I was wondering if there are any Linux, BSD, versions that can run SCO 5.0.6 applications without much modification? I was looking into purchasing a copy of Caldera Openlinux, the last version, but wanted to ask if there are any other options of a newer variant. I am also looking into getting a copy of UnitedLinux.
Also, could the now defunct Caldera be rejuvenated with a modern Kernel? Any help in this area would be great . . . even though I have SCO on a modern machine, running the application I need it to run, I am looking for longer lasting alternatives, that don't require ports!
Caldera's only an option due to it's supposed interoperability with SCO. UnitedLinux would be preferable, but still, there has to be other *nix flavors that support SCO's older applications.
The app's I have to run are no longer supported by their vendors. Their Windows versions costs more than the raises for all of our 150+ employees for the next year. . . Hence the reason I want to keep these apps alive.
I do have SCO 5.0.6, the apps, and XP running on the same machine in a dual-boot configuration. The apps, from 1992 and SCO from 94-96, are running on a HP DC5100 with 1gig ram and SATA drives.
I just want to be able to use a more modern version of *nix so the stability and ease of use would be there.
If you will be buying an new operating system, shouldn't you consider getting SCO OpenServer 6.0.0. This is based on UnixWare and is "supposed" to let binary compatibility wih OpenServer 5.
Too Pricey . . . Linux, in the enterprise is way more reasonably priced, and better supported. SCO has never given my predecessors any support . . . they always defer to the pc provider. The pc/software provider says asks SCO. Round and Round. . . The only support with which I have any luck are the forums and aplawrence.com.
The applications which we run on the SCO/Win boxes is for customer compatibility. The customer runs the Windows version of the same software. . . at $20k a license. Ours SCO applications' Licenses are long since paid and since they no longer offer support we don't have to pay the maintenance.
In the past, I went on this same search. . .PC-BSD offered some compatibility for the lesser used of the two applications, but not the primary one.
I was just wondering since Caldera 2.4 is still available for sale, and originally designed to replace SCO on the desktop side, if it would be less finicky with SCO specific applications. Also, since it is Linux, if it was possible to upgrade to a modern kernel.
UnitedLinux was another possibility because Caldera pushed that one and my friends at Novell still support it, although not openly. I'm still waiting on their reply as to whether or not my apps would work.
If you're talking about binary compatibility, then the old Linuxes had a module you could load that gave you that. You might have still needed to do some tweaking but it generally worked. The newer kernels dropped that module.
I know there still a separate group working on an ABI module that you can compile into you're kernel but it's always many released behind.
I'd say for a corporation the upgrade cost to 6.0.0 from 5.0.6 is NOT that onerous considering what you get. And your apps will still run.
General problem with these binary compatibility modules is that while they give you some kind of sco kernel interface you still need sco libraries, apps and therefore often a complete copy of a sco system. While copying your system won't be a problem to you maybe you won't get more comfort. Today as these modules are not maintained anymore. I personally would not let a business critical application run on a system not tested very well.
But is maintainance of one old SCO system really that work-intensive? What about e.g. putting it into a VMware?
VMware is what it looks like. . . I just don't have a lot of experience with it. Does VMware allow for direct access to serial ports? and will it run despite the hardware it's on? in other words, does vmware supply a generic set of hardware in the VM that connects to the actual hardware?
VMware should allow direct access to serial ports. At least I can access my USB devices directly from my VMs. Yes, VMware supplies the system within the VM with a "generic" virtual computer with very common hardware. Your real hardware does not matter (you need drivers for the host OS of course). For batch jobs performance of guest OS should not be much less than host OS, VMware is quite efficient.
I've been using VMware for some systems which aren't too busy and I'm quite satisfied.