news@daver.bungi.com (06/30/90)
Recently, a message in comp.os.minix indicated the availability of
Bruce Evans' 32-bit update for PC-Minix Version 1.5.X. This
coupled with the availability of Bruce Culberts'pc532 Minix and
X11R4 should provide a method for supporting X-Windows, if you are
so inclined.
Simply the thought is to use an ISA-386SX/DX as an IO server
using RPCs'over the SCSI peripherial bus as illustrated below.
An additional benefit is access to floppy disk, parallel port, etc
devices.
Platform - ISA 386 SX/DX Platform - pc532
+-----------------------+ +-----------------+
| | | |
| OS - PC Minix (32bit) | | OS - 532 Minix |
| | | |
| Keyboard | | |
| Mouse | | |
| Display Adapter | | |
| Display (ega/vga/8514)| | |
| Disk Adapter | | |
| Floppy Disk | | |
| Hard Disk (optional) | | Hard Disk |
| | (1) | |
| SCSI host adapter | <----- scsi bus -----> | (built-in) |
| | Amoeba RPC | |
| | Protocol | |
| parallel ports, etc.. | | serial ports, |
| | | ethernet, etc |
| | | |
+-----------------------+ +-----------------+
(1) When the et532 becomes available, the SCSI bus network could
be replaced with an ethernet.
Of course this approach may not be your cup of tea. But it does appear
to provide an interesting opportunity for those who already own the requisite
hardware.
Please understand my intent in posting this message is to merely share
an observation -- I do not plan to develop it.
Best regards,
johnc
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