Request for advice: UNIX/386 purchase

[rlm at ceres.physics.uiowa.edu]

We are about to order a prototype 386 UNIX system for undergraduate use
and like would some advice. Since the Department has been almost
exclusively using VAX-VMS and PC's, we are complete novices in the UNIX
environment, especially UNIX running on PC's. We would like to buy a
packaged hardware-software system with good telephone support. Here are
some details:

        o Since the machine will be used in part for image analysis, we
          need 1024x768 by 256 colors (or better). As far as I can
          determine, only a few PC-based systems currently support 256
          colors at this resolution. 
          
        o The system will be used in three ways: 1. MS-DOS applications
          (including SVGA graphics), 2. VMS applications using both
          TELNET and an X-windows interface to a local area VAXcluster,
          and 3. Native UNIX applications. Connections to the outside
          world are on the Ethernet. We would use FTP to transfer files
          to/from the system.
          
        o Some applications are number crunchers so floating point chip
          (80387) support is mandatory.
          
        o We would like to get at least two seats for $10K or less. We
          have in mind a single CPU plus one or more color X-terminals.
          
One system which looks like it might fit the bill is the Micro/ix 250
with a 80386/387 at 25 MHz, 1024x768 at 256 colors, 8MB memory, 100MB disk,
ESIX/V Release 3.2, VPix, and Ethernet card. Package price is about $5.9K.
Does anyone have any experience with this system? Any suggestions
about other systems we should consider? In case there is interest, I can
post a summary.

Thanks,

Robert Mutel
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242

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