Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!uunet!xavax!jat
From: jat@xavax.com (John Tamplin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m88k
Subject: Re: Shrink-wrap UNIX for 88open architecture.
Keywords: Fully Open Systems; MIPS ACE
Message-ID: <1991Apr30.201919.13140@xavax.com>
Date: 30 Apr 91 20:19:19 GMT
Organization: Xavax
Lines: 33

In article <4155@risky.Convergent.COM>, scottl@convergent.com (Scott
Lurndal) writes:
>In article <12@metran.UUCP>, jay@metran.UUCP (Jay Ts) writes:
>|> Does the 88open standard allow for a company to develop a port of
>|> UNIX to a generic 88k system?  In other words, is it possible for
>|> there to be a shrink-wrap UNIX port that will run on *all* 88open
>|> compliant machines?
>
>No.  The standards developed by 88open are software standards.  They
>define a software environment that must be presented by a conforming
>hardware platform.  
>
>For a shrink-wrap unix to be feasible, the hardware would also need
>to be specified (i.e. how to address the various timers/clocks/
>peripheral devices &c).  This would be too restrictive for any
>hardware vendor to contemplate.

88open has spent at least some effort on this sort of thing -- 
EPIS (Executive Processor Interface Specification).  I don't know the
current status of it -- the date on the document I have is April 90 --
but it is intended to specify the interface between a kernel and the
hardware in a machine independant manner.  Porting a kernel onto new
hardware would involve the following steps:
 1) Obtain a portable kernel which interfaces with EPIS
 2) Obtain the EPIS library for the hardware in question
 3) Obtain device drivers for all peripherals
 4) Link them together
This would allow you to get a portable kernel running on new hardware,
without requiring a porting job.
-- 
John Tamplin						Xavax
jat@xavax.COM						2104 West Ferry Way
...!uunet!xavax!jat					Huntsville, AL 35801