Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!mks!wheels
From: wheels@mks.UUCP (Gerry Wheeler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: alternative operating systems (was Re: Multi-Bashing)
Message-ID: <419@mks.UUCP>
Date: 7 Mar 88 18:23:00 GMT
References: <8803060401.AA21207@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: Mortice Kern Systems, Waterloo, Ont.
Lines: 45

In article <8803060401.AA21207@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, TCORAM@UDCVAX.BITNET (maroC ddoT) writes:
> what exactly makes a ST a ST?  I mean, is a ST without GEM/GEMDOS/TOS
> still a ST?

Well, I suppose that depends on the user. If a person is willing to use
a less-well-known operating system, then for them the hardware is the
important item. For other users, they want to continue to conform to
the standard environment. The Coco 3 is a good example -- OS9 runs on
it, but still lots of people use RS-DOS.

> Just how UNIX compatible is the C compiler for OS-9 with UNIX?  They say they
> are source compatible in thier ads... Does this mean I can REALLY port C
> stuff (forking and all) to OS-9?  Or is it just 'file' function compatible
> with UNIX (as is most decent C compilers seem to be)?

I used the 6809 version of OS9 a while ago. Since they are multi-tasking,
they do have techniques to spawn concurrent tasks, but as I recall, their
names for these things was different. However, I suspect one could easily
put together a Unix compatible library.

> I seem to get the feeling that quite a few people out there waiting for MINIX
> for the ST (it is coming in late spring) expect more of it than what it will
> probally deliver.

Well, of course we won't know until we get it. But, as long as it is fairly
Unix compatible and supports the midi and serial ports, I'll be happy.

> MINIX is great
> for experimenting and playing with, but it will probally never become the
> standard multitasking OS for the ST that everyone is looking for.

As I mentioned, OS9 is the multi-tasking system of choice on the Coco, but
I think the ST version is too expensive. The $150 personal version doesn't
include the C compiler. To get that you have to go to the $600 Professional
version. I wish they would offer a lower cost version without Basic09 but
with the C compiler.

As for the hacking of Minix, well I suspect one of the first things people
will try is to get a windowing front end for it. I hope that we'll be able
to make calls to the line A routines in ROM when Minix is booted.
-- 
     Gerry Wheeler                           Phone: (519)884-2251
Mortice Kern Systems Inc.               UUCP: uunet!watmath!mks!wheels
   35 King St. North                             BIX: join mks
Waterloo, Ontario  N2J 2W9                  CompuServe: 73260,1043