, so I can cut from the Web browser windows and paste into the
TITAN windows to move data; then cut the results from the TITANs and
paste into an EXCEL spreadsheet on the Mac. The connection to the
Pentium (running WinNT 4.0 Workstation) lets me FTP data files when the
ISP dies (the Pentium uses a different ISP) or the Mac crashes. Otherwise,
the Pentium just sits there, displaying tick charts and Time-Sales tables.
The Mac does what it does best: run two separate networks (dial up and
Ethernet) plus run a UNIX alongside the usual Mac spreadsheet, Web
browser, editors, etc.
The Pentium does what it does best ... run the real-time data display.
The UNIX workstations do what they do best: crunch numbers.
The joy of things is that preliminary tests on the G3 indicate that it
alone is fast enough to run my market prediction system! Even faster
than a TITAN. At $1000 each (an iMAC will do it), I can run one
portfolio on each Mac ... So, I'm porting the C code to the Mac and
hoping to automate the whole thing. Just how the networking will play
into this isn't clear yet ... I may use the Pentium to grab the data
and feed it to the Macs or just let the Macs grab it themselves. They
now can grab it themselves using an AppleScript, a Web browser, and
a "Cron" timing program. Not so easily done on a WinNT system, yet.
What the world will be coming to, IMHO, are very simple terminals (thin PCs)
that tie to the Internet and nodes on the Internet that will provide a fee-for-
service analytic capability. Your private algorithms running on a
very fast computer. No problems of storing your own data, doing your
own backups, or writing your own code (Rent-a-Predictor?). "THE NETWORK
*IS* THE COMPUTER"
Cheers,
Robin Lake
rbl@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Robin,
> Seems to me that networking NT and Linux boxes is the ideal route to
> interoperability.
> Any info on that?
>
> TIA,
> Bob
> bjagow@xxxxxxx <mailto:bjagow@xxxxxxx>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robin B. Lake [mailto:rbl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 1999 6:44 AM
> To: omega-list@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Linux, Unix and WindowsNT
>
>
> Someone asked how one could run Linux and WindowsNT concurrently.
> I have a copy of Open/NT from Interex (nee Softway) but I'm not
> currently using it on my WinNT box. They have a write-up about
> the concurrent operation of Linux and WinNT at:
>
> http://www.interix.com/linux/index.html
>
> Part of the blurb says:
>
> Just as it does with UNIX system applications, INTERIX on Windows NT also
> runs
> Linux apps. The question has been asked, why would anyone want to run Linux
> apps, on INTERIX, on Windows NT? The answer is simple: Linux users often
> must
> use Windows NT in their corporate environment. By adding INTERIX, they can
> easily run their LINUX and UNIX applications while on Windows NT. INTERIX
> provides a true open system environment, without affecting Windows NT
> applications or performance."
>
> I've only lightly tested Open/NT, but it seemed to work as a UNIX
> system should. Looks like their system w/o X Windows is about $300,
> with X Windows about $600.
>
> I'm re-engineering my UNIX-based system (all C code) in CodeWarrior.
> Porting
> is not exactly straightforward, but the documentation CD-ROM just arrived
> and that could help a lot. The system then can be targeted to WinNT native,
> Open/NT under WindowsNT, MacOS, MachTen under MacOS, Linux, and real UNIX.
>
> National Public Radio this morning had a piece on Linux, as the Linux
> Conference opens today. That should be available on the Web in RealAudio.
> Try http://www.wksu.org/news/ but I can't remember if it was the 7:00
> broadcast (Coffee run) or the 8:00 broadcast (Dog run).
>
> Cheers,
> Rob Lake
> rbl@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
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