Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!rphroy!trux!car
From: car@trux.UUCP (Chris Rende)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Multics bloat??? Are you sure???
Message-ID: <522@trux.UUCP>
Date: 19 Dec 90 17:41:59 GMT
References: <6100008@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Organization: Central Cartage, Sterling Hgts., MI
Lines: 30

From article <6100008@m.cs.uiuc.edu>, by gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu:
> 
> Mutlics segments are/were limited to 262K (or less, I don't remember
> exactly).  Systems like 4.3BSD and System 5.0 move beyond these
> PDP-11ish limitations into the modern world, where files can be 20
> megabytes and filesystems can have 100,000 inodes or more, filenames
> can be arbitrary length, etc. etc. etc.  If you had to use Multics
> today you'd be screaming in pain due to the hardwired limitations.
> 
> - Don

It is true that Multics segments are limited to 256k (or there abouts).
(Because of the Honeywell Level 68 architecture).

However, Multics has another file type: Multi-segment files.
Multi-segment files can be quite HUGE.
No, you wouldn't been screaming in pain due to hardwired limitations.

Multi-segment files have been part of Multics since before 1980. (That's when
I first started using Multics).

On the contrary, many who currently use Multics are going to miss it.
(Anyone for a Multics mailing list?).

car.
-- 
Christopher A. Rende           Central Cartage (Nixdorf/Pyramid/SysVR2/BSD4.3)
uunet!edsews!rphroy!trux!car   Multics,DTSS,Unix,Shortwave,Scanners,UnixPC/3B1
trux!car@uunet.uu.net          Minix 1.2,PC/XT,Mac+,TRS-80 Model I,1802 ELF
trux!ramecs!car     "I don't ever remember forgetting anything." - Chris Rende