Re: [MiNT] New MiNT distribution is n.. ..pro

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

    Basically you can run MINT now well on an X86 that's what I am doing now
to play around and learn a few things with MINT till I get a Milan or
upgrade my TT030.  Gemulator 2000 is now free so the price is right.
www.emulators.com

    It's not in TT030, Falcon, Hades, or Milan league but a basically a
fancy STe emulation.

What you get for free is:

14 Meg ST RAM max
TOS 2.06 support max
hard drive file containers for Minix or whatever file system
screen resolutions above 1024x768 but still 16 colors or mono.
I've installed Mint .95
TAF Internet MINT
The MINT Newbie install and all have run fine.
I have not tested much out with this setup but someone more knowledgable may
want to take a look.
Speed on my AMD K2-233 is pretty good.

With the Comercial version of the new Gemulator product SoftMac you get all
of the above plus:

CPU up to 68040 with FPU support.
Better File container handling support

I just got the Softmac so I don't know all what is available yet to me yet
on STe Emulation.  But this is what I have observed with these two product
so far for those who care.
----- Original Message -----
From: <Jo-Even.Skarstein@gjensidige.no>
To: <mint@fishpool.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 5:43 AM
Subject: RE: [MiNT] New MiNT distribution is n.. ..pro


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin-Éric Racine [mailto:q-funk@pp.fishpool.fi]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 7:20 AM
> To: MiNT List
> Subject: Re: [MiNT] New MiNT distribution is n.. ..pro
>
> > A lot cheaper solution would simply be to port MiNT to x86...
>
> But x86 means an architecture change.  We could not assume MiNT
> to be m68k-based, anymore.

Read it again: Running MiNT on x86 would be a lot faster and cheaper than
porting it to the (PPC-based) RioRed-platform. I would also guess that it
would be a lot easier due to the huge amount of available code for the x86.

Unfortunately there will never be developed any faster/more modern
68k-processors, so if we want more speed, an architecture-change is
inevitable. Unless we boot straight into a 68k-emulator and run MiNT on top
of that ofcourse. Not nearly as fast as native code (but you'll never know
if CPUs like the Crusoe gets popular), but it would still be many times
faster than the fastest 68k.

Jo Even Skarstein



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