Using 8088 computer as a UNIX terminal (over COM1)

Hi,
I just got an AMSTRAD PPC640 portable computer (8088 @ 4.77mhz some
say 8.0mhz with 640K ram). I have a FreeBSD 4.x server (with not
keyboard and monitor) and would like to use the AMSTRAD as a serial
terminal to the server.

I could only install a SSH client for DOS (I don't want to install
telnet on the server) on the amtrad, but I would like to see
everything shown on screen while linux is loading (except BIOS
messages of course). I was thinking of installing a DUMP terminal on
the AMSTRAD. I made some research on the web but didn't understand if
I'll be able to use the AMSTRAD's keyboard over the serial line (if
I'm not using ssh and only a dump terminal). I was thinking of
installing DOS on the AMSTRAD since it's floppy based and only support
720K floppies, so everything has to fit on it. And DOS is a lot faster
to load than unix

How do I configure my FreeBSD server to output everything to COM1

Which DOS program should I use on the AMSTRAD? I saw some info on
JCOM,telix,kermit.

Do you think I should use unix/Linux instead of DOS.
if yes, would it fit on a 720K floppy with the DUMP terminal?

Any software suggestions and configurations tips are welcome. I
would also
appreciate any good links

Thanks in advance

"someone92" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om

> I just got an AMSTRAD PPC640 portable computer (8088 @ 4.77mhz some
> say 8.0mhz with 640K ram). I have a FreeBSD 4.x server (with not
> keyboard and monitor) and would like to use the AMSTRAD as a serial
> terminal to the server.
[...]
> How do I configure my FreeBSD server to output everything to COM1

Linux is not FreeBSD. You should post your query in a FreeBSD newsgroup.

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On 1 Sep 2004 21:22:16 -0700, someone92 wrote:

> Hi,
> I just got an AMSTRAD PPC640 portable computer (8088 @ 4.77mhz some
> say 8.0mhz with 640K ram). I have a FreeBSD 4.x server (with not
> keyboard and monitor) and would like to use the AMSTRAD as a serial
> terminal to the server.
>
> I could only install a SSH client for DOS (I don't want to install
> telnet on the server) on the amtrad, but I would like to see
> everything shown on screen while linux is loading (except BIOS
> messages of course). I was thinking of installing a DUMP terminal on
> the AMSTRAD. I made some research on the web but didn't understand if
> I'll be able to use the AMSTRAD's keyboard over the serial line (if
> I'm not using ssh and only a dump terminal). I was thinking of
> installing DOS on the AMSTRAD since it's floppy based and only support
> 720K floppies, so everything has to fit on it. And DOS is a lot faster
> to load than unix
>
> How do I configure my FreeBSD server to output everything to COM1
>
> Which DOS program should I use on the AMSTRAD? I saw some info on
> JCOM,telix,kermit.
>
> Do you think I should use unix/Linux instead of DOS.
> if yes, would it fit on a 720K floppy with the DUMP terminal?
>
> Any software suggestions and configurations tips are welcome. I
> would also
> appreciate any good links
>
> Thanks in advance

As for FreeBSD (I guess it's offtopic, but I think link would be harmless)
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...ole-setup.html

If you have more questions about FBSD I would recommend you to ask on
comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc not here.

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On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 21:49:23 -0700, ynotssor wrote:

>> I just got an AMSTRAD PPC640 portable computer (8088 @ 4.77mhz some
>> say 8.0mhz with 640K ram). I have a FreeBSD 4.x server (with not
>> keyboard and monitor) and would like to use the AMSTRAD as a serial
>> terminal to the server.
> [...]
>> How do I configure my FreeBSD server to output everything to COM1
> Linux is not FreeBSD. You should post your query in a FreeBSD newsgroup.

But if I belive correctly he wanted to run Linux on that Amstrad, but I
doubt it would be possible since he only have 720kb floppy.

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(E-Mail Removed) (someone92) wrote:
>Hi,
> I just got an AMSTRAD PPC640 portable computer (8088 @ 4.77mhz some
>say 8.0mhz with 640K ram). I have a FreeBSD 4.x server (with not
>keyboard and monitor) and would like to use the AMSTRAD as a serial
>terminal to the server.

Put the AMSTRAD into a dumpster, or use it to hold a door open,
or keep your boat anchored.

You'll spend less money and get better performance by going
around looking for just the right dumpster to put it it... if
you shop around you'll find one that has perfectly functional
80386 computer in it. Of course, you can use that to locate a
dumpster with a perfectly functional 80486 computer in it!
If you take that one, go looking again...

And keep looking until you find one that has a Pentium (or AMD
chip) of some kind, but the main thing is that you want to find
one with an ATX case, motherboard and power supply. Look for
the keyboard connector that is a PS2 style plug rather than the
older AT style. If you pay someone else to located one of these
things, don't pay more than $10-20 for it unless you get
something like a PII or PIII.

Older monitors are much the same situation. You can find many
that are older than maybe 1995-6, but you *don't* want to bother
with them. Find one later than that, with "digital" controls.
If you will settle for a 15 inch monitor, it's about like the
above... ranging from free to $10. And old 17" isn't going to
be expensive though.

There is *no* point in wasting time or money to refurbish
something older than the above, given the difference is
performance and the lack of a difference in price.

--
FloydL. Davidson <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) (E-Mail Removed)

Dariusz Kuli?ski / TaKeDa wrote:

> But if I belive correctly he wanted to run Linux on that Amstrad, but I
> doubt it would be possible since he only have 720kb floppy.

And it only has an 8088, which will definitely not run Linux. As I recall,
the minimum cpu for Linux, is the 386.

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James Knott wrote:
> Dariusz Kuli?ski / TaKeDa wrote:
>
>
>>But if I belive correctly he wanted to run Linux on that Amstrad, but I
>>doubt it would be possible since he only have 720kb floppy.
>
>
> And it only has an 8088, which will definitely not run Linux. As I recall,
> the minimum cpu for Linux, is the 386.
>

I think I can remember there was a proyect named ELKS to run Linux in
this kind of machines, but I don't know if it gave any result. The best
thing you can do it's run DOS with a terminal emulator like ckermit
or similar, or if you have drivers and ethernet card you can use some
version of telnet for DOS.

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"James Knott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:kaFZc.43$(E-Mail Removed) ers.com

>> But if I belive correctly he wanted to run Linux on that Amstrad,
>> but I doubt it would be possible since he only have 720kb floppy.
>
> And it only has an 8088, which will definitely not run Linux. As I
> recall, the minimum cpu for Linux, is the 386.

Yes, the 8088 is an 8-bit processor, economically designed to save expensive
mobo costs over the previous 16-bit 8086 chip.

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I wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)

> Yes, the 8088 is an 8-bit processor, economically designed to save
> expensive mobo costs over the previous 16-bit 8086 chip.

Sorry, I meant it had an 8-bit data bus.

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ynotssor wrote:

> I wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)
>
>> Yes, the 8088 is an 8-bit processor, economically designed to save
>> expensive mobo costs over the previous 16-bit 8086 chip.
>
> Sorry, I meant it had an 8-bit data bus.
>

Actually, it has an 8 bit external address bus. Internally, it's 16 bit.

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