wjb%cogsci.cog.jhu.edu@vm1.nodak.edu (Bill Bogstad) (04/06/91)
I've always wondered exactly what people do with Minix. Some people use it as part of classes on operating systems. Other people like to do system programming with Minix. A few even run BBSs with Minix. I suppose some people even balance their checkbooks and write letters. I'ld like to conduct a little poll on what people do with Minix. E-mail me a list of things you do with Minix. I'll summarize to the mailing list once responses start to fall off. To start, here is what I use Minix for: 1. Terminal emulation and file transfer 2. Practicing my system programming skills Bill Bogstad
waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org (Fred 'The Rebel' van Kempen) (04/16/91)
wjb%cogsci.cog.jhu.edu@vm1.nodak.edu (Bill Bogstad) wrote: > > I've always wondered exactly what people do with Minix. Some people > use it as part of classes on operating systems. Other people like to do > system programming with Minix. A few even run BBSs with Minix. I suppose > some people even balance their checkbooks and write letters. I'ld like to > conduct a little poll on what people do with Minix. E-mail me a list of > things you do with Minix. I'll summarize to the mailing list once responses > start to fall off. To start, here is what I use Minix for: > > 1. Terminal emulation and file transfer > 2. Practicing my system programming skills > > Bill Bogstad Everything. Simple... Fred. -- MicroWalt Corporation, for MINIX Development waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org Tel (+31) 252 230 205, Hoefbladhof 27, 2215 DV VOORHOUT, The Netherlands "An Operating System is what the _USERS_ think of it- me"
Bill Bogstad <wjb%cogsci.cog.jhu.edu@vm1.nodak.edu> (05/02/91)
About 3 weeks ago, I posted a message in an attempt to poll Minix users and see in exactly what ways Minix is being used. I haven't gotten any new responses in over a week now, so I've decided it is time to post a summary. I received about a dozen responses listing various activities. I've divided up the uses into 3 categories and have listed them below: Programming Learning about system programming Learning about operating systems Learning about Unix Upgrading to new versions Porting software Course work on operating systems "Hacking" Communications File transfer Remote terminal emulation Running a BBS Email/Usenet machine As a multiuser platform Other Support for class work at home Substitute for work environment at home Text processing/Pseudo-Typesetting Mutual fund database Adding support for braille terminal (from a recent posting) "Everything" (from a well known Minix personality) The two categories, programming and communication, seem to fall into typical programmer activities particularily when crossed with the "hacker" mentality. All of these activities are directly related to programming or provide support for such activities. The final category fits this stereotypical user less well. I guess the most surprising response that I received was the one about maintaining a database on mutual funds (investments). The whole reason for my original posting was to see to what extent people were using Minix as a tool versus using Minix to learn to use Minix or program. Even in this last category some of the uses mentioned may actually be in support of programming activities. I was somewhat surprised that nobody mentioned computer games. "Hacking" and "gaming" in my mind at least always seemed to go together. Although some games have been posted here in the past, it appears that they haven't really effected the ways that people use Minix. At least at this time, it appears that Minix is still primarily used for exactly the goals for which it was originally intended, i.e. to help people learn about programming. Whether this will or even should change in the future I don't know. I think it would be nice if Minix could support other uses, but we'll have to wait and see. I'll probably try this again a year from now and see how things have changed. Bill Bogstad
HBO043%DJUKFA11.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Christoph van Wuellen) (05/02/91)
I am using MINIX as the primary OS on my selfmade 68K box (since I have no other OS, besides CP/M-68K) so add to your list: text processing with C-TeX developement of c68 and c386 C.v.W.