Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!bronze!copper!templon
From: templon@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (jeffrey templon)
Subject: Questions about atari st & minix
Message-ID: <1991Apr20.011418.28786@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
Sender: news@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington IN.
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 91 01:14:18 GMT
Lines: 40

THis is a copy of an article I posted to comp.sys.atari.st.tech, they
suggested I post here too.  Feel free to ignore the atari-specific
questions if you so choose.

					jt

--------------------------------------------------
Hope this is the right place to post.  The upper-level group (atari.st)
seemed to be reserved for the fervent discussion of 'demos'.

I am thinking about getting an ST machine.  The reasons are 1) wanting
to stay away from Intel architecture, 2) the ST runs Minix and 3)
these things seem to be unbelievably cheap.  I am asking for opinions
about the machine, running Minix on it, things you like / dislike,
etc.  Some particulars:

- I have minix running on the Mac at the moment - how does ST minix
compare with Macminix?  I would think it would be faster, since mac
minix has to run as an application rather than an OS.

- what is the native ST interface like (not minix, but this GEM thingy)
compared to the Mac?

- what is the minimum configuration I'll likely be able to get away with?
I am eyeing starting out with a 520 - 512k and a monochrome monitor,
with some sort of HD.  I am used to having 2.5 Meg of RAM and 60 Meg
HD on my Mac.  It seems like Atari stuff should need less space from
what I have heard.

For anyone wanting to ask, 'why not stick with your mac?', i'll just
say that the Mac and I have to part for technical reasons!  i have
thought about getting one of the new macs (the LC, say) but this
seems a little dumb when there are these ST's selling for well under
$1000, especially the used ones.

Thanks for any email you might send.

				Jeff Templon