Subject: A couple of X questions...

From: "Keven 'Fractal' Ring" <[email-masked]>

I am writing this as more of a plea than anything else.  If you
don't happen to know the answer, could you please point it to
someone (or point me... :)) who would know...  However, I know
that you have done some work with the NetBSD pre-release 2.  I
have downloaded and installed that.  It works GREAT!!  Compared to
COMIX (which is what the CS dept calls amiga unix...), it flies,
and (so far) hasn't crashed...  However, the reasons that I got it
were several-fold:
  We (being the students who own Amigas in the CS dept at Virgina Tech)
have been told for a while that we won't be supported (it was
suggested in the strongest form to purchase an amiga 3000 UX when
we got here...) would like to try and offer a NETBSD clone to be passed
around.  This would make installation take approx. 10 minutes...
Anyhow, Comix's X-Windows was, well slow.  Esp.  when you only have 8 meg 
swap, and 4 ram (2 once the kernal is loaded.. :( ).  Anyhow, I am testing
NetBSD on a 3000 (25/882, MMU, etc) with 8 / 2 ram.  The harddrive
space is plenty, with about 40 meg free (after X-WINDOWS installed).

  The problem (Sorry, I am rarely blunt..) is that X11R5 came with PHIGS
compiled programs, such as beach_ball, and auto_box.  When I run these under
the Xamiga+retina X server, they do not run, rather both give errors about
not being able to open up a connection.  When I quit X, there is an error
message saying that /dev/grf1 is not configured, but I have run MAKEDEV on this
particular device many times.  All to no avail.  So, I downloaded the color
drivers for the ESC chipset (we don't have a retina board), and I got color X.
Great!.  Phigs stuff still won't run.  However, these X servers no longer
complain about /dev/grf1 not being configured.  I have also noticed that
the phigs libraries (at least 1) and a few includes are in the archive.
Is there something not set up right?  Would I be able to write a PHIGS program
and actually have it run?  I need to know ASAP (like, yestarday :)) as one
of my classes that I am taking requires a few projects using PHIGS, and I
would rather use my own computer rather than treking a mile each way just to
use a computer along with a roomful of other people...  So, in a nutshell:
What do I need to configure to get PHIGS up and running.
What libs do I need to include for a PHIGS program.
Are all the libs needed supplied (I thought PHIGS was a non-shareware/freeware
  package..)
Can I get Manuals (if so where)?

If you can answer these, could you be as specific as possible?  I know UNIX,
  but after my 3 years of experience with COMIX, little things frustrate me
  on UNIX.  I would prefer to leave with NetBSD and maybe even help support it.
  (The first program isn't due for a month (What??  I'm starting it a month
   before it's due???), but the added time trying to get PHIGS up (and usable)
  makes me want to start that much earlier....

Thanks so much for your time....
And as far as spreading NETBSD, most people around here love the Idea, just
don't have to space to get it.. The clone would be great (+ all those with
amigas could do their work at home....)

Double thanks in advance...

Also - Could you mail me replies directly.  I am not on the mailing list.
However,if you would like to put me on the mailing list, that would be
OK.  My e-mail is [email-masked]   (that's 2 e's in keven.....
not a typo.)

Once again, thanks for your help....

-- 
Keven Ring	 	| A Planar Depiction of a Planar
[email-masked]	| Graph is called a PLANE GRAPH...
VPI & SU	       	| E=MC^2 - It's not just a good idea,
   YYUR YYUB ICUR YY4me |          It's the LAW.
------------------------+------------------------------------
We're all mad here - I'm mad, You're mad.. (Lewis Carrol)