[TUHS] SCO OpenDesktop 386 2.0.0

[Josh Good]

On 2017 Feb 27, 08:49, Corey Lindsly wrote:
> > 
> > Count me in. I put my hand up for a copy of SCO when they were offering free
> > samplers in the early 2000s, but never heard back from them.
> > 
> > I wanted to compare it with Linux ...
> > 
> > Thanks
> > 
> > Wesley Parish
> 
> For anyone interested, the SCO 2.1 images are available for download here:
> 
> http://lod.com/sco
> 
> A few things:
> 
> 1. I am having some difficulty getting it to install in VMWare ESXi 5. The 
> floppy image boots, and I get some way into the install process, but SCO 
> install does not see the virtual CD-ROM drive. Thus, I'm presented with 
> network install options only. At this point, there are a few options:
> 
> (a) Track down the driver and/or VMWare settings to fix the CD-ROM 
> visibility, and proceed with the install.
> 
> (b) Set up a SCO network install server, and proceed.
> 
> (c) Try the install on legacy physical hardware instead.
> 
> Of course, your experience may differ.
> 
> 
> 2. There's actually an installation guide available for this OS here:
> 
> ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/UW21/upd211/eng211.txt
> 
> As well as a lot of driver updates and other good stuff:
> 
> ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/UW21/
> 
> 
> 3. Anyone who wants to try SCO for the first time may find 5.0.7 a much 
> easier go. It will install directly from CD in VMWare, and there is more 
> driver support for it. To me, it has a very "pure" UNIX feel to it, 
> other than the gratuitous and absurd use of symbolic links all over the 
> file system. If you're interested in trying-out that version, let me know 
> and I'll put up those images for download too.

Well, the subject says "SCO OpenDesktop 386 2.0.0", but what you call
"SCO 2.1" and for which you link updates at ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/UW21/
is UnixWare, which is a very different beast.

SCO OpenDesktop (and SCO OpenServer 5.0.7 that you mention) are SysVR3
based (they are, in fact, the evolution of Microsoft Xenix). Those don't
support at-runtime loadable kernel modules (only at-bootime loadable
kernel modules are supported).

UnixWare, on the other hand, is SysVR4 based, and comes directly from
Novell, who bought it from USL, who bought it from AT&T.

UnixWare 2.1 is the last version of UnixWare before SCO bundled their
"scoadmin" tool with it. UnixWare 2.1.1 also is officially "Unix-95"
certified. UnixWare 2.1 is probably the purest UNIX SysVR4 to be run
on a PC/386, and has very little in common with the archaic SysVR3-based
OpenDesktop/OpenServer releases from SCO.

Regards,

-- 
Josh Good