Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!udel!cis.udel.edu From: almquist@cis.udel.edu (Michael Almquist) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: Where is Minix headed?!?!?!?!?!?! Summary: Like what ?! Keywords: minix is good, MiNiX is great, god bless MINIX Message-ID: <33393@nigel.ee.udel.edu> Date: 14 Oct 90 03:39:12 GMT References: <4936@crash.cts.com> Sender: usenet@ee.udel.edu Organization: Techno Kids Inc. Lines: 65 Nntp-Posting-Host: ss3.cis.udel.edu In article <4936@crash.cts.com> jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes: >pezely@cis.udel.edu (Daniel Pezely) writes: [lots of good ideas from R+D Cowboy deleted . . .] >I started to see Andy's point about small being beautiful when I got ahold of >SunOS 4.1. Starting with SunOS 4.1, you can't put the entire OS on a Quantum >Quantum P-105S. It just won't fit. In fact, there's a rumor floating around >that Sun is going to start shipping their SPARCstations with a 200 Mb 3.5" >SCSI drive over the 105 Mb (maybe a P-210S). Gawd, I didn't think Sun could >blow up that kernel anymore, but they did. Rumor has it that the SunOS 4.1 can be stripped down to 19.5 Mb BUT, you wouldn't catch me running it like that (-: [lots of good info/thoughts from John deleted . . .] >I don't mind a good OS that does a lot, but it wouldn't surprise me if the >kernel gets to the point where it'll have a device driver for a Maytag >dishwasher. :) HAHAHAHAHA! I love it! But, seriously, where is Minix heading? I've just recently become a Minix beleiver. I had Xenix but, too big, too bulky and NO SOURCE! SunOS, a possibility, but short on cash. SO, Dr. T., where is Minix heading? I think that soon, P.H. and Dr. T. are going to have to realize that Minix is gaining more support and popularity. Perhaps, Xenix could be put out of business?!?!?!! (-: Seriously, what will P.H. and Dr. T. let us get away with? Minix is fun but Minix could certainly be upgraded to be an awesome development CHEAP platform. People have been talking for sometime about upgrading the FS - will P.H. and Dr. T. support it if someone hacks it out? How about getting a threadded FS, virtual memory, total 80X27 and Weitek math coprocessor support, NFS, a windowing system, swapping, etc. implemented? There has been rumors of sybolic link work, ANSI C compiler work, swapping completed, coprocessor support almost working, etc. This news group is funny, things disappear - its sort of like a black hole. You hear about great ideas/concepts/etc and then, it disappears never to be mentioned again. I'd love to be able to use COM1-COM4 and allow multi-users and I'd love to be able to use a windowing system without the FS bottleneck. I'm interested in starting to implement a windowing system based on MGR and other small windowing system but, the FS bottleneck is very restrictive. SO, what's going on? Where are we headed? Can WE help? On another side, what is TRUELY available for Minix? Do we have available either BETA or real versions of: o an improved FS? o virtual memory? o swapping? (there were rumors but I never saw anything more about it) o coprocessor support? o ANSI C compiler? o multiple COM1-4+ support? o any type of remote abilities? (rsh, rlogin, telnet, ftp, etc.) o a windowing system? How does one obtain beta stuff? I would be interested in being a test rat. Is anyone working on some of this stuff? Will we be able to get P.H. and or Dr. T. approval/support? Thanks for Minix, thanks for the 16/32 bit stuff, thanks for Virtual Console package, thanks! - Mike -- Michael Almquist 70 Ethan Allen Ct., Newark, DE 19711 Comp Sci Lab, 102 Smith Hall, Univ of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (302)451-6339 "Don't believe me, I'm only a student"