Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!know!cs.utexas.edu!husc6!encore!boykin
From: boykin@encore.com (Joseph Boykin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.encore
Subject: Re: Umax 4.3 virtual memory problem
Keywords: Umax, paging, cow, bug
Message-ID: <12754@encore.Encore.COM>
Date: 19 Sep 90 14:30:41 GMT
References: <1990Sep18.210722.206@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1479@sirius.ucs.adelaide.edu.au> <jdarcy.653657607@zelig>
Sender: news@Encore.COM
Reply-To: boykin@encore.com
Organization: Encore Computer Corp.
Lines: 46

> I'm not too upset since the future does offer better software for this
> platform -- namely OSF/1 and/or Encore Mach.  Hopefully OSF/1 will
> become a product soon....  Of course Encore Mach is now.  So, I'm not
> writing off the Multimax -- it's still a neat machine and there is
> a better VM implementation already running on it.

A few points.  First, Encore distributes Mach in the "Advanced
Technology Research Product" category.  That means limited support and
limited availability of layered products.  The reason for this is
simple:  Mach is still under development, it changes regularly (change
from both CMU and Encore) and, while reasonably stable, isn't likely
to stay up for months at a time under load.  On the other hand, 0.6
(about to go into Beta test) is "encore.com" (our gateway to the
world), runs 50 users regularly (3 XPC's 64MB), serves news to all
in-house users and is our internal and external mail gateway machine.
Average uptime under constant and *very* heavy load is about 5 days.

Second, unfortunately, the folks at CMU thought that statically
specifying how large particular memory resources (such as u areas) can
be and panic'ing when you run out was an acceptable way to go.  Maybe
it is at a University where you're running a research OS on your
private workstation with 16 or 32MB of memory and one user.  On a
Multimax, it isn't.  So, the particular point you made isn't
(unfortunately) true.  We've been working on a number of those issues,
but let's face it, Mach isn't a "commercial" operating system and we
don't have the sales to warrant the support staff necessary to do all
the "little things".  Interestingly enough, we recently *did* "find"
some additional money to do alot more of these things.  We're in
the process of putting alot of manpower into Mach that really hasn't
been available before.

Alot of these problems are being addressed for OSF/1.  However,
as the sales and marketing folks keep telling me "no one is asking
for OSF/1".  If you want it, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send your
cards and letters in to Encore and ask for it!  If they don't see
that users want it, they won't turn it into a fully supported product.

----

Joseph Boykin
Manager, Mach OS Development
Encore Computer Corp
Treasurer, IEEE Computer Society

Internet: boykin@encore.com
Phone: 508-460-0500 x2720