Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!njin!princeton!udel!mmdf
From: tomiak@vax.hmi.dbp.de (Andreas Tomiak)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re#2: What computer to get to run Minix on
Message-ID: <20476@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 26 Jul 89 03:01:06 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 40

Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Date: 25 Jul 89 11:25:00 GMT

Hi MINIX-freaks,

   I recommend the Atari ST, too. Here are my (additonal) reasons:

1. The architecture and design of an Atari and its CPU is similar to a PDP-11
   without MMU and with bigger registers and address space. The orthogonal
   instruction set allows more efficient and human readable assembly
   code then on the ugly Intel 8088 and its successors. Compare the two
   MINIX-assemblers and you know what I mean.

2. You can handle big arrays without any swapping or pageing. E.g. try
   mined on a PC with a file greater than 64 kbytes.

3. Meanwhile there are at least two simple and cheap _hardware_-emulators
   with 8086 (or V30) available, so you can execute PC-programs without
   peanalty for software-emulation. Perhaps one can execute PC-Minix on
   an Atari ST ! The norton factor for these piggy-board is around 5.

4. You can run MFS and HFS from Apple on it with some enhancements compared
   with Mac SE or MacPlus.

By the way: I've heard that there is an IDRIS port to atari now available.
I'd glad to here were I can obtain it, especially for comparison with
MINIX.

                    Andreas Tomiak

-
This is my private opinion, I do not represent my employer.

---------------+-------------------------------------------
O           O  |  Andreas Tomiak <tomiak@vax.hmi.dbp.de>
|              |  Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin GmbH
O---O O-O-O O  |  Glienicker Strasse 100
|   | | | | |  |  D-1000 Berlin 39
O   O O O O O  |  Federal Republic of Germany
---------------+-------------------------------------------