Re: 20000519: hardware choices

Hi Alan,

> >To: address@hidden
> >From: alan anderson <address@hidden>
> >Subject: more Sun questions from alan
> >Organization: St. Cloud State
> >Keywords: 200005192059.e4JKx5T09907 hardware
>
> We had a session with Sun reps. today, and they are offering some
> very tempting prices.   Sun ultra 5  at about 1100 with 256kRam and
> a 17 inch monitor.for about $900.
> Sun Ultra 10 for about  $3000 fairly well equipped.

Doesn't seem like their offering much more than the standard edu deals
See; http://krusty.uen.org/prices/promos.html

> A very inexpensive price for the sun compilers.

It should already be cheap if you have a Sun ScholarPac site agreement -
does your campus have one in place?  If not, it my be well worth it to
set one up -- see; http://www.sun.com/edu/

> What is the down side of using an Ultra 5 as our "base" terminal, assuming
> it has enough Ram and disk?

An Ultra 5 is OK, but I think you could do better with PC's.

> Can you offer your perspective?  If price is not the issue, are there
> some other aspects of Sun workstations (probably the lower end models)
> that are limiting or likely to create problems?
> As you know, we now run Gateways with Solarisx86.  I think our assumption
> is that at some point (in terms of running more demanding applications)
> that a workstation from Sun or someone else will definitely perform
> better than even a well equipped pc.  Is this reasonable or is it just
> a matter of buying enough RAM and disk, whether pc or workstation?

If you look at the many of the low-end Suns, they are really PC's with a
SPARC chip instead of and Intel chip.  They have a PCI bus and IDE disks.
You can order a blazing fast PC for $2000-3000, especially if you can
find a local vendor and avoid Dell/Gateway who often have a 10-20% markup
on commodity items.  Don't get me wrong, I'd still make sure to get a three
year warranty, but with somebody local.  Anyway, I think you are right on
by saying that is it usually a matter of buying enough RAM and disk.
If you are interested, I could throw together a basic configuration and
a cost estimate of what you should be able to find...

> One of the factors that makes the Sun appealing is that our State Admin.
> apparently has an educational purchase/discount plan in place with Sun
> which includes software (compiler packages) at low prices.

This is an important consideration, especially if you already have a big
investment in SPARC software licenses.

mike