|
Author
|
Topic: how good are sgi?
|
littlefish
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
Member # 966
Member Rated:
|
posted September 04, 2003 12:38
I've seen a silicon graphics O2 machine on ebay for what I think is a good price, but I want to know if anyone has had any experience with these machines?
Is a 180 Mhz processor good enough for playing around with, and how fast do they feel?
What would you pay for one?
Posts: 2420 | From: That London | Registered: Nov 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
WinterSolstice
Solid Nitrozanium SuperFan
Member # 934
Member Rated:
|
posted September 04, 2003 13:47
Well,
I love them. I totally frikin' adore them. I want one really badly.
However, the O2 is really old now, and is not quite as fast "feeling" as a P2. Try not to get one more than a model or two out of date, otherwise you will be rather annoyed.
Also, remember they run IRIX on the older (and some of the newer), and only apps for that platform will run properly. Some other Unix apps will run ok, but there's not too much that isn't "job-specific" for IRIX.
Oh, and make sure you buy one that has the max RAM, since it is really hard to come by.
-WS
--------------------
An operating system should be like a light switch... simple, effective, easy to use, and designed for everyone.
Posts: 1192 | From: Los Angeles | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
quantumfluff
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
Member # 450
Member Rated:
|
posted September 04, 2003 20:24
They're very reliable. I used an Indy as primary screen for about 6 years. For a while it was my main workspace, but after a few years I could build a cheap linux/intel box which outperformed it for everything except graphics, so I kept using it as an xterm to front the other boxes on my desk. I finally retired it this winter, when I built a twin head machine to replace it.
The compilers are not too fussy, so you can build just about anything on it without too much trouble (unlike HPUX or AIX). You just can't find much pre-built (free) software.
Posts: 2863 | From: 5 to 15 meters above sea level | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged
|
|
Titanium Warrior
Alpha Geek
Member # 1885
Member Rated:
|
posted September 06, 2003 09:19
I love them littlefish. I used to sell them once a lifetime ago. Favorite operating system of all time (even more so than OS X) but almost every software package for it is super expensive.
You'll find that common apps for this machine are twice the price for them and all 3D applications for this machine are priced well beyond most people's pockets.
However, the 3D engine for most SGI's still blow the socks off of anything out there. As far as I know it's still the only system out there that uses the z-buffer properly, which allows you to display depth cued, anti-aliased wire frame models (something they did since the early 90's).
Hope that helps
Cheers
TiW
--------------------
I used to have super powers until my therapist took them away.
Posts: 333 | From: Victoria, BC Canada | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
littlefish
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
Member # 966
Member Rated:
|
posted September 06, 2003 16:18
Well thanks for your info. The machine sold to someone else, and I couldn't really afford it anyway. I'll just keep pootling along on my cube...
Posts: 2420 | From: That London | Registered: Nov 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
littlefish
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
Member # 966
Member Rated:
|
posted September 07, 2003 14:35
Update: Although the O2 sold to someone else, I picked up an indy for £31 (about $45) so I'm looking forward to some SGI fiddling in the next week or so. I just need to pick up an ethernet hub and the PS2 peripherals and I'm good to go!
Posts: 2420 | From: That London | Registered: Nov 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
quantumfluff
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
Member # 450
Member Rated:
|
posted September 07, 2003 20:37
Congratulations. Good luck with it.
Posts: 2863 | From: 5 to 15 meters above sea level | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic
