| Re: LINUX version of IDL [message #2804] |
Thu, 06 October 1994 00:36  |
larkum
Messages: 21
Registered: May 1993
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Junior Member |
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In article 8oi@netnews.upenn.edu, mark@ginger.biophys.upenn.edu (Mark Elliott) writes:
>
> I'm interseted in persuading RSI to support IDL under LINUX. LINUX
> is the free, GNU-like version of UNIX for use on Intel-486 based machines (i.e.
> DOS machines). Our experience with LINUX has been terrific. It is a complete
> implemtation of BSD-Unix which turns a $2000 PC into a Unix workstation as
> powerful and functional as any $10,000+ workstation (SUN,SGI,IBM,...)
> The only thing lacking for us is a binary of IDL which will run under LINUX.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!
We feel exactly the same way. What's more, I expect the conversion of IDL to
LINUX from a Sun implementation would be relatively trivial. There are
plenty of programs that compile without problems under LINUX and those
that don't never require much changing. Well, that's using gcc I suppose, and I
don't know what RSI use.
I wonder if RSI have really come into contact with LINUX? The normal reaction
to LINUX on first hearing about is, "Oh yeah, sounds too good to be true", and
I've never seen anyone left unmoved when they actually see it running. My
486DX2-66 runs faster than our Sun workstation under LINUX. It would probably
be a good environment for RSI to _develop_ IDL under. Just think, all the
programmers could work on an individual workstation for a fraction of the cost
and could also go home and work on their own PCs with equivalent ease. On
second, thoughts, maybe they don't want to hear about taking their work home
with them.
Matthew.
larkum@optolab.unibe.ch
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| Re: LINUX version of IDL [message #2979 is a reply to message #2804] |
Sun, 16 October 1994 03:44  |
miff
Messages: 2
Registered: October 1994
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Junior Member |
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First things first : This is _not_ meant to be an operating system flame.
I aim to 1) support the original poster's intentions, and 2) correct
some of his obvious errors.
larkum@optolab.unibe.ch (Matthew Larkum) writes:
>> I'm interseted in persuading RSI to support IDL under LINUX. LINUX
>> is the free, GNU-like version of UNIX for use on Intel-486 based machines (i.e.
>> DOS machines). Our experience with LINUX has been terrific. It is a complete
>> implemtation of BSD-Unix which turns a $2000 PC into a Unix workstation as
>> powerful and functional as any $10,000+ workstation (SUN,SGI,IBM,...)
Bear in mind that Linux is _not_ an implementation of BSD unix.
FreeBSD and NetBSD are BSD implementations. Linux is a unix-like operating
system originally developed by Linus Torvalds. All are freely available,
and perform wonderfully on low-priced hardware.
>> The only thing lacking for us is a binary of IDL which will run under LINUX.
Binaries for a number of operating systems would be nice. There are those
of us who would like to run IDL in extremely harsh environments, where
ruggedised PC hardware has a significant price advantage, and a high-
-reliability PC unix like FreeBSD would be preferable to, say, Intel Solaris
or Linux.
The PC BSD's and Linux share a very similar programming model, and a clean
port to any one would make a port to the others extremely trivial. Given
the low cost of hardware, this would potentially produce a sigificant
market slice for RSI.
The only question I would ask is, would your departmental head be willing
to support any of the free Intel unices?
--
# mike smith : miff@apanix.apana.org.au - Silicon grease monkey #
# "The question 'why are the fundamental laws of nature mathematical' #
# then invites the trivial response 'because we define as fundamental #
# those laws which are mathematical'". Paul Davies, _The_Mind_of_God_. #
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