Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!apple!bionet!ames!uhccux!munnari.oz.au!otc!metro!basser!nswitgould!fidogate
From: nick_andrew%713.602@fidogate.fido.oz (Nick Andrew)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: compression
Message-ID: <13001@nswitgould.cs.uts.oz>
Date: 18 Jul 89 08:13:00 GMT
Sender: fido@nswitgould.cs.uts.oz
Organization: A Fidonet node, gated through nswitgould.oz
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Original to: ast@cs_vu_nl
        I fear these sorts of compression methods have
already been long discussed. The possibility Andy mentions
sounds a lot like Compress, i.e. common substring
replacement.

        Onto Andy's problem, which is "Minix distribution
too big", I can see that MUCH more is and will be available
than can fit onto a small distribution (10 disks) no matter
how well compressed.

        I would suggest then, the formation of a set of
Minix TOOLS, comprising tested postings from the net, and
available separately to the Minix OS.  Ideally, these tools
disks would be PD, but perhaps PH could make a reasonable
return on distribution.

        This way, OS students studying Minix need not buy a
whole heap of stuff that they will not need during their
course. Minix hackers who want to turn Minix into a
full-blown Unix can get the Minix Tools, and install
everything.  There would also be a place there for useful
utilities written for Minix which are not in V7 or other
versions.

        Regards, Nick.
--- Zeta
 * Origin: Zeta: Unix, Minix, Xenix support (02) 627-4177 (3:713/602)