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From: wjb%cogsci.COG.JHU.EDU@vm1.nodak.edu
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Most requested features in MINIX...
Message-ID: <43780@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 5 Feb 91 18:06:12 GMT
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	Well, it seems that my response to the "Most requested features..."
posting has generated a small firestorm on the list.  First of all, I want
to say that I understand AST's wishes to keep Minix a manageable size so
that it can be used for teaching purposes.  At the same time, many "hackers"
have latched onto Minix as the only widely known operating system for which
source code is available and inexpensive.  They want to turn Minix into a
complete operating system with many of the capabilities of Minix's commercial
brethren.  In the past, the result of these two conflicting goals has been a
succession of Minix releases that slowly improve the system while
maintaining the ability to run it on small PCs.

	My impression is that the next generally available release of Minix
will probably be the last one for which that will be possible to keep these
two goals in sync.  In my previous posting, I included a grab bag of
"features" which might be considered useful by different individuals.  Some
of them are obviously unlikely to occur.  Some of them I don't even really
want. (DOS emulation in particular.  A :-) would probably have been of use
there.)  Some of them, I have heard mention of in the past on this mailing
list, but for whatever reason they don't seem to have had wide
availability.  Perhaps it is time (as one poster suggested) for a MAXMINIX.
Some kind of forum where discussion and organization of efforts which are
not expected to EVER become part of the standard release might be useful.
Hopefully, both groups would continue to communicate with each other and
share ideas.  It might not even be necessary to set up a separate mailing
list as long as the discussions of MAXMINIX were clearly indicated.

	To start this process it would help to know what capabilities are
planned for the next standard release.  I understand that it will depend on
the time that various individuals including AST can spend in putting it
together.  Some idea of the goals would help those of us who would like to
make a contribution to Minix, but are not on the "inside", could find ways in
which we could contribute.  I was somewhat disheartened to discover after
posting my request for volunteers to look at a new AT_WINI driver to
discover that others had been working on it as well and at least on the
machines that I have access, my performance numbers are no better.  I was
disheartened not because someone had gotten better results, but because I
could have been spending more of my limited "hacking" time on other Minix
goals.  Maybe a "todo" list with people interested in particular areas would
work.

	Well, those are some of my thoughts on Minix.  I have mentioned some
of this to others when discussing the AT_WINI driver.  I look forward to
others suggestions and comments on whether any of the above is feasible or
even worthwhile.

				Thanks,
				Bill Bogstad

P.S.  There may be some who say that I should wait for the GNU project or
free BSD code if I want a "large" OS with source code.  That is certainly an
option and if it is deemed to be the best way to deal with the situation
then I will have to pursue my interests in those arenas.