[MiNT] Future of MINT

["Fred Horvat" <fmh@netzero.net>]

Hi,

I know I'm a couple of weeks late responding but here is my 2 cents on the
future of MINT.  I've used the Atari 16/32 bit computers since 1992.  Please
keep in mind I'm not a Kernel Developer like most of you but a MINT Newbie.
My C and Assembler programming skills are lacking.  Basically nothing is
really new in what I have to say but this is from a non kernel developer but
from a new MINT user.

I'd like to address the hardware issue first.  When discussing the future
that means upcoming and current hardware.  Currently 68000 ST's are no
longer made.  Currently produced Atari clones are minimum 68030 but mostly
68040 and 68060 CPU's.  If a 4 Meg ST works fine with the current kernel for
a user then great.  I don't see though that the future of MINT is in a 4 Meg
68000 CPU.  My TT030 to upgrade hardware wish list consisted of TT RAM, hard
drive, video, and Ethernet was too cost prohibitive.  I ended up ordering a
Milan040 which was easier and cheaper plus a lot faster (bummer I've not
received it yet though).  Granted my upgrade list was the complete system
and most users may only want to upgrade only RAM or a hard drive so
everyone's mileage may vary.  To me the current minimum hardware for the
Atari platform should be a 14 Meg Falcon.  Which I don't even know if C-Lab
makes them anymore?  So that leaves the Milan040 (which will cease
production soon), Milan060, Hades060, and maybe Centek060 which is a lot
more muscle than the 68030-16mhz Falcon minimum I suggested above.

(If I use the wrong terminology sorry ahead of time but I hope you can
follow what I'm trying to say.)  Should we leave the 4 Meg 68000 users in
the cold?  No I would not want to but how much more can be added without
using up precious RAM?  We could have loadable modules for certain features,
but maybe not all features can be done this way.  Plus some features may not
be even possible on a 68000 I'm not sure?  We could split the kernel but
then that could be twice the effort of the programmers to implement a
feature for the 68030+ only kernel and then the 68000 only kernel.  Then if
there is not enough time for the developer then the 68000 only crowd may be
too far behind the 68030+ crowd and features would be lacking in the 68000
kernel.  Once this trend starts it would almost never be corrected.

To me the great thing about MINT is that it runs properly programmed TOS
programs plus adds UNIX functionality and programs.  Yes there are a lot of
things I've not found yet on MINT though they may be available.  I'm new so
maybe I've not found them yet.  With future enhancements I hope that TOS
does not get broken in the process of making MINT more Linux like.  If
that's the case I'll install Linux 68K or NetBSD and be in a UNIX only
world.  Basically MINT is Now TOS and I hope this does not get lost in the
future.


Thanks For Listening



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