Getting Started, Documentation, Tips & Tricks

Well...I've been hanging around here for a while and I must say this place has quite a bit of useful info! I decided to finally register(this is my first post), and I've been looking around the SGI homepage since maybe two years ago...Anyway my question is what can Irix do for a normal user, and why it seems you need to have odd hardware just to run the OS?

I look around and see odd CPU speeds that sound pathetic. The machine I'm using right now is an Intel @ 3.3GHz, and the one next to it is an old AMD K6-2/300. How does Irix-specific hardware compare to my X86 crap? =/

Furthermore, I'm a collector of Operating Systems, and in a few hours I'm going to go back to using linux for a while. I need to get back to remembering how to use that before I start forgetting basic command lines like dmesg and such. Right now I'm wondering if Irix can be installed on an X86 or PPC. It sounds relative to linux, so I'm assuming it's quite possible, yet I think a few responses are going to be no due to certain hardware dependencies. After what I've been reading, Irix sounds like a true Unix. I wanna see that in action.

Speaking of compatible with X86, I'm in need of a handy KVM switch right now. It would be quite nice to have now that I've linked two machines together. Would that switch also work with an Irix-based box? I've seen these boxes before, and it just seemed to catch my interest lately.

Oh yeah, one more thing...I hear that graphics tools seem to actually work nicely on Irix. If that's the case, I want it! =/ I would ask where I could get that OS, and maybe the dependent hardware, but I wanna get a few things straightened out by actual users before I continue. I tend to research things before deciding if they're even worth evaluating.

Thanks.

What i know is:

IRIX is running on SGI-MIPS-Hardware

IRIX will not run on Intel, PPC or something.

[quote="Thomas W."]What i know is:

IRIX is running on SGI-MIPS-Hardware

I just wanna know why I can't run NeXTStep on my HP 9816 ':('
.

Speedwise some things just cant compare because clone machines (PCs) have advanced much (you have Intel Pentium 4 3.3GHz ) while MIPS is still "crawling" at R14000 600MHz tops or around. Talk about proprietary hardware...

This said if you plan to do major computations don't bother with SGI unless you have some serious fire power (Origins or Crays networked in parallel etc).
BUT as a desktop workstation for general things I think SGI still has some leverage, minus the insane costs for Tezro and Fuel workstations. You can get yourself a nice Octane/2 on eBay and start from there.
IRIX is a solid and stable OS, still ahead of Windogs in my opinion. Most applications are available (many thanks to Nekochaners efforts) that are used on a daily basis so it does not lack there. Specific applications are also available, depending on your field of interest.

So just for the sake of collecting, you should one SGI box. Who knows maybe you even decide to switch to it as a main workstation. I know that the sluggishness (my main gripe) of the Linux KDE/GNOME/X does not exist with IRIX. The GUI feels fast and responsive just like Windogs yet the flavour of Unix is retained, in full flow and ffunctionality.

I just like to play around with old hardware. I'm kinda famous in some parts for that kinda thing. Anyway, thanks...I'll consider this OS. I've noticed that some people here like Irix as their main OS of choice, and I've only seen Irix in action once, so that's kinda frustrating. I wanna see what the new 6.5.xx has to offer. Right now I'm just playing around with WinNT6 and a few other OSs like PHLAK, and that's not very fun right now. So SGI's Octane2 is a good box to start off with? I'll probably find one on eBay for cheap then. Too bad there's no Irix-Unix emulator or anything...I'll just have to stick with old crap like BSD and Knoppix for now. Wasn't the XFS disk format designed for Irix? Or was that for something else? I know professionals still use that file system today. >.>'

NT6 doesn't exist at the moment unless ye got access to the preview copies of Longhorn.
NT5 -> Windows2000
NT5.1 -> WindowsXP
NT5.2 -> Windows2003

I will say i quite like windows2003 at least it doesn't install nearly as many things by default compared to Windows2000 server.

As for comparing archs well i remember reading somewhere that a Mips R14000 @ 600mhz had half the SPEC scores of a P4 at 3GHz, given that the P4 has 5times the clock speed, the fact that the R14k got half the same score shows that clock speed isn't everything. It's a pity the R18000 got cancelled. I say one of those at 1GHz would have had the same spec performance if not better then the P4.

amigo wrote: Speedwise some things just cant compare because clone machines (PCs) have advanced much (you have Intel Pentium 4 3.3GHz ) while MIPS is still "crawling" at R14000 600MHz tops or around.

r16k/800

DaemonDraxx wrote: I just like to play around with old hardware. I'm kinda famous in some parts for that kinda thing. Anyway, thanks...I'll consider this OS. I've noticed that some people here like Irix as their main OS of choice, and I've only seen Irix in action once, so that's kinda frustrating. I wanna see what the new 6.5.xx has to offer. Right now I'm just playing around with WinNT6 and a few other OSs like PHLAK, and that's not very fun right now. So SGI's Octane2 is a good box to start off with? I'll probably find one on eBay for cheap then. Too bad there's no Irix-Unix emulator or anything...I'll just have to stick with old crap like BSD and Knoppix for now. Wasn't the XFS disk format designed for Irix? Or was that for something else? I know professionals still use that file system today. >.>'

You havn't really stated if you want to do some productive work using IRIX, i.e 3D modelling-rendering, programming-compiing, etc. If you merely want to mess around with the OS and get the general feel for IRIX why not just buy an old Indigo2? You can pick them up for pennies off of ebay and the R10k-Impact versions run IRIX 6.5 very well.

mr_ripley wrote:

DaemonDraxx wrote: I just like to play around with old hardware. I'm kinda famous in some parts for that kinda thing. ;) Anyway, thanks...I'll consider this OS. I've noticed that some people here like Irix as their main OS of choice, and I've only seen Irix in action once, so that's kinda frustrating. I wanna see what the new 6.5.xx has to offer. :) Right now I'm just playing around with WinNT6 and a few other OSs like PHLAK, and that's not very fun right now. So SGI's Octane2 is a good box to start off with? I'll probably find one on eBay for cheap then. Too bad there's no Irix-Unix emulator or anything...I'll just have to stick with old crap like BSD and Knoppix for now. :roll: Wasn't the XFS disk format designed for Irix? Or was that for something else? I know professionals still use that file system today. >.>'

You havn't really stated if you want to do some productive work using IRIX, i.e 3D modelling-rendering, programming-compiing, etc. If you merely want to mess around with the OS and get the general feel for IRIX why not just buy an old Indigo2? You can pick them up for pennies off of ebay and the R10k-Impact versions run IRIX 6.5 very well.

That is about right, stick to a fast Indigo2 if you are just going to play around with it and will not use it as an everyday use machine. However, a fast O2 is also a good choice if you would also like to play around with video capture as well.

If you decide you really like IRIX; you can always sell your old machine, give it to someone else intrested in SGI stuff, or even leave it in the corner and use it as a http server or something.

If you do decide to give IRIX a try; whatever you do, make sure you have a good copy of IRIX, and a SOG capable monitor as well. Either that or prepare to suffer lots of un-nessicary frustration on the way.

Dubhthach wrote: NT6 doesn't exist at the moment unless ye got access to the preview copies of Longhorn.
NT5 -> Windows2000
NT5.1 -> WindowsXP
NT5.2 -> Windows2003

I will say i quite like windows2003 at least it doesn't install nearly as many things by default compared to Windows2000 server.

As for comparing archs well i remember reading somewhere that a Mips R14000 @ 600mhz had half the SPEC scores of a P4 at 3GHz, given that the P4 has 5times the clock speed, the fact that the R14k got half the same score shows that clock speed isn't everything. It's a pity the R18000 got cancelled. I say one of those at 1GHz would have had the same spec performance if not better then the P4.

1.
NT5.1 = WinXP/Whistler Candidate...true
NT5.2 = 2003/.NET Candidate...true
Unknown WinNT Kernel OS 6.0 = You guessed it...PDC...

Yes NT6 exists...If it exists...I've got it.
2. Windows 2003? I have .NET Server. It's pretty stable, but I prefer being able to run games.
3. I have not seen anything about the R14K. I have only heard of the R16K at this point...and the R18K that was cancelled(damnit! ).
4. Yes I know clock speed isn't everything...but if you have a 3.2GHz clock speed with a 1600MHz FSB... Bah...I'm just dreaming...>.>'

Anyway yes...I'm looking for an alternative machine to do graphics design and fun crap like that. Everything on the Irix boxes look purrrrty. x.x'

DaemonDraxx wrote: Speaking of compatible with X86, I'm in need of a handy KVM switch right now. It would be quite nice to have now that I've linked two machines together. Would that switch also work with an Irix-based box? I've seen these boxes before, and it just seemed to catch my interest lately.

I have a cheap Belkin 2-port KVM switch. Works just fine with my Octane and Linux x86 boxes. http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=134809

0ctane wrote:

DaemonDraxx wrote: Speaking of compatible with X86, I'm in need of a handy KVM switch right now. It would be quite nice to have now that I've linked two machines together. Would that switch also work with an Irix-based box? I've seen these boxes before, and it just seemed to catch my interest lately.

I have a cheap Belkin 2-port KVM switch. Works just fine with my Octane and Linux x86 boxes. http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=134809

Awesome...o.O'
I don't trust Belkin stuff though. Too many incompatibilities...but I'm sure that KVM switch would work. I found a similar one that's about have that price. Newegg has better as well. I'm just wondering if the VGA cable would work. It sounds to me like there are several incompatibilites with standard age hardware that just shouldn't be there. One of which happens to require some kind of outdated monitor.

What is the list of X86 stuff that's compatible with an Irix box? Like a PS2 Keyboard...mouse...Serial devices...hard disks....everything. o.O'

DaemonDraxx wrote: I'm just wondering if the VGA cable would work. It sounds to me like there are several incompatibilites with standard age hardware that just shouldn't be there. One of which happens to require some kind of outdated monitor.
What is the list of X86 stuff that's compatible with an Irix box? Like a PS2 Keyboard...mouse...Serial devices...hard disks....everything. o.O'

Well, you would need a 13W3 to HD15 video cable adapter on the octane. They run about $20 on ebay, and you have to make sure it is for SGIs and not Sun computers. Alternately, there are a few hacks floating around to get video working. Next, your monitor needs to have Sync On Green (SOG) capability. There are a few threads on Nekochan discussing this along with compatible monitors. I use a 18" Sony flat panel monitor.
Hard disks: hot swapable SCSI-3 with 80 pin SCA.
I use a SGI keyboard and mouse, so I do not know if others are compatible. Search the forums.

0ctane wrote: I use a SGI keyboard and mouse, so I do not know if others are compatible. Search the forums.

I have a Philips 17" TFT 170S4 that does Sync On Green, it works perfectly with my Octane2.

You can use a pc serial keyboard and mouse, I have SGI ones, but I found the IBM Scrollpoint mouse really nice (part number 31P8700) but you can find nice SGI keyboards and mouses on eBay really cheap, if you get it from SGI it is really expensive, at least on my country.

An O2 is a wonderful computer, with a really good looking factor. A good start into the IRIX world and it comes with a cd drive, no kidding, an Octane2 lacks it (well you can use one external scsi drive)

BTW, you could try a Mac, I found really cool jump from the IRIX Console to the Mac OS X Terminal

Heheh....the idea here is to get as close to a Mac setup without having the crappy OS. I don't know why I always have problems with programs in Macs, but I tend to a lot. I'm hoping Irix is a good alternative like Yellow Dog linux.