6 Aug
2025
6 Aug
'25
6:26 p.m.
On Thu, 7 Aug 2025, Peter Corlett via cctalk wrote:
The 80286 introduced protected mode, which is
sufficient to implement a
proper operating system, since protected mode enables sandboxing user
processes in a virtual memory environment. We know this because Andrew
Tanenbaum did just that: MINIX 2 will run on your old 286 and give you
something broadly resembling mid-1980s Unix.
Bill Gates called the 80286 "brain dead".
But, who was it who said that switching back to real mode "is like having
to shut off the engine to change gears"?
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred