Path: tut!enea!mcvax!botter!star!ast@cs.vu.nl From: ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: MINIX announcement, version 1.2; comments to me Message-ID: <660@ast.cs.vu.nl> Date: 23 Feb 88 15:28:13 GMT Sender: ast@cs.vu.nl Reply-To: ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) Organization: VU Informatica, Amsterdam Lines: 333 MINIX INFORMATION SHEET 1. WHAT IS MINIX? MINIX is an operating system that is a subset of UNIX Version 7. It contains nearly all the V7 system calls, and these calls are identical to the corresponding V7 calls. It also includes a Bourne-compatible shell, and close to 100 utility programs, including cc, grep, ls, make, etc. To the average user, it is effectively V7 UNIX. If you dig deep enough, you will, however, find some differences. The MINIX kernel has been written from scratch by Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl). It does not contain ANY AT&T code at all. The utility programs have been written by Andy Tanenbaum, his students, and a number of other people, including people on USENET. None of the utilities contain any AT&T code either. The shell, the Pascal and C compilers, make, etc. have all been completely redone. As a result, this code is not covered by the ATT UNIX license, and it can be made available. 2. WHAT CPUS DOES MINIX RUN ON? MINIX was originally written for the IBM PC, XT, and AT. It has since been ported to the NS 16032 and the 68000 (Atari ST). It will also work on many 386-based machines. A list of clones on which MINIX has been tested is included below. 3. HOW CAN I GET MINIX? MINIX is being sold by: Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 (1-800-223-1360), and Prentice-Hall Int'l, Hemel, Hempstead, England (+44 442 231555) When ordering it, please specify the 640K PC version, 512K AT version or 256K PC version (which will be dropped starting with Version 1.3). The Atari version will run on any Atari ST, from a 512K machine with 1 floppy to a Mega ST with 4M and 16 hard disks. It works better on the latter. The Atari version will be available from Prentice-Hall in the late Spring. The U.S. price for the IBM version is $80. The price outside the U.S. is somewhat higher due to the way Prentice-Hall's divisions are financed. The price for the Atari version will be roughly similarly to the IBM version. All distributions contain executable binaries and the complete source code. 4. HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MINIX? MINIX is described in detail in the following book: Title: Operating Systems: Design and Implementation Author: Andrew S. Tanenbaum Publisher: Prentice-Hall ISBN: 0-13-637406-9 There is also a paperback available outside the U.S. only. A German translation was begun in Feb. 1988. The software package does not contain a manual; this is contained in the appendices to the book, which also contain a complete source code listing (in C) of the MINIX kernel. 5. IS MINIX PUBLIC DOMAIN? No. MINIX has been copyrighted by Prentice-Hall. Prentice-Hall has decided to permit a limited amount of copying of the sources and binaries for educational use. Professors may make copies for students in their operating systems classes. Academic researchers may use it for their new experimental machines, and things like that. A small amount of private copying of diskettes for the use of personal friends is ok, but please do not make more than 3 copies from each original. Prentice-Hall is trying to be more reasonable than most software publishers. Please do not abuse this. Online repositories of the full source code distribution are not permitted. All commercial uses of MINIX require written permission from Prentice-Hall; for the most part, they are willing to grant such permission in return for a royalty on sales. 6. WHAT PROGRAMS COME WITH MINIX The list below gives the programs that are either distributed with Version 1.2 or have been posted to USENET since then: ar ascii basename bawk cal cat cc chmem chmod chown clr cmp comm cp cpdir date dd df diff dosread du echo ed elle expr factor fdisk find fix getlf grep gres head kill libpack libupack ln login lpr ls make mined mkdir mkfs mknod more mount mv od passwd pr prep printenv pwd readfs rev rm rmdir roff run sed sh shar size sleep sort spell split stty su sum sync tail tar tee test time touch tr treecmp umount uniq update uudecode uuencode wc Various other programs have also been posted, but the ones above are considered part of the "official" distribution and will appear in Version 1.3 (summer '88). 7. HOW DO I KEEP UP TO DATE ABOUT MINIX. If you are on USENET, subscribe to newsgroup comp.os.minix. There are about 10,000 people in this group, and new software, bug fixes, and general discussion about MINIX take place here. If you are on BITNET or ARPANET, you can get this newsgroup via a mailing list by contacting: ARPANET: info-minix-request@udel.edu BITNET: sending a message (either interactive or mail) to listserv@ndsuvm1 saying: signup minix-l Your_Full_Name 8. ARE THE MESSAGES POSTED TO COMP.OS.MINIX SAVED ANYWHERE? Yes. There are several archives, one run by Vincent Broman on bugs.nosc.mil, another run by James Galvin on louie.udel.edu, one on the Bitnet "LISTSERV" at NDSUVM1, and an archive area on Simtel20.arpa The following text was posted by Vincent Broman and describes how his archive works. >> Bugs.Nosc.Mil archives comp.os.minix news articles of lasting interest >> and other Minix material, such as a list of machines reported to be >> able to run Minix. Material of widespread interest includes diffs for >> updating v1.1 to v1.2 and preliminary fixes headed for v1.3, code developing >> toward a serial port driver, diffs for cross compilation under MS-C and >> Turbo-C, the new asld with split I&D, and recently the editor, Elle v4.1 . >> >> This material is available by anonymous FTP (during non-business hours) >> on bugs.nosc.mil in directory pub/Minix . The file SUBJECTS contains a list >> of Subject lines serving as a kind of index. The file names are mostly just >> the Message-Id of a news article. >> >> Several ways to get these kinds of goodies, in order: >> >> 1. Look, or ask someone you know to look, for articles still available >> on the machine where you read news, or on a neighbor. >> 2. Ask the person who posted the material to mail it to you. >> 3. Get access to a machine on the ArpaNet (or talk to an acquaintance who >> has access) and FTP to louie.udel.edu or bugs.nosc.mil . >> 4. To get smaller selections from the bugs.nosc.mil archive by Email, >> see the instructions following. >> 5. To get very large amounts of material from archives, talk to someone >> in charge of it, e.g. me, about mailing a tape. Surface-mailing of tapes >> is cheap. Voluminous Email is expensive, though not as expensive as >> posting news. >> >> Everything available to anonymous FTP in directory pub/Minix can be obtained by >> sending a mailed request to minix-server@bugs.nosc.mil or nosc!minix-server . >> Include in the message, either among the header fields or the body, a line like: >> >> Reply-To: >> >> and after that a line or lines naming desired files e.g.: >> >> send compatibility >> send SUBJECTS >> send 1180@botter.cs.vu.nl >> >> to get an automatic mailed reply. Notice file names are case sensitive. >> should look something like one of these examples: >> >> you@stolaf.uucp >> sdcsvax!ihnp4!mtgzz!guru >> cs.vu.nl!giant@uunet.uu.net >> person%utoronto.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu >> user%ulowell.csnet@relay.cs.net >> honcho%durham.mailnet@mit-multics.arpa . >> >> Email is not free. Abuse of the system will cause bad karma. >> Contents may have settled during shipment. >> >> >> Vincent Broman, code 632, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA 92152, USA >> Phone: +1 619 553 1641 Internet: broman@nosc.mil Uucp: sdcsvax!nosc!broman Information about the other archives can be found below. >> NDSUVM1's listserv has two archives of Minix information. The first is >> an automated weekly log of all messages sent to the MINIX-L list. The >> other is an manually organized manual of sources sent to the list. Both >> are accessed by sending either interactive messages (bitnet only) or >> mail (all other networks) to LISTSERV@NDSUVM1. Some possible addresses >> from other networks are: >> >> Bitnet: listserv@ndsuvm1 >> Internet: listserv%ndsuvm1.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu >> UUCP: psuvax1!ndsuvm1.bitnet!listserv >> >> **NOTE*** the UUCP gateway at PSUVAX1 appears to violate some rule of >> RFC822 which listserv does not like being violated (duplicate 'From:' >> lines). If possible, use a different gateway; otherwise expect a nasty >> letter from NDSUVM1's postmaster, if anything. I am interested in hearing >> from anybody on on UUCP or a Bitnet Unix machine who does successfully >> receive anything from listserv. >> >> The message logs are kept in the "MINIX-L" section, with names in the form: >> >> MINIX-L LOGyymmw >> >> where "yy" is the year, "mm" is the numeric month and "w" is an alphabetic >> character from A to E indicating what week of the month. Several months of >> log files are kept on-line, the number depending on disk space availability. >> >> >> The other archives are kept in the "MINIX" section. >> To obtain a list of the files in the Minix archives, issue the command: >> >> INDEX MINIX >> or >> INDEX MINIX-L >> >> (if you use mail, the command must be in the body of your message) >> >> Files are retrieved with the 'GET' command: >> >> GET MORE INFO MINIX >> >> to get the file "MORE INFO" from the group "MINIX". >> >> For a complete list of information on the listserv: >> >> INFO ? >> >> Due to the 80-character per line (punched card) limit on Bitnet mail, many of >> the files will be shipped using an encoding scheme that allows logical lines >> to be split up into many physical lines. The default for going to other >> networks is "Listserv Punch". It can be obtained from the file 'MISC LPUN'. >> This file should traverse networks unscathed. >> >> Please direct all comments and questions about this archive to Glen Overby at >> nu070156@ndsuvm1.bitnet >> A limited archive of MINIX related material is available from simtel20.arpa >> in the directory PD:. These same files are available on Bitnet >> from LISTSERV@RPICICGE in the same directory. >> >> To get these files from LISTSERV@RPICICGE, use the /pddir and /pdget commands >> for a directory listing and file retrieval, respectively. 9. WHAT CLONES HAS MINIX BEEN TESTED ON? MINIX runs on the IBM PC, XT, and AT. It also runs on those clones that are IBM compatible. You would be amazed at how many are not. The following list was compiled by Vincent Broman from postings to comp.os.minix: Computer info source MINIX runs? HD runs? --------- ----------- ----------- -------- AMT-ATjr darren@ethos.uucp yes ARC Turbo XT clone m692040@sdsu.uucp yes AT&T 6300 dklann@marque.uucp yes no AT&T 6300 jcs@chinet.uucp yes yes with fix of go ATronics AT clone hubble@cae780.uucp yes ATronics XT clone dhb@bek-mc.caltech.edu yes yes w/ fix Aerocomp Clone rmtodd@uokmax.uucp yes no Amstrad steve@warwick.uucp yes no BIOS silent partner ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes Commodore PC-10 II ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes Compaq 386 ast@cs.vu.nl no Compaq DeskPro walker@xanth.uucp yes Compaq DeskPro 286 walker@xanth.uucp yes Compaq Portable cavender@drivax.uucp yes yes w/fix Compaq Portable II foster@beno.css.gov yes Computer Classfd ST/286 myxm@lanl.gov yes Corona PC-400 dtinker@utoronto.bitnet yes Corona PC-400 janet@unrvax.uucp no (see below) Epson Equity 3 ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes Faraday motherboard jallen@netxcom.uucp yes Ferranti PC860/XT lyo@uk.ac.newcastle.cheviot yes yes w/ fix GRID GridCase 3 steven@cwi.nl yes Honeywell AP ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes HP Vectra eric@unmvax.unm.edu no IBM PC ganesh@utah-cs.uucp yes IBM PC-AT @6MHz ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes IBM PC-AT @8MHz ast@cs.vu.nl yes no IBM PC-XT ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes 10Mb IBM PC-XT-286 ast@cs.vu.nl yes no IBM PC Convertible bdale@winfree.uucp no IBS system 2000 sbanner1@sol.uvic.cdn yes yes w/ fix IMC XT, 8MHz V20, beugel@klipper.cs.vu.nl yes ITT XTRA ast@cs.vu.nl yes Kaypro 286i (AT) comp13@tjalk.cs.vu.nl yes Kaypro PC ken@driwash.uucp yes Leading Edge clone ganesh@utah-cs.uucp yes Leading Edge models M&D wegrzyn@cdx39.uucp yes Leading Edge MP-1673 wjc@eddie.mit.edu yes no NCR PC8 ast@cs.vu.nl yes no Samsung clone ganesh@utah-cs.uucp yes SEFCO AT Clone dhb@bek-mc.caltech.edu yes yes? Shitel ast@cs.vu.nl no Tandy 1000 kimery@wdl1.uucp no Tandy 1000SX,1000EX john@moncol.uucp no Tandy 1000 johnc@mia.uucp yes w/fix yes w/fix Tandy 1200 modified bdale@winfree.uucp yes Televideo Telenix 286 ast@cs.vu.nl yes Toshiba T1100+ bdale@winfree.uucp yes Toshiba T1100+ stuart@bms-at.uucp yes Unisys micro IT ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes Unnamed Asian Clone arthur@ubu.uucp yes Xerox 6085 PC emulator lindsay@cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk yes yes XT-2000 clone subelman@ttidca.tti.com yes Zenith 150 n0ano@wldrdg.uucp yes no Zenith Z-151 zemon@felix.uucp yes yes w/ fix Zenith 181 bdale@winfree.uucp yes Zenith Z-248 (AT) ast@cs.vu.nl yes yes (20 Mb) Disks Info source Comment ----------- ----------- ------- Adaptec 2002/Rodime bdale@winfree.uucp works with fix of n0ano@wldrdg Data Technology Corp ast@cs.vu.nl AT controller; works DTC-5150BX HDC lyo@uk.ac.newcastle.cheviot runs with fix Everex AT compat HD myxm@lanl.gov HD troubles Maynard Corp Hard Card ganesh@utah-cs.uucp not compat Seagate 4026, IBM Ctrlr sheu@gitpyr.gatech.edu runs with fix of hubble@cae780 Seagate ST4906 80Mb HD hubble@cae780.uucp yes with posted fix WD 1002S-WX2 HDC, ST225, go@orstcs.uucp runs with posted fix WD 1002A-WX1 HDC, Rodine 204, bdale@winfree.uucp runs with fix of n0ano@wldrdg WD 1002/ST225 HD albery@ncoast.uucp won't run yet WD 1003-WA3 FDC comp13@tjalk.cs.vu.nl runs with posted fix Xebec HDC 20Mb disk arthur@warwick.uucp works, but hd <3Mb only Xebec HDC, 10Mb HD m692040@sdsu.uucp runs if minix on 1st partition Z150 Hard Disk n0ano@wldrdg.uucp works with posted fix Bernoulli disk acharya@sbcs has problems doing mkfs thereon Toshiba T1100+ 720K stuart@bms-at.uucp supported by posted fixes AT&T 6300 Floppies ast@cs.vu.nl supported by posted mod Video cards Info source Comment ----------- ----------- ------- Corona PC-400 own display janet@unrvax.uucp cursor stuck, scrolls wrong. CT-6040S mono-graphics go@orstcs.uucp support by posted fix EGA video ast@cs.vu.nl not working, fixes suggested (EGA) NEC GB-1 vizard@dartvax scroll fix unsuccessful also PGC sheu@gitpyr.gatech.edu fine Sigma Designs Color 400 bc@njitsc1.uucp incompat, causes NMIs Tecmar Graphics Master sbanner1@sol.uvic.cdn CGA emul probs like EGA Toshiba T1100+ display stuart@bms-at.uucp scroll problem, mod posted Printers Info source Comment --------- ----------- ------- Epson FX-80 prtr arthur@warwick.uucp unreliable prtr driver printer MSDOS ok, Minix not, dlong@sdsu.uucp supported by posted fix. Other boards Info source Comment --------- ----------- ------- AST Six Pack Clock tsp@killer.uucp support by posted code AST Six Pack Premium go@orstcs.uucp clock code posted ... MegaPlus diamant@hpfclp.hp.com simpler clock code posted MCT multi-IO card myxm@lanl.gov code for clock setting posted Multi-IO card/AMT-ATjr darren@ethos.uucp none of above clock code worked CompuAdd MFC cavender@drivax.uucp myxm's clock code worked Alpha Micro Videotrax zemon@felix.uucp board is inimical