Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!ihdev!pdg From: pdg@ihdev.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sources.d Subject: Re: Lions book Message-ID: <1306@ihdev.ATT.COM> Date: Tue, 7-Apr-87 15:29:28 EST Article-I.D.: ihdev.1306 Posted: Tue Apr 7 15:29:28 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Apr-87 05:58:29 EST References: <483@gouldsd.UUCP> <804@aw.sei.cmu.edu.sei.cmu.edu> Reply-To: pdg@ihdev.UUCP (Joe Isuzu) Organization: American Nasal Amputation Centre Lines: 30 In article <1306@frog.UUCP> john@frog.UUCP (John Woods, Software) writes: >The MINIX book is a good, modern replacement for the Lions book (if it is >even available). There is definitely a place in the world for both >approaches (at least, there is a place in *my* bookshelves for both! :-). I must disagree here (with the first statement). As John mentioned in his first paragraph (not quoted here) the Lions Book is a complete V6 source to UNIX. The MINIX book is a text, which shows how *MINIX* is implemented. I see different niches for both (I have both, plus Bach and Comer (XINU)). The Lions book is unparalleled for teaching UNIX internals (except maybe Bell Labs internal classes :-), but MINIX does not come close because MINIX is not even close to UNIX in *implementation*. A quote from page xiv of the MINIX book... "On the inside, however, the system is completely new". If your purpose is to learn UNIX internals, the MINIX book is not for you and the Lions document is perfect (though outdated - but as is Bach too ( no mention of RFS, FSS, FSS (no not redundant, they stand for different things :-), shared libraries, etc)), and Bach is not too bad. If your purpose is to learn Operating Systems Concepts, The MINIX book is a good case-example of an OS design, as is Bachs book and Comers. I would like to recommend "An introduction to Operating Systems" by Harvey Deitel as a more general concept book (although the case-history studies are very incomplete). I would agree with John's last sentence, and would like to expand by saying that OS study is one area where you can *never* have enough books. -- Paul Guthrie ihnp4!ihdev!pdg This Brain left intentionally blank.