X-terminal memory usage

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ylli122

Hey all,

Apologies if this is the wrong place to put this query, I wasn't quite sure where to place it.

I have an X-terminal (HP Envizex) with 6MB of RAM installed on a network running FreeBSD as a central server. The BSD machine allows connections over XDMCP and I do connect to it successfully using the X-term. The problem however is that it seems that the X-term's memory is being used up almost completely by the window/display managers. A user using the X-term can choose from some fairly lightweight window/display managers (options include for example CDE, TWM, MWM, FVWM) however its not possible to, for example, open emacs in graphical mode, or xpdf, in any of them. The issue is, unsurprisingly, not enough memory. Even when I drop the resolution to 16 colours at 640x480, it refuses to open a graphical emacs session.

I know that CDE takes up a lot of memory, as usually CDE + a DTerm session will bring the Xterm to less than 128Kb of free space. This leads me to suspect that all client applications are being loaded into the X-term's memory. My question is, is there some X configuration I can set up so that any connections from the terminal machine run client applications on the server with only the application window being loaded in the X-term's memory? Or am I perhaps misunderstanding/missing something? Id rather try and use the 6Mb as best as possible, I do have access to more RAM if needed, but for now, I'd rather not resort to that.

And yes, I can just use a normal cheap desktop instead of an X-terminal, but... its an X-terminal! :)

Anyway, any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!
 
Hmmm, 6 *mega*bytes is really tight by the standards that programmers have applied in recent years.

Since you are running the X11 server I don't think there is much that you can do. Maybe try running Xnest on the other machine?
 
ylli122 said:
My question is, is there some X configuration I can set up so that any connections from the terminal machine run client applications on the server
Click to expand...
That's how X works. The application isn't running on the X terminal.

Terminal apparently supports 1280x1024. But even if you only use monochrome that's already 1.2MB.

1024x768x8 (256 colors) = 6.1MB That's more than the terminal actually has. This thing is old, fun for retro computing but you can forget about doing anything modern with it.
 
cracauer@ said:
Hmmm, 6 *mega*bytes is really tight by the standards that programmers have applied in recent years.

Since you are running the X11 server I don't think there is much that you can do. Maybe try running Xnest on the other machine?
Click to expand...
Fantastic, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!
Yeah 6MB is really tight.
 
Right, I'm off a factor of 8. Forgot to convert back to bytes. Still though, 6MB isn't a lot of memory for a display, even with a low resolution.
 
well they somehow worked in the mid - late 90 with probably cde on hp workstations
windows 95 worked with 6mb 1024x768 including the os (granted with swap)
they surely could run netscape and other workstation type apps which are surely more graphic intensive than emacs
anyway it looks like it uses standard 72 pin simms which where used in early pentium pcs (fast page mode dram)
if the board is something like this
 
Raspberry Pi Zero or something instead?

Or use an RDP/VNC connection, but I suppose the clients for these protocols probably use more than 6MB of RAM
 
rpi zerow will kind of suck (no ethernet) but if you are fine with linux you can use opizero3 which has ether, same form factor and and about same price ($15-$20)
 
covacat said:
rpi zerow will kind of suck (no ethernet) but if you are fine with linux you can use opizero3 which has ether, same form factor and and about same price ($15-$20)
Click to expand...
Well, I duno if having a fast ethernet connection on these tiny boards is going to make a difference, they are already bottle-necked by the RAM memory transfer speed and capacity. I think mine uses 2.4GHz Wifi, which is more than enough for a local network thin client.
 
It's a "dumb" X-terminal, that has 6MB. That 6MB has nothing to do with whatever the FreeBSD machine has. This "dumb" terminal uses XDMCP to connect to a FreeBSD host. Simply connecting a monitor, keyboard and mouse to the FreeBSD machine will already out perform this old remote X terminal.

Think of this terminal as a graphics card with only 6MB. Then imagine the resolutions and number of colors it could produce. 1024x768 and surely 1280x1024 was considered "hi-res" back then.
 
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