Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!uwvax!oddjob!gargoyle!ihnp4!homxb!genesis!hotlg!anumb!eao
From: eao@anumb.UUCP (e.a.olson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Re: kit wishlist and software
Message-ID: <177@anumb.UUCP>
Date: 19 Feb 88 12:29:52 GMT
References: <880@PT.CS.CMU.EDU>
Reply-To: mvuxq!adh@anumb.UUCP (a.d.hay)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - WI
Lines: 58
Keywords: 32k kit, cheap unix.

In article <880@PT.CS.CMU.EDU> mch@cs.cmu.edu (Mark Hahn) writes:
>Use minix - see "Operating Systems - design and implementation," 
>Tannenbaum.  Mostly compatable with version 7 unix.  Clean, well documented.
>The architecture-dependent code is small and well compartmentalized.
>The copyright provides for limited, non-commercial redistribution 
>(of sources).

why not use Genix?
NSC has already written flavors for both BSD4.3 & sVr3.
these include a compiler that NSC has spent a lot of time and energy on;
i doubt it could be easily duplicated.

>I think the board itself should be a simple design - emphasizing a powerful
>cpu, and minimizing io stuff.  Just cpu, mmu, sockets for tons of memory,
>perhaps a scsi (dma) interface, maybe a couple of serial ports.  Certainly
>no slots, no disk controllers.

you propose to run a un*x system without disks?
and what about video?

my preference would be something like this:

1	a memory controller.
	one of the chips that will drive up to 4X32 256Ks/1Ms.
	i'd use ZIPs for space/availability reasons.

2	a high-power video controller.
	i can't decide if it should be one of the at/xt
	superset chips, or something really exotic which can
	emulate at/xt modes. should it have it's own memory?

3	SA450 controller.
	there are at least half a dozen streaming tapes with
	floppy interfaces; also (i think) some cd-roms. the
	driver should be able to handle any mix.

4	HD controller.
	if this board is to fit an AT chassis, it should handle
	the AT drives which are ST506/412s; otherwise AT owners
	who want to upgrade (this IS an upgrade, isn't it? ;^>)
	will be SOL. and why not put plugs on the board for 4
	drives? the WD1010-family chips can handle that many.

5	slots.
	likewise.  you'd also be missing out on the vast wealth
	of plugins already developed for the AT. drivers are
	another question, though.

6	in this same vein, it might be useful to include a ms-dos
	simulator (doshell?) or recompiler.

dma & vm go without question.
it doesn't have to be 532-based; i'd even be willing to accept
an 032-based machine with the above attributes.

andy hay		+-----------------------------------------------+
			|	Don't try to out-wierd ME, three-eyes!	|
ihnp4!mvuxq!adh		+-----------------------------------------------+