Re: New to the List, X on A1200 with NetBSD?

[Kerry Gray <kgray%netcom.com@localhost>]

On Wed, 15 Jan 1997 Tom.Stock%gsbsc.gensig.com@localhost wrote:

>      
>      I'd like to take a shot at running X Windows also, and was wondering 
>      if someone could tell me what kind of performance I can expect from X 
>      Windows on my Amiga. The FAQ recommends at least 6MB of RAM, so I 
>      should be ok.
>
I can give you my experience based on running X on my A3000.  Like all 
X implementations, it can be a bit sluggish, expecially when compared 
to Amiga's GUI.  I tried running it with 6MB once, and it did start 
up, but as soon as you move the mouse it goes into a swapping fit.  It 
takes forever to do anything.  I later added memory to 18MB and 
everything runs fine now.  I don't remember what the install docs say, 
but your swap partition should be enough to have 32MB (real+virtual) 
at a minimum.  64MB woudln't hurt.  Also, the recommended size for the 
/usr partition is really too small for X.  If you have already built 
your /usr partition to the recommended size, I suggest you create 
another partition and install X there, inserting the necessary 
symbolic links in /usr/lib, etc.
      
>      I'm guessing it may be out of the question to run any sort of 3D 
>      multiplayer games under X on the amiga due to the conversion for the 
>      graphics chips slowing it down? 
>
I've never tried this myself, so I can't say.
      
>      Is there alot of good free software for NetBSD/Amiga?
>
There's lots of good free UNIX software that will compile and run with 
little or no change out there.