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From: Terry Lambert <terry@cs.weber.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: BSD UNIX on a PowerMac??
Date: 30 Sep 1995 03:25:38 GMT
Organization: Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah
Lines: 31
Message-ID: <44idbi$a52@park.uvsc.edu>
References: <aberenzw-0909952243200001@pierson-college-kstar-node.net.yale.edu> <DEr9vL.vA@yedi.iaf.nl> <Mark_Cookson-1909951051180001@mac1002.kip.apple.com> <caradoc-2209951549440001@ppp-236-111.neta.com> <erik-2609950903080001@192.0.2.1> <44cnda$msf@murrow.corp.sgi.com>
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Ron Nicholson <rhn@sgi.com> wrote:
]
] erik@hypermall.com (Erik Kloeppel) wrote:
] >I think that address is correct, but MachTen is not a true UNIX.. it's a
] >SHELL over the Mac O/S that looks and acts like UNIX and lets you run many
] >(even most or all ) UNIX applications. IT sounds like a tiny difference,
] >but the difference is non-trivial. MachTen accesses the peripherals via
] >the Mac software, where a true UNIX would talk to the peripherals
] >directly..
]
] What's the difference between accessing peripherals via Mac software, and
] via the microcode that's inside most peripheral chips? At least with Mac
] software, you have a chance that any bugs can be fixed without needing
] to buy a new motherboard.
Device concurrency model.
Simply put, the Mac code doesn't work well for a UNIX device driver
because it wasn't written for UNIX and misses out on some important
considerations in the process.
The other problem is that the Mac word order is inverted, so you
have to write the UNIX "wrong" to use those routines (or take an
endian switch hit each time you do).
Terry Lambert
terry@cs.weber.edu
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.