Dreaming of a lean installation method

[Allison]

>
>Subject: Re: Dreaming of a lean installation method
>   From: davis <davis at saw.net>
>   Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 02:36:18 -0700
>     To: General at saw.net, "Discussion at saw.net":On-Topic Posts Only
> <cctech at classiccmp.org>
>
>Ensor wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>>  > I bought the MINIX version for the Atari ST and installed it, but
>>  >I used it as a toy, I don't remember recompiling the kernal. It had
>>  >full kernal source, and all the tools to rebuild....
>>
>> It sure came with the sources, but I'm 99.999999999999% certain you 
>> could not rebuild the kernal because no compiler was included in the 
>> distribution.
>>
>>  >....I think you're mistaken saying it was useless.
>>
>> It certainly fulfilled it's aim of being a platform to learn about 
>> modern OS design and implementation, but without applications or a way 
>> to develop them, it's usefulness is ultimately limited (by what is 
>> included in the distribution).
>>
>> Don't forget, very few people had 'net access back then, those of us 
>> who were on-line were mostly on FidoNet and there was nothing online 
>> for Minix that I could find (and I tried pretty hard).

Minix is not up to V3.x and easily found on the net even old V1.5.  It's
sources are available.  It does not come with a compiler after all it's 
an OS.  It was expected that MINIX would be cross compiled on a platform 
that supports a suitable compiler.  there is nothing to say it's not
possibel to create a native MINIX compiler and then run/compile natively
assuming the platform is big enough to support it.

I might point out that CP/M was initially cross compiled on a PDP10
for the 8080 and in the later years rewritten in C and a VAX was used.
It's not unusual to have a OS that does not come supplied with 
compilation tools.  


Allison