Minix 3 vs portability - was Re: Looking for a small fast VAX development machine

[Liam Proven]

On 23 February 2016 at 16:46, Toby Thain <toby at telegraphics.com.au> wrote:
> So where does QNX come in? Isn't that embedded rather than
> desktop/laptop/tablet?

It's also the basis of Blackberry 10, the OS on my Passport.

There is a desktop version -- I wrote about it a few years ago:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/01/25_alternative_pc_operating_systems/?page=2

It's still a free download but the company took it closed-source again
(IIRC) and the freebie download version hasn't been updated.

It was nearly the basis of the new Amiga OS:

http://www.trollaxor.com/2005/06/how-qnx-failed-amiga.html

This is after they moved away from TAOS, another stunning OS:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9806607

Where does QNX come in WRT Minix 3?

Well, while everyone focuses on failed microkernel Unices, e.g. the
HURD, or impure microkernel Unices, like Mac OS X (and AFAIK DEC
OSF/1, AKA Tru64), there's been an actual shipping true-microkernel
Unix and Posix-compatible OS, capable of running a GUI desktop,
running embedded *and* on tablets and smartphones, SMP-capable,
enviably robust, on sale since *1982*.

QNX shows it can be done. All Minix 3 has to do is replicate it as
FOSS, as Linux replicated commercial monolithic Unix kernels as FOSS.

(And Haiku recreated BeOS, and AROS recreated AmigaOS, and so on. FOSS
is arguably better at re-implementing than innovating.)

-- 
Liam Proven • Profile: http://lproven.livejournal.com/profile
Email: lproven at cix.co.uk • GMail/G+/Twitter/Flickr/Facebook: lproven
MSN: lproven at hotmail.com • Skype/AIM/Yahoo/LinkedIn: liamproven
Cell/Mobiles: +44 7939-087884 (UK) • +420 702 829 053 (ČR)