swensont wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 6:07 pm
I knew my name would come up on this. That article is pretty much all that I know about Minux on the QL and it was written when the news item was pretty fresh. I'm glad someone found that because I don't remember all the details after all these years.
Tim
You do come up as the top search for Minix on QL...well, except for this post now, which usurps that spot.
There's also XINU...not sure what resources it requires but back in the second half of the 80s I was almost given the task of implementing it on a luggable HP as an independent school project (around the end-time of the QL). I went with creating an SQL dbms instead, but I did have the book in my hands and read through it that summer. I think I picked up that same copy of the book recently on eBay. Should peruse through it again to see what the system requirements were.
AFAIK, Minix is today open source, and you can found all versions in several places, including Atari ST versions, this is far from my capabilities, but sound possible to got a diff between the x86 version and the Atari version and try to do a QL version.
Be able to have Minix 2, with TCP/IP over serial and a X windows is a dream.
aalea wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 11:23 pm
AFAIK, Minix is today open source, and you can found all versions in several places, including Atari ST versions, this is far from my capabilities, but sound possible to got a diff between the x86 version and the Atari version and try to do a QL version.
Forget about the x86 version and any recent Minix. The last version for actual 68K hardware (probably 1.5 or 1.6) would be the most recent viable starting point for a QL port.
aalea wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 11:23 pm
Be able to have Minix 2, with TCP/IP over serial and a X windows is a dream.
You mean running an X Terminal over a QL serial line?
- search for one of the rarest and most unique Sinclair computers with the most unique OS
- make it work with maybe a new keyboard membrane and other fixes
- adapt the computer to a modern screen
- expand it to a usable build with expensive add-ons like a Trump card and QIMSI
--- and then make it run an OS that you could just as well run on a cheap or free PC with the very same experience.
tofro wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2024 10:04 am
- expand it to a usable build with expensive add-ons like a Trump card and QIMSI
Well QIMSI Gold is at least much cheaper than a QL these days.
tofro wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2024 10:04 am
--- and then make it run an OS that you could just as well run on a cheap or free PC with the very same experience.
tofro wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2024 4:10 pm
... a version of Minix for the QL on one of the German Quasar Club Disks (that I never owned). So maybe if one of these can be still found?
Thanks for the trigger. I found German Quasar Club Discs 00 to 11 in my loft. Only a few files on these old discs where not readable. Unfortunately no Minix on them, but many other programs I failed to even start in the last 35+ years. I will keep them for my next life.
I copied all of them in a QLWA.WIN container, will contact Dilwyn.
Probably if I search further I will find more discs.
Stephan
Found Disc 12 to 23 as well. Only Disc 22 was not readable no Minix found. Sorry!
tofro wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2024 10:04 am
Things I find hard to understand:
- search for one of the rarest and most unique Sinclair computers with the most unique OS
- make it work with maybe a new keyboard membrane and other fixes
- adapt the computer to a modern screen
- expand it to a usable build with expensive add-ons like a Trump card and QIMSI
--- and then make it run an OS that you could just as well run on a cheap or free PC with the very same experience.
But, to each their own.
Totally agree
Per
I love long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
- Fred Allen
As I mentioned earlier, there was some Minix Diff files, that could compile Minix for use on an Atari ST with QL emulator hardware and maybe specific to the Atari hardware.
This was over 30 years, I think compilation on a QL with a Gold card needed major changes to the Minix source code and would run really slow.
The files were available on a BBS, but I asked the BBS Sysop, who seems to think he may not have the files now.
I agree with the comments available wonder what is the point when there is a perfectly good operating system for the QL. Just needs Internet access.
tofro wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2024 4:10 pm
... a version of Minix for the QL on one of the German Quasar Club Disks (that I never owned). So maybe if one of these can be still found?
Thanks for the trigger. I found German Quasar Club Discs 00 to 11 in my loft. Only a few files on these old discs where not readable. Unfortunately no Minix on them, but many other programs I failed to even start in the last 35+ years. I will keep them for my next life.
I copied all of them in a QLWA.WIN container, will contact Dilwyn.
Probably if I search further I will find more discs.
Stephan
Found Disc 12 to 23 as well. Only Disc 22 was not readable no Minix found. Sorry!
Thank you. Maskenlos and I are going to share what German PD we have to try to make a complete collection. And if any of his discs have damaged files, hopefully he can repair those discs if I had copies in good condition he can use. It might take some time...
Unfortunately, neither of us has yet found anything with QL Minix on it
But at least we can ensure that the collection is preserved and made available once we've finished going through it.
> tofro » Sun Dec 01, 2024 10:04 am
> --- and then make it run an OS that you could just as well run on a cheap or free PC with the very same experience.
This is where Time comes into consideration. At the time that the diffs for Minix were released, there really were no cheap or free PC's. They were all expensive (thousands of dollars). Minix was the only version of Unix that was cheap ($69). The idea that a operating system than ran on $$$ hardware could run on the QL was very interesting. Now, 30+ years later the situation has slightly changed.
But, to each their own.
