RE: [MiNT] What's in, what's out?

[Odd Skancke <oskancke@online.no>]

 Hi, all!

On Fri, 26 Nov 1999, Julian Reschke wrote:

--<SNIP>--
> >
> > The main point are the Unix extensions. In my eyes it's very helpful for
> > the future and for software porting if we agressive enhace the kernel for
> > elementar functions.
> 
> I like Unix. But: if I would want a Unix system, I would just install it. I
> think the strength of MiNT has been somewhere else, and it is to be small,
> to run on those old machines, and to keep TOS compatibility while adding
> some things from more powerful systems.

 In my eyes, MiNTs strength is that it is getting close to be Linux
compatible, TOS compatible and runs on those old Machines. Now, those old
machines are slowly getting too "small" to handle the ever-improved
kernel, mostly because of memory limitations. But, can we really let this
fact stop the evolvement of MiNT? I think not. In fact, I would rather use
MagiC on my ST, than to only have crippled kernels for my Hades becaues of
the "gotta run on old machines" philosophy. But luckily I don't have to do
that, becaues there are older kernels that runs fine on a 4Mb ST.

 So: I like Unix. And: I like TOS. Also: I like this to run the
Atari/TOS-clone platform. So, if we can have an OS that can do all three
things at the same time, then I would be real happy.

> 
> If your plan is to turn MiNT into a Linux clone then I must say --
> completely futile. Become a Linux contributor and add a GEM interface layer
> instead.

 What?!. Are we just forgetting what we are talking about here, Julian? We
are talking about a kernel that gives the TOS PLATFORM, not any other
platforms, but the TOS PLATFORM, the ability to be both Linux and TOS
at the same time! Never forget that! So, turning MiNT into a Linux clone
for the TOS Platform that is also TOS compatible would be a dream come
true. I mean, what do you really mean by "If I would want a Unix system"?
Do you mean that we can't have both? Or do you mean that Atari system
can't handle it? What?

 It should be noted that I'm not a MiNT developer, but I think I agree
that loadable modules might be an answer to certain things, so that people
with machines low on resources can carefully select functionality.




 Regards,

 Odd Skancke - ozk@atari.org