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Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!ll-xn!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!tektronix!orca!tekecs!frip!andrew
From: andrew@frip.gwd.tek.com (Andrew Klossner)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards,comp.arch
Subject: Unix in ROM [was Re: Jerry Pournelle on UNIX (From BYTE)]
Message-ID: <9601@tekecs.TEK.COM>
Date: 8 Jan 88 21:00:31 GMT
References: <1495@osiris.UUCP> <2126@haddock.ISC.COM> <1497@osiris.UUCP>
Sender: nobody@tekecs.TEK.COM
Followup-To: comp.unix.wizards
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville, Oregon
Lines: 19

[This isn't very architectural, so follow-ups have been directed to
comp.unix.wizards only.]

	"I also see making parts of UNIX (sh ?) in ROM as a bad idea
	since it tends to greatly increase the
	development/repair/evolution time. If we had to unplug chips
	and bring an engineer in every time there is a PTF for a part
	of a system, it would cost someone too much somewhere, and the
	changes would never get made."

Changing a ROM doesn't have to be complicated.  A good example of a
system where it's blessedly easy to change a ROM is the Atari 2600 home
video game system.  Shoving a ROM into the slot is easier than loading
a cassette tape deck.

[No, I don't run Unix on my video game.  Or my cassette deck.  :-)  ]

  -=- Andrew Klossner   (decvax!tektronix!tekecs!andrew)       [UUCP]
                        (andrew%tekecs.tek.com@relay.cs.net)   [ARPA]