Deja News Toolbar BuyDirect BuyDirect message/thread Message 236 of 305 for search * return to search results help Porting Minix to the SuperCPU Author: Patrick/RPG Date: 1999/02/12 Forum: comp.os.minix more headers author posting history post reply prev next _________________________________________________________________ Here's a question for all of you hardware hackers and OS programmers! Which processor was Minix originally designed for? From older postings, I've received the impression that the original versions of Minix were written for a 16-bit architecture. Now, how hard do you all think it would be to write a port of Minix for the SuperCPU accelerator board for the C128? For those of you who don't know, the SCPU is a plug in board for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers. The board offers 20 MHz processing speeds on a W65C816S 16-bit processor, which has an x502 8-bit processor emulation mode. However, is it possible to run the SCPU in stock 16-bit mode, and still use available stock-Commodore I/O, ie: Disc Drives and Video? El Cheapo Assembler would seem to indicate so, as it is a 16-bit assembler, no? Add to this that the C128 already has facilities for accessing 256K of RAM, and there are modifications for 1024K of RAM _inside_ the C128 (with it's internal MMU), and the SCPU can have 16MB of it's OWN internal RAM, and you have the potential for 17MB of RAM. On top, add in a 1750XL REU, and you have 19MB total RAM. Video would be a problem of course, but the C128 VDC chip already supports a nice 640*400 interlaced format for graphics, which should be more than enough graphics power for a text-based OS such as Minix. Also, it is my understanding that Minix is a micro-kernal OS, meaning it runs on top of the host OS's Kernal. All we would have to do is interface the entire thing with the C128 Kernal. Better yet, interface it with ANOTHER microkernal such as ECOS or ACE on the C128, or ACE or LUnix for the C64! And you have a very powerful OS! Well hackers, how does that sound? I'd like to here from the major OS players out there right now: Andre (OS/A65), Craig (ACE), and anyone else! Thanks! -patrick -- Cyberad/RPG aka Patrick M Pritchard * http://www.interlog.com/~cr PLUR- Peace Love Unity Respect -Live It, Love It, Be It, BELIEVE! RENEGADE PROGRAMMING GROUP IN 1999 -- Taking It To The Next Level _________________________________________________________________ view for bookmarking text only mail this message to a friend post reply << prev · next >> subscribe to comp.os.minix SPONSORED LINKS Yellow Pages · Save$$ at uBid · Express by Infoseek · Shopping · Free Stuff AutoConnect · Trade with Datek · Auctions & Classifieds · GET IT NOW @ NECX Home · Communities · My Deja News · Power Search · Post About Deja News · Ad Info · Our Advertisers · Deja News Store ____________________________________________________ Copyright © 1995-99 Deja News, Inc. All rights reserved. Conditions of use · Site privacy statement reviewed by TRUSTe