Xref: utzoo unix-pc.general:7433 comp.sys.att:11610
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!thad
From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: unix-pc.general,comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: 3B1 Device Driver Dev. Guide update and ordering info
Message-ID: <38501@cup.portal.com>
Date: 27 Jan 91 00:24:41 GMT
References: <38457@cup.portal.com>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 40

After several inquiries, I just want to be sure there's NO misunderstanding
as to what I'm presently offering.

The document is (originally) from AT&T Information Systems and entitled:

	UNIXPC Version 3.0 Device Driver Development Guide
	Issue 0

It's 44 pages (22 double-sided) long, and contains software specifications and
some skeleton examples for use by people already familiar with the concepts of
device drivers along with all the interface (to the kernel) calls.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the ONLY information ever published on
this subject for the 3B1/UNIXPC, and it was never updated from Issue 0.

One person asked about the "UNIX PC Device Driver Development Kit".  I have
NEVER seen this "kit" and indications "suggest" it may never have been produced
though there are related materials in the att7300/STORE/IHVDIAG+IN.Z and other
files at osu-cis

It's my understanding that the few companies who actually did produce the
commercially-available existing device drivers did so under non-disclosure
agreements with access to the actual source code (of the kernel, etc.).

But note that several people have written device drivers directly from the
information in the Guide (e.g. RAM-disks, ptys, etc.)

I would strongly urge you to also have a copy of Bach's "The Design of the UNIX
Operating System" (Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-201799-2) for effective use of this
Guide.  The Bach book details all the algorithms of SVR2 such as would be found
in the kernel of the 3B1/UNIXPC (but not including whatever Convergent Tech and
AT&T extensions were added to support the unique features of the 3B1/UNIXPC).

In closing, the Guide is NOT a tutorial but a technical document with pertinent
specifications.  If your use of the 3B1/UNIXPC is solely playing mahjongg, your
money would probably be better spent buying floppy disks.  :-)

Thad

Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com ]