Re: MiNT TO UNIX

[Claus Brod <clausb@hpbeo79.bbn.hp.com>]

> I think you understand perfectly well what my title means.  It means that
> if Atari users get more and more used to UNIX software they will in the
> end (when they finally upgrade their STEs) buy something from a different
> manufacturer.  Atari's TOS is one of the parts that should make you like
> the machine.

Personally speaking, MultiTOS is what makes me like my TT, not
TOS, but I understand and support in general what you say.  But
the whole point of MiNT was to add Unix-like features to TOS
(pipes, links, preemptive multitasking, loadable filesystems...).
This has the benefit of making it possible to port Unix
applications.  Many UNIX applications rely on a certain file
structure, and MiNT supports such a uniform layout through its U:
drive.  So what's so wrong in trying to find some path structure
conventions and MiNT library enhancements which could make
porting easier?

Apart from that, the "MiNT goes UNIX" discussion is one of the
liveliest ever seen in this list, so quite a few people seem to
be interested.  We could also move to another list, but then the
MiNT list would be dull as before, with no real progress.

One thing about that "if MiNT goes UNIX, it will kill Atari"
slogan:  We are active users of Atari machines.  We don't kill or
hurt Atari just because we're active in the one or other
direction.  If Atari dies, it's their own silly fault.  We
developpers already did quite a lot for Atari, and we're not
responsible for running their business.

> Oh, I wasn't talking about obscure, new formats.  I was just suggesting that
> we might come up with something INTERESTING instead of the boring ancient
> UNIX path structures (think of the SCRAP directory,  i.e. something more
> Mac-ish).

I don't think the SCRAP directory is that exiting, but anyway, you're
free to discuss it, although this is the MiNT list, not the MultiTOS
list, so... 8-)

> > But this isn't really the issue. I'm not the only one interested in a
> > unix-like solution, and MiNT is so deceivingly close already now. I
> > will not be satisfied with the old ways, I just can't help it :-).
>  
> May I remind the right honourable gentleman that UNIX is much older than
> TOS?

Sorry, Annius, do we really need remarks of this style here?  Of
course we could now go on with OS flame wars, but are we really
interested in that?  Personally, I'm interested in features, and
being able to port certain Unix software to MTOS more easily is
such a feature.  I don't want MTOS to become UNIX, and I think
nobody else here wants this.  The beauty of MTOS is that it is a
very small operating system (although it could even be a lot
smaller and faster, as proven by Mag!X), and I don't want to
change that.

--clausb@hpbeo79.bbn.hp.com-----------------------------------------------
Claus Brod, MDD, HP Boeblingen      Magic is real unless declared integer.
--#include <std_disclaimer>-----------------------------------------------