Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!goanna!minyos!monu6!edp367s From: edp367s@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au (Rik Harris) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: MINIX on the Amiga... Message-ID: <1990Sep21.031656.5287@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au> Date: 21 Sep 90 03:16:56 GMT References: <14066@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <90262.224308JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu> Organization: Monash University, Caulfield Campus Lines: 126 JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT) writes: >>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? arrrrgggghhhhhh. How do you expect more than one program to run at a time with ONLY ONE PROCESSOR?????? The ibm, mac, amiga, and the atari all have ONE processor. What do you think computers are???? magic????? How do you think most unix machines run so many processes? One processor for each process????? and now for some possibly useful info: >>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... :-( To make the different versions of MINIX compatible (binary as well as disk formats) they needed to have the amiga reduced to a disk format that those other computers can handle. No, I don't like reducing the amiga to a 720k disk format, but it's worth it to have the different versions compatible. >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.... Drivers are not difficult to write, but they do wait for specific commands from the operating system. My guess is that MINIX would send different commands to its drivers than AmigaDOS (erk!) would, so it is better to re-write the drivers anyway. You could probably get away with using the source code from the AmigaDOS (erk!) drivers, and just modifying it. >>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. At the moment, that seems to be going ok with the ibm and atari, as patches are sent to the net, and then generally included in the next version. There seems to me more problems with people posting updates to commands (eg grep, or ls), and posting it as a patch to _ibm_ MINIX, rather than all MINIX versions. I agree that it's dangerous, but since MINIX is essentially a teaching tool, it is worth it. >>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. your bet, is correct, and I agree, that's the way it should be. >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. It doesn't have the ability to run AmigaDOS programs, but it really depends on what you want to do at the same time. Graphics and sound stuff is likely to be nonexistant for the moment (but possible), but don't expect Sculpt- Animate 4D, or whatever to work at all. Most AmigaDOS programs are also only designed to work on AmigaDOS only, and the windows stuff would have to be completely re-implemented in MINIX. (the other option is to port something like X, the unix windowing environment, to MINIX) Better to stick to unix :-) >> 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. No GUI standard, and no real need for it at the moment. This is an operating system designed for teaching operating systems. The GUI is someone elses problem. If a third party produces a GUI, then fine, but I don't expect it to be included in the distribution (I hope not, because it would be wasted disks for many people). MINIX is not designed as a commercial OS. >> >> Alexei >> xwm@mentor.cc.purdue.edu >|| Kurt Tappe (215) 363-9485 || Amigas, Macs, IBM's, C-64's, NeXTs, || >|| 184 W. Valley Hill Rd. || Apple ]['s.... I use 'em all. || >|| Malvern, PA 19355-2214 || (and in that order too! ;-) || >|| jkt100@psuvm.psu.edu --------------------------------------|| >|| jkt100@psuvm.bitnet jkt100%psuvm.bitnet@psuvax1 QLink: KurtTappe || rik. -- Rik Harris - edp367s@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au | Build a system that Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, | even a fool can use, Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Australia | and only a fool will (say that with your mouth full!) | want to use it.