Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!umd5!vrdxhq!dgis!csed-1!roskos
From: roskos@csed-1.UUCP (Eric Roskos)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Question about Minix port
Message-ID: <260@csed-47.csed-1.UUCP>
Date: 1 Feb 88 20:06:16 GMT
References: <1059@louie.udel.EDU>
Organization: IDA, Alexandria, VA
Lines: 16
Summary: No visible degradation for hard disk

In article <1059@louie.udel.EDU>, HELMER%SDNET.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Guy Helmer) writes:
> Anyone care to comment on how Minix runs if drivers (floppy, tty, hard
> disk) are modified to use synchronous ROM calls, such as exist on the
> IBM PC?

As I've mentioned a couple of times here, I'm currently running Minix using
the ROM calls for the hard disk.  There is no visible degradation, i.e.,
no visible pauses, etc.  For floppy disk I imagine the degradation would
be considerable, but usually it is the hard disk that is incompatible,
since there was a lot more impetus for hardware makers to make compatible
floppy drivers (because of copy-protected floppy disks, etc.).

The major drawback is that if you use the ROM, you don't get to learn the
details of writing real device drivers.
-- 
Eric Roskos, IDA (...dgis!csed-1!roskos or csed-1!roskos@HC.DSPO.GOV)
	"Only through time time is conquered."  -- Burnt Norton