In <1992Mar1.232712.18444@uwm.edu> markh@csd4.csd.uwm.edu writes:

quoted text
>    If someone's got the time and inclination, please modify the kernel so that
> it can run in < 500kB RAM.   No UNIX has any business using more than that.
> Maybe better algorithms (that's what Coherent prides itself on, justifiably)
> or something need to be used.  If I have to go out and buy memory extensions,
> then I might as well just save the trip and spend money on a Coherent or the
> like.

This would be nice, but, IMHO, the amount of time spend using virtual memory
would be almost absurd, its bad enough in 2MB.


quoted text
>    The idea of free public domain software is to get something that can run on
> most machines without having to spend any money.  Far too many machines are
> being excluded by the 2MB limitation.

Please don't take this as a flame, i don't intend on it being that.
I feel that if we restrain the operating system form being able to take
advantage of some of the newer technologies that have come about over
the last few years (of note, the i386, and cheaper RAM). 

I personally like hearing that the 8088, and 286 are finally being 
acknowledged as being 'obsolete' -- IBM and Microsoft are making
their own operating systems, NT, and OS/2 -- which i am *sure* 
will require more than 512K. 

I feel that the time that would be spend hacking linux down to being
able to run in 512K would be better spend making it run X11, 
distributed processing, or maybe do something we all haven't though
of. If we make it run in 512K, why not make it run on an 8088?
After all, countless amounts of those have been sold. Even if the kernel
were to run in 512K, what would you be able to use it for? emacs
loves memory, and gcc chews it like popcorn. In fact, windows doesn't 
like 512K all that much. In then end, you would probably end up
upgrading your RAM (if not your cpu, also).

I agree with your point about using more efficient algorithms, but,
Linux is currenlt 0.12, and _anything_ at 0.12 that works is pretty
impressive (give yourself a pat, linus!). I would hope that by 1.0,
things start to settle down, and people start debating about which
algorithm should be used, as opposed to "$@#$ !!  we need ??'s to
run X-cows".


Craig Hagan