CompuServe Messages

Here's something of interest I got off of Usenet that I thought I'd post here. For those that don't know what Linux is, it's a Unix like operating system that currently runs on PC's (386's or better). Anyway, here it is: The Official… New and Improved… Environmentally Friendly… 680×0 Linux FAQ (TM) [Now legal in 40 states] ABOUT THIS FAQ This FAQ is intended to provide general information on the 680×0 Linux port project which is currently underway. Mainly, it's an attempt to cut down on the flow of email that inevitably comes in every time I post something about the project. 😉 WHEN WILL 680×0 LINUX BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? I don't know. A couple months, maybe. We're working hard on it at this point, and advancing leaps and bounds (and a few stumbles). There's really no point to releasing the current system to the public. It's not useful, and only occasionally even mildly entertaining. 😉 WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PORT? We're still working on the basic kernel at this point. The scheduler, memory management code, interrupt code, filesystem code, and handful of drivers have been implemented. There's not much to see right now. The system comes up and goes through some of the startup process, then sits there and idles at you. 😉 WHAT PLATFORMS WILL IT RUN ON? The Amiga port project is the only effort to port Linux to a 680×0 platform that I'm aware of. However, we are paying attention to portability where possible. It is our intention to cooperate with other groups willing to work with us. I expect that once we make our first public release of the system, several groups will begin porting our sources to various platforms. Interest has been shown by Atari programmers, mostly. There are also a few people hoping to bring Linux up on Sun 3's. I haven't heard from many Macintosh folks. In all probability only the startup code, interrupt code, and drivers will need re-writing to get the system running on these systems, or any others with the necessary basic hardware. I'm aware that the phrase "necessary basic hardware" begs some explanation. Simply put, that would be a machine with a 68020+68851, 68030 (non-EC model), or 68040 processor, at least a couple megs of RAM, a good amount of hard disk space, and obviously some form of text i/o device (i.e. you technically don't even need a display and keyboard if you can plug a terminal into it). There _has_ been talk of a port that could run on non-MMU-equipped machines as well, though it would lack the obvious features inherent in a memory-managed operating system (e.g. true virtual memory, memory protection). There is currently no effort underway to implement such a system that I'm aware of. HOW COMPATIBLE WILL IT BE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS? We, of course, hope that 680×0 Linux will be compatible (at the source level) with 80×86 Linux, as well as many other Unix or Unix-like systems. Linux is POSIX.1 compliant, which helps quite a bit with porting software to it. Binary compatibility with _any_ OS other than 680×0 Linux ports is highly unlikely. WILL X WINDOWS BE AVAILABLE FOR 680×0 LINUX? I get this question a lot, so I figured it's worth having its own section. The answer is yes… probably… eventually. 😉 At this point, we have one volunteer to port the mono server to the Amiga version of Linux once the system is stable. WILL THE AMIGA PORT RUN UNDER OR EMULATE AMIGADOS? No. Actually, the latter is a possibility, I guess. WHAT ABOUT MACH? There is a separate effort to port CMU's Mach kernel to the Amiga and other 680×0 platforms. I'm not really familiar with their work. We've only stolen a little code from them. 😉 Anyway, our Linux port is not intended to run under Mach. It runs "on the metal". CAN I BE AN ALPHA/BETA TESTER? We're not currently at a stage where we need any testers. (See above under the section CURRENT STATUS OF THE PORT.) IS THERE A MAILING LIST? We have a channel on the Linux Activists Mailing List called '680×0' for discussion of the port. Currently, it's rather quiet. However, it's the "official" source of information on the system. On the other hand, any important announcements will also be posted to the newsgroups in which this FAQ appears. For help in subscribing to the channel, send an empty message to <linux-activists-request@joker.cs.hut.fi>. CONTACTS: Greg Harp <harp@netcom.com> I'm the main 680×0 Linux contact person. Please feel free to send your questions to me. — —————–Greg-Harp—————-harp@netcom.c om—————— "I think I've reached that point / Where every word that you write / Of every blood dark sea / And every soul black night / And every dream you dream me in / And every perfect free from sin / And burning eyes / And hearts on fire / Are just the same old song" — The Cure // -Mike Schiller \X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale