Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!mephisto!udel!mmdf
From: HBO043%DJUKFA11.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Christoph van Wuellen)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: PC MINIX ==> MINIX/386SX
Message-ID: <18421@nigel.udel.EDU>
Date: 3 May 90 15:38:14 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 23

Since it is agreed that MINIX/PC is a toy mainly due to the process space
limit, a new hardware baseline is needed to put INTEL-MINIX on.
Since PC's are being replaced by AT's and - much quicker - AT's will
disappear and be replaced by 386SX machines - MINIX should be ported to
the 386SX quickly.

I don't like INTEL processors (I am 68000-Fan), but at the moment 386SX
machines provide most power at a meanwhile moderate price. Once a true
32-bit compiler/assembler for the 386 is ready, I think the MINIX-ST
implementation is the starting point to choose:

As a first step, map a single 32-bit address space shared by all processes
- this is the situation on the 68000 so we need shadowing - and, when this
runs, exploit the MMU for relocation and protection.

It is my opinion that it makes no sense porting PC-MINIX to 80286 protected
mode. It is better to go to the 80386 - 80x286 is brain-damaged for x<3.

Though I am not an expert in INTEL processors, I feel that all the 386 work
carried out at the moment should converge somehow, and that it is time to
cut a clear line between 80386 MINIX and PC/AT MINIX.

Christoph van Wuellen.