All of the workstations have a windowing interface that allows users to multitask applications, and they feature literally dozens of free utilities, everything from print-queue managers to calendars and easy-to-use INTERNET mail tools. Every UNIX workstation can serve as both a CAD station and a file server, supports NFS (network file system), and enforces network security. They all allow you to run AutoCAD over X Terminals. In short, in 1993, all the workstations were such good implementations of well-known standards that it was hard to choose between them. In fact, UNIX workstations have so much in common these days that price and performance are almost the only differences you can measure. Of course, every workstation user has his or her preferences. If you have applications that only run on SPARCstations, or if you really love Hewlett-Packard's Virtual User Environment, then nothing will convince you that any other workstation has something to offer. Nevertheless, we intend to try.
Although we've never met a workstation we didn't like, we've met some we like better than others.
This article originally appeared in CADalyst magazine, in the September, 1994 issue as part of a comparative review of UNIX workstations for AutoCAD. CADalyst is the leading publication for computer-aided designers and drafters who use AutoCAD software and related products.
