From broadley@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu  Ukn Jun 29 09:51:42 1993
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From: Bill Broadley <broadley@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu>
Subject: Operating system
To: riscy@pyramid.com (Mips 3000)
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1993 09:47:32 -0500 (EDT)
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I heard that Mach + HURD can be rather resource intensive, but...


     Mach.  Mach is a free message-passing kernel being developed at CMU.
     The Hurd servers, working with the GNU C Library, will provide Unix-like
     functionality.  Together with Mach they are the last major components
     necessary for a complete GNU system.  Currently there are free ports of
     the Mach kernel to the 386 PC and the DEC PMAX workstation.  (The PMAX
     is one kind of MIPS-based DECstation.)  Other free ports of Mach are in
     progress.  Contact CMU for more information if you want to help with one
     of those or start your own.  Porting the GNU Hurd and GNU C Library is
     easy (easier than porting GNU Emacs, certainly easier than porting GCC)
     once a Mach port to a particular kind of hardware exists.


Just though we should keep it in mind.  (I think mach would handle MIPS cpu+
mips video real well 8-) )

I think BSD 4.4 still has some AT&T but I think a version runs on
the decstations (again mips).

Linux of course is 100% free but probably the least portable (it pains
me to say).

-- 
Bill					1st>	Broadley@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu
Broadley@schneider3.lrdc.pitt.edu <2nd 	3rd> 	             Broadley+@pitt.edu
Linux is great.         Bike to live, live to bike.                      PGP-ok


 
From SMACKINLA@cc.curtin.edu.au  Ukn Jun 29 10:17:39 1993
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Date: 29 Jun 1993 22:14:06 +0800
From: Pat Mackinlay <SMACKINLA@cc.curtin.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Operating system
To: broadley@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu
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>Just though we should keep it in mind.  (I think mach would handle MIPS cpu+
>mips video real well 8-) )

The system is certainly capable, but there are still a few obstacles to 
getting Mach running. The major one is the fact that Mach kernel 
development is still very much tied to CMU. The source is made available, 
but there's a fairly long wait between releases and I doesn't compare well 
to the speed of Linux development. I'm not knocking Mach, but I really
think Linux is a better option at this stage... We can take another look 
once the hardware's here I guess <grin>.

>Linux of course is 100% free but probably the least portable (it pains
>me to say).

At least it's fairly small. The Mach source is pretty big, and there is 
lots of message passing semantics to learn if you really want to understand 
it all. Not only that, but then you've got to understand (and debug) the 
servers you're trying to run. Really, I think Linux would be an 
easier/quicker port... (sound strange, doesn't it <grin>).

Pat -- "There's only one thing left to do Mama, I got to ding a ding dang
	my dang a long ling long" (Jesus Built My Hotrod -- Ministry)
GCS d* -p+ c++ l++ m--- s+/- !g w- t- r

 
