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From: JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: MINIX on the Amiga...
Message-ID: <90262.224308JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 20 Sep 90 02:43:08 GMT
References: <14066@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 79

>2. MINIX 1.5 FEATURES (IBM, Macintosh, Atari, and Amiga versions)
>  - Full multiprogramming (multiple programs can run at once)

Ok, we've all heard how MultiFinder on the Mac supposedly multi-
tasks too, but when you actually inspected it, it actually task
switches.  Because this posting did not use the term "multi-task"
is it possible that the programs do not actually run at once, but
task switch, with only one running at a time?

>4. HARDWARE REQUIRED
>          Commodore Amiga 500 or 2000 with at least 1M of RAM. One 720K
>          diskette drive is sufficient. A hard disk is not neccesary
>          (or even supported).  To use a hard disk with the Amiga,
>          someone familiar with how this disk works will have to write
>          a driver for it.  If this driver is then posted to the net,
>          it will be possible to use a hard disk with MINIX on Amiga.

Obviously someone thinks the Amiga is an IBM clone, saying that the
floppies are 720K...  :-(

More importantly, is it truly necessary for them to require a HD
driver?  Is there no way they could make use of existing drivers
with a simple interface?  Seems silly to re-invent the wheel....

>10. LEGAL STATUS OF MINIX
>     Although MINIX is supplied with the complete source code, it is
>copyrighted software.  It is not public domain.  It is also not like GNU.
>However, the copyright owner, Prentice-Hall has granted permission to bona
>fide universities to copy the software for use in courses and in university
>research projects.  It is also permitted for MINIX owners to change the
>software to suit their needs and to distribute diff listings containing
>their changes freely.

Whoops.  This is what has caused many problems in the UNIX world.
People making mods is a good idea, but history shows us that a central
site to coordinate updates is required if a standard version is to
be maintained.  Otherwise it won't be long until you get programs that
require versions of MINIX you don't necessarily have, because there are
dozens of dialects running around.

>There are a few questions that I have about
>MINIX as a whole so here goes:
>
>        Will it multi-task under amiga? (Boot Amiga and then go Minix or
>        is it a hog?)

Well, it is its own Operating System after all, and for it to
multitask with the Amiga OS, then you'd have to have 2 OS's running
at once.  A headache of a situation at best.  My bet would be no.
One workaround would be if MINIX allowed you to do most/all of the
things you do in AmigaDOS.  Then you wouldn't have as much need for
it to multi-task with Ami.

>        I saw a post about GUI for MINIX but the problem was lack of
>        graphics.lib. Anybody have any suggestions.

If it doesn't, then there are going to be problems.... and not just
with the Amiga.  I mean, more and more people are realizing just
how neat GUI's are, and aside from that, are getting into computer
graphics.  Yes, I know how difficult it would be to have cross-
compatibility with MINIX on other machines if graphics had to be
included too, but that fact does not make the real-world desire
for graphics go away.  If MINIX doesn't offer any graphics support,
it probably won't last all that long, and will follow CP/M to the
grave.  I may be wrong, and I don't have any hopes one way or another,
but this is how I see it from my view of today's computer market.
>
>                        Alexei
>                        xwm@mentor.cc.purdue.edu

                                                            Kurt
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