[comp.os.minix] version 1.4

hoang@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Dzung Hoang) (05/21/89)

    I've seen references to a version 1.4 of minix.  Is a version 1.4 really
available?  I've also read about PH still shipping version 1.2.  What's up?

Dzung Hoang
hoang@rex.cs.tulane.edu
tulane!rex!hoang

Dickson@pco-multics.hbi.honeywell.com (Paul Dickson) (05/21/89)

>    I've seen references to a version 1.4 of minix.  Is a version 1.4
> really available?  I've also read about PH still shipping version 1.2.
> What's up? 

About two or three months ago, the initial changes for 1.4a were
distributed to the net.  These cdiffs were only for the commands and
libraries.  The only kernel change that was sent was for the floppy
driver (to support the PS-2 floppy drive, but I'm writing this off the
top of my head).  Most of the diffs were for things that didn't make it
into 1.3.

For 1.3, it took about nine months from when the 1.3 was sent to the net
until it was shipped to PH.  Then 1.3 was followed by 1.3a, 1.3b, and
1.3c as bugs were found, fixed, and distributed for testing.  The
version 1.3d was the gathering together of all the changes that were
made for 1.3, so you don't have to apply all four sets of cdiffs.

As to why PH is shipping the 1.3 updates while still shipping 1.2
completes, I have no idea.

We'll probably see more of 1.4 later this summer.

ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) (05/21/89)

In article <811@rex.cs.tulane.edu> hoang@rex.UUCP (Dzung Hoang) writes:
>    I've seen references to a version 1.4 of minix.  Is a version 1.4 really
>available?  I've also read about PH still shipping version 1.2.  What's up?

A couple of months ago, I posted diffs between 1.3 and 1.4a, the latter being
my current disk image.  It is not an official P-H release and will never be,
but it is what I am now running, and as such is the base for my future
evolution.  Future updates will be relative to 1.3, not 1.4a, so you don't
especially need 1.4a.

As to P-H still shipping 1.2, well, they are not supposed to be.  Anybody who
got 1.2 since April 1 should call up and say you want to trade for 1.3.  For
what it is worth, my editor there (Fegen) has just left the company.  I have
high hopes that the replacement will be an improvement and there will be
fewer problems in the future.  As with any big company, what mostly matters
is the specific individual in charge of the area you are dealing with.

Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl)