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From: mboen@nixpbe.UUCP (Martin Boening)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re^2: Multitasking on the ST
Message-ID: <441@nixpbe.UUCP>
Date: 15 Aug 89 06:31:32 GMT
References: <89081310545051@masnet.uucp>
Organization: Nixdorf Computer AG, Paderborn, Germany
Lines: 32

david.megginson@canremote.uucp (DAVID MEGGINSON) writes:

>From what I've heard, Minix is very restrictive with memory.  Each
>program is allowed a maximum of 64k, and there is not VM paging.  A cute 
>toy, but useless for anything but learning.
>---
> * Via ProDoor 3.0R 

Wrong! The 64K limit applies to MINIX-PC only, on MINIX-ST you don't have
that limit. I use mined with 300KB stack+malloc area, which is clearly
more than 64K. I also use compress with 450KB stack+malloc area to get
16-Bit compression capability. And I use Gnu CC, which laughs in your face
when you try to restrict it to 64K.

Of coures the concept of VM in MINIX is rather underdeveloped. And of course
there's no paging (I don't know if you could implement paging as a pure
software solution).

Naturally MINIX is intended MOSTLY for learning, BUT I wouldn't call it a
toy. There are lot's of developments to improve it's performance.

Martin

PS: Maybe IDRIS will be shown at the Duesseldorf Atari Fair. Then I'll get
a chance to look at it. I think it's a UNIX clone that actually is supposed
to be used as a working OS. Then again, maybe I'll rather go for the
Atari TT and UNIX[TM] (if it's there)
-- 
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