One-line summary: Digital Unix 4.0x doesn't support the
PXG+ TurboChannel 3D graphics cards any more :-(.
I wish to express my thanks to all those who replied. (The mail spool
containing the replies is on another
system (guess which one) that I can't access right at this moment, so I
can't quote replies or name names, but thank
you -- you know who you are).
Most replies pointed out that support for certain TurboChannel graphics
cards, unfortunately including the
PXG+ family (which includes the "Mid 3D Graphics Card" in my 3000/600),
was dropped from Digital UNIX 4.0.
These cards were listed as "scheduled to be retired" in the 3.2 release
notes, which as it happens I didn't see since I
updated directly to 4.0a.
The funny thing is, I called DEC (pre-sales support, as if I were about
to order 4.0d for the workstation) and
after a long discussion and then several hours of waiting I got a call
back assuring me that of course, everything
is fine, I should go ahead and order, because 4.0 is completely
compatible with my PXG+ graphics option. After
finding this contradicted on this list and in black-and-white on the 3.2
release notes , I've decided to disregard the
conclusions of DEC's salesperson, whom I trust less than people on this
list, and am downgrading to 3.2 as soon
as I can get my hands on the media. I hear that support for the PXG+ is
buggy even in 3.2, but I'm not sure exactly
what else I can do other than give it a shot.
Needless to say I'm pretty torqued at having support withdrawn so
quickly for such an expensive component (the
PXG+ graphics option added multiple thousands of dollars, as I recall,
to the already high price of the workstation
when we bought it less than three years ago). But so it ever was with
expensive proprietary hardware -- I remember
the incredible shock we got when trying to upgrade the 3000/600's memory
and being told that the price would
be approximately 20 (!) times the then market value for that amount of
RAM. This sort of thing explains why
nowadays 3FHAC purchases, and procures for its clients, almost
exclusively "generic" hardware (that is to say, x86
or Alpha PCI motherboards) that is supported by source-available,
openly-developed operating systems (that is to
say, Linux).
Some replies also asked whether Open 3D was installed (yes) and whether
I had done the firmware update (yes).
Thanks again to everyone!
Rob
bigcat_at_3fhac.com
Received on Wed Feb 25 1998 - 01:41:47 NZDT