Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!njin!princeton!udel!mmdf
From: jnall%FSU.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (John Nall 904-644-5241)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: 1.3 updates
Message-ID: <4364@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 2 Oct 88 17:18:50 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 30

Reading the different pieces of correspondence with regard to MINIX, it is
apparent that there is a broad spectrum of expertise interested in this
system.  These appear to range from rank novices to professional system
programmers (who must do this for relaxation -- kind of a busman's holiday).

The point being (after that tangential introduction) that there are many who
are quite capable of following all the twists and turns of upgrading from
1.2 (or 1.1) to a working 1.3.  Some will never be capable of it, even if it
is handed to them on a silver platter.  And most of us (I modestly include
myself in this category!) can do the busy work, and correct some of the more
obvious errors, but because of either level-of-expertise, or time constraints,
or both, find it difficult to do everything and wind up with a working system.

Therefore, (finally, he gets to the bottom line!!) if there is someone who
has gone through 3+ upgrades (1.2-->1.3a-->1.3b-->1.3c-->glitches) and wants
to make available to the vast majority of us a single package (preferably on
floppy disk(s)) I suspect there are more people than me who would be willing
to shell out a few bucks to get it.  Since we are only talking about an
UPDATE rather than original source code, there should not be any objections
(other than on idealistic grounds).

In case anyone is interested, I teach an Operating Systems course, and use
MINIX for lab.  I the Spring, I intend to teach a Computer Networking course,
using Andy's Second Edition of Computer Networking.  (Sorry Zenith keyboard...
that should have read "In the Spring...") and would like to have 1.3 available
to the students.  But I'm scared of depending on PH for January!!!).

JOHN NALL
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY