stevej@studsys.mu.edu (jovanovic) (01/22/90)
A while back I read an article about MacMINIX, which Prentice-Hall was considering marketing for the Mac, but wasn't sure about it because they didn't think there would be much interest in it. Someone urged professors to write in to a particular address to urge Prentice-Hall to go ahead with marketing, but I don't know what heppened. MacMINIX was supposed to sell for no more than $100, and used not so much as a serious alternative to A/UX or anything like that, but an educational tool for learning about operating system design. It includes its own C compiler and a lot of utilities. I think it would be ideal for people who have longed for an affordable UNIX interface for their Macs that can run under Multifinder, not to mention an great tool for students who program on UNIX machines..in that being able to do the programming cycle on their Macs and upload the final version to their UNIX machines would often be more preferrable than having to fight for time on a bogged-down system. Has anyone heard anything about the current status of MacMINIX? Also, what about other UNIX alternatives, such as OS/9 and MacIDRIS? These are much more expensive than MacMINIX (if it's ever released!) but maybe the companies that put them out give educational discounts. Has anyone had any experience with these products? It would be great if someone could do a comparison between them. I'd be glad to summarize responses, if you leave me mail at the address below. Thanks for your help! -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | stevej@studsys.mu.edu | Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes--Warhol | | Marquette University EE | Andy, where's my 15 minutes? --Bowie | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
jem@hpisod2.HP.COM (Jim McCauley) (01/23/90)
Don't hold your breath waiting for MicroWare to provide source code for OS-9 to educators. Discounts, perhaps; but never the source. MacMINIX will be just the ticket for computer science educators -- complete source code, a compiler, editor, and utilities. Let's keep on Prentice-Hall's case about this. BTW, I saw a very nicely-packaged Minix (release 1.3) for the PC-PC/AT at Computer Literacy Bookstore in Sunnyvale CA. If MacMINIX comes out looking like this, it will be very nice indeed. I think the cost was about $140, undiscounted. Maybe Prentice-Hall will do it right... Jim McCauley jem@hpulpcu3.itg.hp Disclaimer: HP says, "Jim McCauley? Does he <have> opinions?"
ostroff@penelope.oswego.edu (Boyd Ostroff) (01/23/90)
In article <754@studsys.mu.edu> stevej@studsys.mu.edu (jovanovic) writes: >A while back I read an article about MacMINIX, which Prentice-Hall was >considering marketing for the Mac, but wasn't sure about it because [ stuff deleted ] > Has anyone heard anything >about the current status of MacMINIX? The following is a quote from today's (1/22/90) issue of UNIX Today! In his article entitled "MacOS? Unix? Why Not Both" on page 52 Jason Levitt says: "The Macintosh version, called MacMinix, comes complete with a K&R compatible C compiler, a Bourne shell clone, an Emacs-style text editor and ove 200 utilities and libraries. Complete source code for everything but the C compiler and compiler tools is included. Source code for the C compiler and compiler tools is available separately. MacMinix runs on the 1 Mbyte Mac Plus with a hard disk all the way up to the new IIci. Because MacMinix runs under the MacOS just like any other Macintosh application, all desk accessories and other system resources are accessible. MacMinix is MultiFinder compatible. It will be available from Prentice-Hall for less than $100 in the first quarter of 1990." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boyd Ostroff, Technical Director ||||||| System Administrator, "The CallBoard" Theatre Department, SUNY Oswego ||||||| Serving the performing arts since 1986 (315) 341-2987 ||||||| (315) 947-6414 300/1200/2400 baud 8N1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ostroff@oswego.Oswego.EDU ...!rutgers!rochester!kodak!gizzmo!cboard!ostroff
ar4@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Piper Keairnes) (01/23/90)
In article <1990Jan22.221751.9583@oswego.Oswego.EDU> ostroff@penelope.oswego.edu (Boyd Ostroff) writes: > Because MacMinix runs under the MacOS just like any other Macintosh > application, all desk accessories and other system resources are > accessible. MacMinix is MultiFinder compatible. It will be > available from Prentice-Hall for less than $100 in the first quarter > of 1990." Yeah!!! Yea!!! Clapp, clatter... bang bang..... thunderous roar of the fans and impatient wanna-be users can be heard in the background... --Piper Keairnes ar4@mace.cc.purdue.edu