Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!sundc!netxcom!beattie From: beattie@netxcom.UUCP (Brian Beattie) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: Re: Future Patches To Make Minix Usable in the Real World Message-ID: <161@netxcom.UUCP> Date: Tue, 9-Jun-87 07:04:37 EDT Article-I.D.: netxcom.161 Posted: Tue Jun 9 07:04:37 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jun-87 01:55:36 EDT References: <114@jc3b21.UUCP> Reply-To: beattie@netxcom.UUCP (Brian Beattie) Lines: 51 Summary: to each his own In article <114@jc3b21.UUCP> gordon@jc3b21.UUCP (R. Gordon Price) writes: >(2) The boot operation leaves me wondering why a hard disk was not used > right off the top. Who would ever try to run UNIX on floppies?? Me >(3) There is no multi-user capabilities provided as I read it. I only > need one for testing purposes. I know the processor is brain dead and > that is the basic problem. Has anyone written a /dev/tty02 or higher > that works?? I believe such was posted although I have not had a chance to try it out. >(4) The / directory is a flying joke. This must be because of the need to > use 2 floppy drives instead of a hard disk. This is exactly so it can be run from floppies. >(5) The ram disk uses up too much memory that could be used by other tasks. > Can this be killed and sent to disk where it belongs?? Yes. >(6) NO SWAPPING IMPLEMENTED IS A HORROR!! What can I say? Add it your-self. >(7) MINIX does not appear to work with more than 640k of ram. Can this be > expanded?? You have the source. >I would love to see MINIX reported to a 68000 or higher where it MINIX(Or UNIX) will not work easily on the lower end 68000 machines due to lach or hardware relocation. (no MMU). >could really be let go!! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE, > >R. Gordon Price >Century Computer Systems Inc. >P.O. Box 58133 >Tierra Verde Florida 33715 >(813) 864-2678 >FAX (813) 867-0822 In short I think you missunderstand Dr. Tanenbaum's purpose. If you read the preface to the book I think you will find that MINIX was intended as a teaching tool. In fact I think that Dr. Tanenbaum is very suprised to find people trying to use MINIX for real. The restriction of having to run on a floppy only system is so that students might be able to work with MINIX on inexpensive machines. Finally unlike other operating systems available the source for MINIX is available inexpensively and if any-thing bugs you you are free to change it. If you want a REAL operating system go buy one. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Beattie | Phone: (703)749-2365 NetExpress Communications, Inc. | uucp: seismo!sundc!netxcom!beattie 1953 Gallows Road, Suite 300 | Vienna,VA 22180 |