Re: [Xen-users] Multi headed, Multi user partially virtualized environment - feasible?

[Simon Hobson <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rudi Ahlers wrote:

> Wow, I honestly didn't know this could actually be done,and sorry 
> for my ignorance in this regard.
That's understandable - the "PC uniformity" has a lot to answer for, 
and the BIOS limitations even more.
I suspect what would be needed would be a layer of middleware to act 
as an IO broker/router to match up the right input and output devices 
with the right process. I suspect that in the Linux multi-head 
projects, it's just been done via multiple instances of X, with each 
X session mapped to a specific output display and set of inputs.
As an aside, I recall when the company I worked for started investing 
heavily in CAD in the late 80's. When I say investing heavily, I mean 
eye watering amounts of cash - we weren't talking desktop 
workstations here !
Well actually we were talking desktops - the whole desk WAS the 
workstation ! In a small box in one end was the graphics processor, a 
big display up front, and the top of the 'desk' was a huge digitiser 
tablet. But, and the reason it's topical for the thread, all this was 
was a graphics terminal - it shared a CPU (VAX IIRC) with several 
other desks. In effect it was a high performance vector graphics 
version of the old "green screen" terminal setup on mainframes and 
minis.
As I recall there were endless complaints about poor performance, I 
did hear a story that we ran about 10 heads to one processor - while 
the manufacturer recommend a max of 4 :-/
--
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
author Gladys Hobson. Novels - poetry - short stories - ideal as
Christmas stocking fillers. Some available as e-books.

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