Decstation 3100 configurations

[Chris Siebenmann]

 We're currently putting together a request for some Decstation 3100s,
and I'd obviously like us to wind up with usable systems. Given the
current string of messages bashing various configurations of the
machine, I'm getting a bit nervous. So, I'd like to ask everyone with
Decstation 3100's some questions:

1. How much memory does one realistically need to do C programming and
   run X11R3? Is 8M enough?

2. How much local disk space is needed? Our current plans are to get
   the 100M disks for swap, /, and /usr, and use our existing
   Vaxserver 3600 for user files and such -- is this silly or
   unrealistic? How large is a standard Decstation /usr under Ultrix
   3.0?

3. We currently don't plan to get tape drives for them; instead, we'd
   bring them up as diskless clients from the Vaxserver. Is this
   possible? How much transient disk space will we need?

4. Will there be any problems hooking them into our existing setup of
   Vaxstations (beyond the obvious one with binaries)?

5. Roughly how much bigger than Vax binaries are the MIPS ones? (so I
   know how much space to allocate for MIPS versions of our local
   software).

 I'd also like to hear stories (good AND bad) about your experiences
with Decstation 3100s; what you've found great, what you've found
braindead, etc. I'll post a summary of information I get.

 Thanks in advance from a sysadmin wondering just how much work he's
getting into.

-- 
	"I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world."
			Number Ten Ox, "Bridge of Birds"
Chris Siebenmann		...!utgpu!{ncrcan,ontmoh!moore}!ziebmef!cks
cks at white.toronto.edu	     or ...!utgpu!{,csri!}cks