NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #26/NN_1992_26.iso/spool/comp/unix/sys5/r4/435

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-04 | 22.0 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!pipex!warwick!uknet!mcsun!news.funet.fi!uta!kielo!av
From: [e-mail] (Arto V. Viitanen)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sys5.r4
Subject: Re: SVR4.2 features
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 5 Nov 92 08:21:00 GMT
References: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Arto V. Viitanen)
Organization: University of Tampere, Finland
Lines: 547
Nntp-Posting-Host: kielo
In-reply-to: [e-mail]'s message of 4 Nov 92 19:02:50 GMT

>>>>> On 4 Nov 92 19:02:50 GMT, [e-mail] (Esa Karell) said:

Esa> There has been some discussion abou this fairly current release. Could
Esa> someone post a brief summary of changes/ new features it has over 4.0.
Esa> Thx,

Following is mail I received from USL's mailserver (the message also contains
information how I obtained it). This server is on UK, so I think that those
in USA should try [e-mail].

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Re: svr4.2
To: [e-mail]
Content-Length: 21284
Content-Type: text
From: [e-mail]
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 92 13:30:00 GMT
Status: ORp





Thankyou for requesting information from the UNIX System Toolchest and
general USL product information server.

Customers in the United States and Canada who wish to access the
Toolchest directly, may do so 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by dialing
1-908-522-6900 and logging in as guest. This is a 1200/2400 baud line.

Latest toolchest product news is available using the subject field: new-tools.
An index of available information can be obtained using the subject
field: index

For information on how to obtain the complete Toolchest catalogue
email this server with the Subject line : catalog, for example:


    mailx [e-mail]
        Subject: catalog
        <ctrl-d>

An index of available product information (other than toolchest products)
can be obtained using the subject field: pindex

-----
You have requested information on the following topic

    Subject: svr4.2

UNIX SVR4.2 PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT/OVERVIEW  Revision 1.2

UNIX System V Release 4.2 (UNIX SVR4.2) from UNIX System Laboratories,
Inc. (USL), brings to market a high performance, scalable, advanced
operating system for commercial use. UNIX SVR4.2 combines the
traditional strengths of the UNIX system architecture with ease of use, a
wide range of application support, and an extended distribution channel,
making it the Open Systems standard of choice for rightsizing corporate
enterprise computing. UNIX SVR4.2 is positioned to support emerging
hardware technology such as laptops and notebooks, compact disks and
multiprocessors, as well as software technology such as distributed
object oriented environments and multimedia.

High Reliability. UNIX SVR4.2 incorporates the features needed to
support mission critical applications in a distributed environment. The
Veritas filesystem (VxFS) is provided in the foundation set as the default
file system, giving commercial robustness and implementing a virtual disk
environment that transparently improves the availability and performance
of the operating system.  VxFS supports quick recovery on startup, robustness,
support as the root filesystem and is dynamically loadable.

An add-on VxFS filesystem package provides further features:
   online backup, online filesystem administration, preallocation and fixed
   file extents, unbuffered I/O and other caching options, and an NFS
   accelerator

Easy to Learn. UNIX SVR4.2 contains a comprehensive on-line hypertext
help system, putting information at your fingertips. Accompanied by an
easy-to-understand handbook, UNIX SVR4.2 is easy to learn, making users
productive quickly. The system provides access to help in three ways:
  - via a HELP Desk icon in the top-level toolbox
  - via the Help menu button in a window's control area
  - and via the standard Help key on icons in the toolbox and folder
    windows which have the HELP property.

Easy to Use. UNIX SVR4.2 allows users who have experience with
graphical environments to feel right at home, and allows users with no
experience to quickly become productive. The fully integrated graphical
desktop manager has a set of graphical tools modeled after an office
worker's desktop and a simple style of drag-and-drop interaction.
Users can choose either OSF Motif (tm) or OPEN LOOK (r) GUI look and
feel. Different users on the same SVR4.2 system can run different GUIs.

Easy to Install. UNIX SVR4.2 installation software is intuitive  it knows
about all of the available standard desktop options and presents them for
the user to select easily. Questions are asked up front, so that installation
proceeds with minimal user interaction.

Easy to Administer. UNIX SVR4.2's new graphical administration
lets users "drag and drop" icons to install and manage software packages.
Printers, file and directory structures, network connections, and users
preferences/set-up are managed through icons and windowed menus.

Security. UNIX SVR4.2 is built on the UNIX SVR4.1 Enhanced Security
(UNIX SVR4.1 ES)  base, the first secure UNIX operating system designed
for an enterprise computing environment. For example, the Trusted Facilities
Management (TFM) facility (provided with SVR4.1ES) is used to maintain
a database of logins and associated privileges so that users of
the Desktop Metaphor are not forced to become the superuser to
perform a privileged task. When a Desktop user attempts to perform a
task requiring privilege, the Desktop Metaphor uses the tfadmin command
to verify that the user is allowed to perform the task. This allows
fine granularity of privilege, permission that can be associated with
Desktop users include system shutdown, device access (tape,floppy etc),
remote system access, dialup administration, internet administration,
printer administration, font administration, application administration, and
remote file sharing administration.

Application Compatibility. UNIX SVR4.2 supports the widest range of
current UNIX system applications, encompassing XENIX, SCO UNIX, SunOS,
Solaris 1.0 and BSD. Application compatibility both today and in the future
is ensured via stringent conformance to the UNIX System V Application
Binary Interface (ABI), System V Interface Definition (SVID) and iBCS2
industry standards.

DOS and Windows Application Support. UNIX SVR4.2 provides a
mechanism for incorporating the user's existing DOS and Windows
environment and application sets via popular emulation packages. UNIX
SVR4.2 has been optimized within the UNIX system kernel to provide
improved performance for a wide spectrum of these packages. Users can
continue to utilize their applications of today while realizing the benefits
provided by a true multi-tasking environment.

OSF Motif/OPEN LOOK GUI Support. The Desktop Manager was
developed with MoOLIT(tm), providing users with the ability to run both
Motif and OPEN LOOK applications. For those Motif applications that are
bundled with required run-time libraries, no additional software is
needed. For Motif applications without bundled run-time libraries, the
Motif Run-Time Add-on package is available.

Open API. The Desktop Application Programmer Interface (API) provides
a consistent metaphor and standard usage of features throughout the
desktop. By adhering to the standard interfaces, it is easy to develop and
integrate applications, drivers, and icons for existing applications into UNIX
SVR4.2 as well as a different desktop manager into UNIX SVR4.2. This
allows users to customize their environment, and maintain compatibility
with existing systems.

ISV/IHV Program. To ensure wide availability of graphical applications,
USL and Univel have implemented an aggressive ISV program to have an
extensive selection of popular user applications, a strong set of
development tools and enablers, and flexible networking options. The IHV
program will ensure that the latest peripheral devices will interact with
installed UNIX SVR4.2 systems.

Modularity. SVR4.2 extends modularity of SVR4.1 with isolation of
processor specific source modules from the main body of the common code.
For the first time, SVR4.2 will support multiple architectures from a
single source tree.

The UNIX SVR4.2 Software Architecture provides an organized series of
packages and sets which OEMs may adapt to produce a final UNIX SVR4.2
version to meet the needs of their target markets. The sets include:
    UNIX SVR4.2 Foundation Set
    Multi-User Set
    Graphics Applications Set
    Administration Set
    Utilities Set
    Networking Set
    Software Development Set
    Add-On Packages featuring: Auditing, Motif Run-Time, Motif
Development Package, CD-ROM, Encryption Utilities, Font Packages, and
Veritas

Data compression techniques have been used in packaging the binaries
to reduce the size of the distribution media required.

High Performance. To meet UNIX SVR4.2's performance requirements,
UNIX SVR4.1 ES was optimized from both a size and speed perspective (see
later). The result is that UNIX SVR4.2 runs effectively on a 386sx
16Mhz machine with 4 megabytes of memory and 60 megabytes of disk.
An optimized X Window System (tm) server provides fast window manipulation
and screen updates for all applications.

System performance was enhanced via the introduction of Dynamically
Loadable Kernel Modules. These modules allow a new device driver to be
installed without having to rebuild the kernel. Since the system does not
have to be rebooted in order to install new drivers, installation is
streamlined and system availability is improved. Size requirements were
also minimized due to Dynamically Loadable Modules (DLMs) which conserve
system RAM, helping the desktop system to run on minimally configured
systems.

The DLMs support auto-loading and auto-unloading. Typically an auto-load
of a module would occur on the first open of a device file, resulting
in one or more device drivers and STREAMS modules being installed. Another
example would be the first mount of a filesystem type, which would result
in the load of the filesystem type.

An auto-unload can be caused either by the close of the last open reference
to a device file, the last unmount of a filesystem type, and the last
pop of a STREAMS module.

The modadmin command is available to administer DLMs. Using modadmin
it is possible to  load a module by name, unload a module by name or
module id, get the status of the module (loaded or not), and get status
of all the loaded modules. For example a typical system might have the
following modules loaded:

# modadmin -s
Module ID: 1,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/bfs
Module ID: 5,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ufs
Module ID: 6,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/sfs
Module ID: 7,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/wd
Module ID: 9,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/sockmod
Module ID: 11,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ticlts
Module ID: 12,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ticots
Module ID: 13,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ticotsor
Module ID: 25,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ptem
Module ID: 26,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/fd
Module ID: 27,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/st01
Module ID: 28,          Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/m320
#

It is possible to obtain more information for a particular DLM, i.e.
# modadmin -Q ufs
Module ID: 5,           Module: /etc/conf/mod.d/ufs
Size: 140,              Base Address: 0xd1138600
Reference Count: 1,     Dependent Count: 0
Unload Delay: 600 seconds
Loadable UFS FS Type
Type:   File System
        Switch Number:          13

There are also a set of new system calls available to manipulate the DLMs:
    modload(), moduload(), modstat(), modpath(), modgetsym()

Further changes for Improved performance.
The kernel now supports an alternate memory layout
for ELF processes in order to cut down on the number of
page tables for a typical UNIX program.  The layout used by old ELF files
continues to be supported by the kernel. This change improves system
performance by reducing the expected number of page tables per process.

New swapping and time-sharing scheduler algorithms were also developed for
UNIX SVR4.2 to improve system performance and make the system more
responsive.

Upgrade/Overlay. Current UNIX SVR4.0 Version 4 users can upgrade
their systems to UNIX SVR4.2, taking advantage of the new features
without disrupting personal files or system configuration. The overlay
feature allows current UNIX SVR4.2 users to install new releases of UNIX
SVR4.2 on their systems, guaranteeing the same protection of files and
configuration.

Adobe Type Manager. The Adobe Type Manager(tm) (ATM) is included
in the Foundation Set. ATM is a scalable or outline font renderer that reads
Type 1 fonts and creates smooth type at any point size for the user's
display. Type 1 fonts are the most widely used outline fonts available in
the market and are compatible with all PostScript(tm) printers. Outline fonts
are beneficial to word processing, presentation graphics, desktop
publishing, and other applications for which WYSIWYG is important. Type
1 fonts packaged on diskette for the DOS Windows retail market, widely
available from leading outlets and mail order suppliers, can be easily
installed and are immediately usable on UNIX SVR4.2  no system reboot
is required. An add-on package of 13 basic Type 1 outline fonts is also
available.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

UNIX SVR4.2 has a new C Optimized Compilation System, Release 2.0, for
the Intel platform which provides enhanced performance and object
compatibility with C Issue 5.

The UNIX SVR4.2 Software Developer's Set includes not only
the standard C development environment, but also a wide range of support
tools. These tools allow software developers to develop the graphical and
networked applications that end users expect. They include:
    a graphical debugger specifically designed to debug distributed and
multi-process applications, allowing developers to easily debug client-
server and workgroup applications;
The debugger utilises the /proc filesystem, which has file entries
for each process in the system, thus /proc/4120 would be the process
image of process id 4120.
    the MoOLIT Toolkit allowing developers to create applications that can
be dynamically switched to Motif or OPEN LOOK GUI, based on the user
preference setting
    a graphical user interface development tool allowing developers to drag
and drop screen objects on a window to design the look-and-feel
functions of the screens used in an application which drastically reduces
the time to get products to market. This tool is based on the Integrated
Computer Solutions, Inc, Builder Xcessory (tm) interactive design tool,
and passes code for the screen design to the MoOLIT Toolkit, dramatically
reducing application development time for both Motif and OPEN LOOK GUI
applications.

The Windowing Korn Shell(tm) (WKSH), an extension to the standard Korn
Shell, is offered as an additional UNIX SVR4.2 package. The WKSH is
targeted for the development of graphical user interfaces, and can reduce
user interface code by as much as 90%.

UNIX SVR4.2 supports a full range of internationalization features including:
    8-bit and multibyte code sets
    alternate date and time formats
    enhanced support for character classification and conversion functions
    ANSI C internationalization enhancements, Extended UNIX Characters
(EUC), and multibyte processing
    extended, internationalized curses library
    support for ANSI C locale mechanism
    provision of XPG3 Messaging Facilities
    flexible STREAMS support for international input methods

European Language Support. Additional products providing European
Localisation for SVR4.2 are under development and will provide:
  - a fully localised user interface and easy to use documentation in French,
German, Italian and Spanish;
  - application level support for the whole of Europe.


Documentation. UNIX SVR4.2 has a new documentation set which
includes handbooks for end users that make it easy to get started and be
productive quickly. Administrators have new books that guide them
through the management of UNIX SVR4.2 resources. To help ISVs, there
are books ranging in topic from C programming to the development of
applications and drivers. In addition, there is a complete set of reference
manuals that cover every feature of the system.

Filesystem support.  SVR4.2 supports bfs,cdfs,fifofs,proc,nfs,rfs,s5,specfs,
sfs, ufs, and vxfs filesystem types.  These are implemented over VFS, the
virtual filesystem.

VFS provides a clearly defined, modular interface between file systems and
the rest of the UNIX system kernel, and allows several different file system
types to coexist on the same system-including file systems that have
significantly different characteristics and internal formats.  The modular
nature of the architecture allows programmers to design and install new
file system types in a clean, straight-forward manner.

New filesystems supported in Release 4.2 include:

       cdfs the CD-ROM file system; this is provided to access CD-ROMs
    that comply with ISO-9660 or High Sierra CD-ROM file system standards.
    The Rock Ridge System Use Sharing Protocol and Interchange
    Protocol extensions to ISO-9660 are supported .
    The X/Open XCDR Application API for ISO-9660 CD-ROM disks is also
    supported.

       sfs a secure file system type based on the ufs ``fast file
    system''; it supports access control lists (ACLs) and mandatory
    access control security levels associated with files

       vxfs the veritas journaling filesystem; the default in
    Release 4.2; provides high performance with robustness
    required for commercial applications.

For further information on other filesystems supported in SVR4
try querying the info server with the subject 4.0_i386
-----
UNIX SVR4.2 SUPPORTED HARDWARE
Processors
    Intel 80386 (tm), 80386SX, 80386SL, i80486, 80486/SX
    and compatibles.

Math Co-processor
    Intel 80387, 80487. Weitek(tm) 3167

Mouse Support
    PS/2 (R). Logitech bus, serial, MouseMan.
    Microsoft(R) bus, serial.

Network Cards

    ETHERNET:

    Intel IMX586/PC586, Ether Express 16
    WD 8003-EP, 8003-E/A, 8003-EBT
    3COM 3C503, 3C507, 3C523

    TOKEN RING:

    IBM(R) 16/4 Token Ring Adapter - AT & MCA

Serial Ports
    NS 16450 Asynch Communications Element
    NS 16550 Asynch Communications Element
    Intel 82510 Asynch Communications Element

Floppy Disk Drives
    5.25" (360KB, 1.2MB) 3.5" (720KB, 1.44MB)

SCSI Optical Disks
    Maxtor Tahiti-I, Tahiti II
    Sony SMO-E501

SCSI Tapes
    Archive Viper 2150S, Viper 2060S
    Archive Python DAT
    CDC 92181 9-Track
    SONY DAT SDT-1000
    Exabyte 8mm EXB-8200
    HP(R) 88780-A 9-Track
    Wangtek KS23417, KS23465, KS23569, 5125ES, SCSI ES41

SCSI WORM Drives
    Toshiba
    Maxtor RXT-800HS

SCSI CD-ROM Drives
    Toshiba XM-3201B
    NEC(R) CDR-82
    Sony
    Pioneer

SCSI Hard Disks
    ALL

AT Hard Disk Controllers

    (ESDI/ST506/MFM/IDE:)
    Western Digital 1003,1005,1006,1007
    Adaptec 2320, 2322, 2372, ACB 2370,72C
    DTC 5280, 5287, 7280, 6280
    DPT PM3011a/50 (ESDI)
    SMS/OMTI 8640
    IDE (Connor, Quantum, Seagate, Western Digital, Maxtor)
    IBM Micro Channel 1, Micro Channel 2, Micro Channel ESDI

Hard Disks

    (ESDI/ST506/MFM/IDE:)
    CDC
    Maxtor
    Micropolis
    Miniscribe
    NEC
    Ope
    Rodime
    Seagate
    Tandon
    Toshiba

Cartridge Tape Controllers
    Wangtek 30850, PC-36, PC02
    Archive SC499-R, SC402, VP409

Cartridge Tape Drives
    Archive 2150L, 2060L
    Wangtek 5125EQ, 5150EQ, 5099EN24

SCSI Host Adapters
    Adaptec AHA-1540/1542, 1640, 1740, 1742
    Western Digital WD-7000
    IBM SCSI Host Adapter
    DPT 2011, 2012A, 2012B

Video Adapters
    Diamond Speedstar 800x600/16 1024x768/256
    Orchid Prodesigner II, IIs 800x600/16 1024x768/256
    Perfect View 800x600/16 1024x768/256
    Sigma  Legend 800x600/16 1024x768/256
    STB PowerGraph 800x600/16 1024x768/256
    Trident 8900C 1024x768/16 1024x768/256
    Trident 8800 1024x768/16
    Western Digital WD901C10 800x600/16 1024x768/16
    Western Digital WD901C11 800x600/16 1024x768/16 1024x768/256
    ATI Wonder XL,PLUS 800x600/16 800x600/256
    ATI V3,V4,V5 800x600/16
    ATI Ultra (under development)
    ATI VGA Wonder 800x600/16 800x600/256
    ET3000 Boards 1024x768/256
    Paradise PVGA 800x600/16
    Most Older VGA Cards 800x600/16 800x600/256
    Standard VGA & EGA
    Microfield T8 (TI34010-based Card)

Printers
    HP Laserjet II, IIP, III, IIIP, IIISI
    HP DeskJet 500, HP PaintJet
    Panasonic 1180, 1695, 1124 1624
    Epson FX850, FX1050, DXF5000, DFX8000, LQ570, LQ870, LQ1170, IPL7500
    IBM ProPrinter, ProPrinter XL, Color Printer, Graphics Printer,
       Parallel Printer
    OKI 320, 390, OL400, OL800
    C.Itoh 8510, 1550, 8510EP, 1550EP, 467-414 Graphics
    Diablo 1620
    Fujitsu DPL24C
    DEC Decwriter I,II,III,IV,LA100,LN03
    Qume Sprint II
    AT&T 40,442,444,446,455,457,458,470,471,473,474,475,477,478,479,
            495,5310,5320,570,572,573,580,581,583,593
    ALL POSTSCRIPT PRINTERS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also available on the info server are the following UNIX SVR4.2
press announcments:

Subject: 4.2news    UNIX SVR4.2 Press Announcment
Subject: 4.2andf    UNIX SVR4.2 ANDF Annoucement
Subject: 4.2atm        UNIX SVR4.2 Adobe Type Manager Announcement
Subject: 4.2vxfs    UNIX SVR4.2 Veritas Journaling Filesystem announcement

To obtain all the above in a single go, send email to the info server
with the subject:
    4.2all

To obtain more information on the Windowing Korn Shell, send email to
the info server with the subject
    wksh

To obtain an overview of UNIX SVR4.0/386 features (as compared to
earlier releases) send email to the info server with the subject:
       4.0_i386
(this is especially useful for folks not familiar with SVR4, this
also has more technical content on the features of SVR4).


-----
** For product enquiries please contact:

Customers in the USA should call 1-800-828-UNIX.

Customers in the Far East should address inquiries to

UNIX System Laboratories Pacific, Ltd.
BR Shiba 1 Bldg.
2-3-18, Shiba Minato-ku
Tokyo 105 Japan

Phone: [phone] (Japanese)
Phone: [phone] (English)
Fax:   [phone]
Telex J34936 ATTUP

Customers in Europe should address inquiries to

UNIX System Laboratories Europe Ltd.
International House
Ealing Broadway
London W5 5DB, England

Phone: [phone]
Fax:   [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
--
Arto V. Viitanen                               email: [e-mail]
University Of Tampere,                                  [e-mail]
Finland