TI -> Sun/UXL1200 help

[tbr@bubba.att.com]

 I would appreciate any comments people have on the following proposal
to move a ~30,000 line product off of TI Explorers. The ultimate goal of my management is to move to a Sun/C++ configuration. But given the realities
of our situation, I think the final configuration will be lisp on a
Sun.

Our constraints are:
	No additional staff (understaffed already)
	Work on the system must progress, cannot afford to stop development
	for a "Port/Rewrite".
	Hardware must be "cost effective"
	Must be done "quickly"

My plan involves three phases:
Phase I:  Sun/UXL1200
	Software Issues:
	Same parent for window system (tv:window) - windows, menus, etc.
	port easy.
	Similar arch. (lispm) - same gain.
	Hardware Issues:
	One VME based Sun with a UXL1200 for each user.
		($30k Sun + $20k UXL1200)
			or
	Sparc stations with a VME based Sun user as lispm server.
		($15k + $20k + $Server/#Users)
	Does anyone have experience with this?

Phase II: Sun/UXL1200 with CLIM(ILA)
	Software Issues CLIM:
	Based on X-Windows
	Supports similar constructions used in tv:window - rewrite moderate
	Supports OpenLook and Motif (~1stQ91)
	CLIM supported on Franz Lisp on Sun

Phase III: Sun/Lisp/CLIM
	Software Issues:
	lispm -> lisp/UNIX - moderate work
	CLIM/lispm -> CLIM/UNIX - "no" work
	Hardware Issues:
	Sparc stations ($15k)

I believe that this plan allows us to move off the TI's with little impact
on our current schedule. Also it leaves the developers with UXL1200's for
doing future work for the Sun/lisp platform. Does anyone have experience with
CLIM? My experience with lisp on UNIX goes back to Franz 5 years ago. I am
assuming Franz or Lucid are equivalent and that both will support CLOS,
LOOP macro, light weight processes (stack groups), and a supplied scheduler
as well as CLIM.
I you think that your comments are general, respond to SLUG. Otherwise
you may reach me at tbr@bubba.att.com or (201) 949-6941
Thanks,
Tom Reddington
Bell Labs