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From: culberts@hplwbc.hpl.hp.com (Bruce Culbertson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Re:  What MINIX extensions are people using on the pc532? (+ other topics)
Message-ID: <9010301113.AA07142@hplwbc.hpl.hp.com>
Date: 30 Oct 90 11:13:43 GMT
Sender: news@daver.bungi.com
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> ...I'm trying to get a feel for what people are doing, and
> what remains to be done when I get my pc532 up--what's do people with
> pc532's find most useful?
> 
> Something like shoelace, or the virtual consoles package?  I've even
> seen a symbolic links package for MINIX.  Obviously somebody's ported
> a variant of of UUCP, and Bash as a mail user agent.  GCC.  The Clam shell?

I have ported GCC and distribute it with pc532-Minix.  I often use Clam
though I am not completely satisfied with it.  I also am interested if
anyone is using bash.  I use bash at work and like it.  However, the bash
executable for my 680x0 workstation is about 500k so I wonder how it will
perform on pc532-Minix.  I also use the SC spreadsheet and xscheme scheme
interpretter.

> Also:  when will the port of MINIX 1.5 be done?  (To whomever may be working
> on this: don't interpret this as "nagging", I'm just curious).

I am working on 1.5.  In fact, the Minix I use is a hybrid consisting of
1.5 MM, 1.5 FS, and a slightly modified 1.3 kernel.  The 1.5 kernel process
switching code is ready for testing.  People who read this mailing list
regularly know that my 1.5 Minix has been at this stage for some time.
I feel guilty that it is not done yet but, unfortunately, I have had very
little spare time recently.  In fact, I have been out of town for four
of the last six weeks and am writing this from Japan!  I hope to get back
to work on Minix when I return to the U.S. next week.

> Is there any plan to convert "minix-532" for virtual memory?

This is what I would like to work on after the 1.5 upgrade.  But
don't hold your breath!

> Question: will the current minix (either generic from AST or minix-532)
> swap complete processes to disk when it runs out of memory?

No, neither standard Minix nor pc532-Minix swap.  I understand the
argument for it but, personally, find the idea of implementing VM
more interesting.

Bruce