From: pingel@sscvx1.ssc.gov (John Pingel)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Questions for MacMinix Users/Hackers
Date: 18 Nov 92 19:17:54 GMT
Organization: SSC Laboratory, Dallas Texas
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1b2

MacMinix Users:

   I am interested in using UNIX programming tools on my old MacII at
home.
I use A/UX 3.0 on my Mac at work; however, I rather not put A/UX on my
MacII
just yet (i.e. I need to add more memory and upgrade to Apple's FDHD Super
Floppy drive and ROM kit).

   I'm primarily interested in learning to use the following programming
   tools:
         languages: gcc v2.x, gdb, libg++,
         scripting: awk, pearl
         shells:    sh, csh, ksh, bash, tcsh
         editors:   vi, emacs
         misc:      other gnu tools (i.e.
grep,fileutils,binutils,shellutils)
         
1. Can MacMinix support the above tools?  If so, which version of the
tool.

2. When one tries to port software tools that are based on SystemV or BSD
to
   Minix (UNIX System 7), what are the usual snags in porting the
software.
   Is it mainly just the difference in UNIX OS calls, the C standard
   libraries, or the upper level services of the Minix OS.

3. What are the functional differences/improvements between Minix v1.5.10
   and v1.6.23?  What's the official/un-official status of MacMinix being
   reved upto v1.6.23?
   
4. What's the status of the Posix complient version of Minix (v2.0)?  Is
it
   going to be another year before it is released?

5. What is the absolute minimum physical memory needed to run MacMinix
under
   MacOS v7.0 or v7.1?  (2Meg?)

6. What is the prefered minimum physical memory needed to run MacMinix
under
   MacOS v7.0 or v7.1?  (4Meg,5Meg,8Meg)

7. How does memory management work under MacMinix.  Does the MacMinix
kernel
   provide individual Minix processes with "virtual memory" , or does the
   MacMinix kernel just provide Minix process with memory that's available
   to the MacMinix Macintosh application from Multifinder?

8. Does MacMinix need its own partion and file system, or does it directly
   use the Mac's file system where each Minix file is stored as a separate
   Mac file?

9. How much disk space does the MacMinix 1.5.x distribution take up?

10. When MacMinix is running under MacOS v7.0 how fast or slow is the
   response to the command line (sh), editors (e.g. vi,emacs), and
compilers
   (e.g. bcc, gcc).  In other words, is it usable or even "fun" to use?

11. Is there a list of email addresses of MacMinix users/hackers and
    developer(s) (i.e. the guy(s) that did the original port)?

Please send any replies to my Internet E-mail address; I'll post a
summary of
the responses that I get.

Thanks for Any Info,
John Pingel

P.S. I did check the contents of "Minix Information Sheet" and the
     "Minix FAQ", but most of the questions above were not fully answered.
     I'll gladly take any info you got on how MacMinix works/performs on
     the Mac under System 7.  Please mention any caveats.
     
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John Pingel                                     Internet:
pingel@sscvx1.ssc.gov
Programmer/Analyst                              voice: (214) 708-5198
Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory       fax:   (214) 708-0015
Dallas, Texas
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Newsgroups: comp.os.minix