peter@stpl.UUCP (Peter CAMILLERI) (11/09/88)
Let me start of by saying that I am most pleased to note the larger volumes
of postings in this group. Many times I have felt that my technical questions,
all of which were answered very well, were about the only traffic. Keep the
flow going!!!
I have been designing an application with the 32k for some time now, and I
can't help but feel that software options are limited to the following:
Un*x - big, slow, expensive, monolithic.
RTKs - tiny, fast, expensive, no local dev't tools.
I see the need for a 32k equivalent of the Motorola encouraged, OS/9 and
OS/K products. Its notable features are quick real time response, modular
construction ( modules, drivers and even file systems can be added on the
fly ), and small (128k RAM min, 256k or more recomended).
The reason I mentioned this is that on several occasions I have noticed
similar pleas for such an OS in this newsgroup, and felt that I should
get off my duff and contribute to this fine idea!
So some brass tacks:
a modular approach would more readily facilitate a diverse genesis of
our fledgling. The work could be divided on a module by module basis.
each module could exist in several incarnations, and with some work, one
could mix and match modules to create the desired whole.
Several approaches could be utilized to create the above nirvana. A few come
to mind:
1) a small message passing kernel, with modules implented as server tasks
minix uses this approach, I think.
2) a small kernel is used to direct subroutine call via a network of indirect
pointers. This is basically the OS/9 way, and it is quite fast, but not
very portable.
3) and many more but this posting is getting too long :-)
I have acces to a 32k assembler, limited access to an ICM16 running BSD4.2,
and access to other Un*x based machines of less noble birth (ie: this one).
My message is simple. We need action! If a mailing list has been created,
please put me on it, else lets create one!
And remember:
True tyranny, is when a wonderfull idea is crushed by a 64k segment.
--
Peter Camilleri peter@ists.UUCP
Elan Data Technology Inc. peter@ists.yorku.ca
836 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, uunet!mnetor!yunexus!ists!peter
CANADA M4W 2H1 (416) 968-6668