The collected works of DaemonDraxx

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.

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. >.>'

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'

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'

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.