From: utzoo!decvax!duke!mcnc!ncsu!fostel
Newsgroups: net.micro
Title: Re 8086: Good thing come in
Article-I.D.: ncsu.1189
Posted: Thu Apr 21 11:39:35 1983
Received: Wed Apr 27 04:24:33 1983



    Its funny how hardware technology influences peoples thoughts of what
    is "good".  Unix was born and nurtured on a limited address space cradle
    of 64k bytes.  Did that environment produce a criple?  No.

    Rather it produced the so called "UNIX Style", of a minimal OS kernal,
    and collections of small useful programs which the OS could "connect"
    at run-time.  These ideas are generally accepted as good, independent
    of any cpu architecture.  Indeed, one need merely look at OS/370 and the
    s/370 architecture to see that the ideas are not a direct result of the
    address space limits.  The s/370 operates most of the time in a world
    of 12 bit addressing -- all that will fit into the 12 bit displacement
    field.  More expansive addressing requires trick use of address constants,
    arithmetic, multiple base registers and all manner or other stuff.  Did
    this result in the "UNIX Style"?  Is OS/370 a minimal kernal?  Are OS
    programs typically small, sleek and robust?

    Comments about the strangling confines of the 8086 are a load of ____
    disguising the deep down lack of understanding or faith in the UNIX
    style.  Sure its nice to have a zillion byte address space. Sure that
    makes it easier to address a 200K array. (Funny, I've never used one.)
    Sure tis easier to have a magabyte process image. I'd rather have a
    set of smaller, cleanly interfaced programs which are "linked" at run
    time by the OS, then a big lumbering OS/370 "subsystem".

    Lets all have a moment of silence for the passing of the thing that
    brought UNIX into the world and nurtured its early philosophy. And
    give thanks that K.T. and D.R. didn't have a 68000 15 years ago.
    ----GaryFostel----