Re: TI-H: Zunix?

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Re: TI-H: Zunix?



More kindling...

The uClinux (microcontroller Linux) project IS meant to run in space just
larger than that, and probably could be cut down to fit in the space,
possibly.  Its doubtful by the time you got done chopping that it would be
useful, though.  A port to the 92 (something I've been pondering for
months) would be far more logical than to the z80-based clacs.

af

On Sun, 9 Aug 1998, Christopher Kalos wrote:

> 
> Okay, I can see a few things to kill off right now... multiuser should die
> ASAP... no need for it.  Next, no emulation.  Ever heard of loadlin?  use a
> similar concept as an ASM prog... head to the expander, load up some code,
> and run it.  no way to exit other than a shutdown command.  Main issue...
> INPUT!!!
> Btw, we have networking as it is... but I see no reason to have someone
> login to a system that is this small.  Not even ELKS was meant to fit into
> this space
> 
> Argue later, I'm just adding fuel to this upcoming flame fest :)
> 
> CK
> 
> 
> 
> Matt Cooper wrote:
> 
> > Hello.
> >
> > I'm not a programmer or a hardware builder, but I am very interested in
> > hardware for the TI-8x.  My question is thus:
> >
> > Can UNIX or some variant be ported to the z80?  More specifically, the
> > TI-85?  This is probably wrong, but I had an idea for how it might work:
> >
> > - It would require a memory expander of some sort.  You first download a
> > regular shell, perhaps ZShell or Usgard.  A normal ZShell or Usgard
> > program is placed on the calculator, and basically it just takes over
> > and never returns control to ZShell or to the system OS.  Basically a
> > permanent UNIX emulator, I suppose.  It would of course overwrite the
> > old stuff.
> >
> > It could perhaps use the 28k user memory (and system memory???) as RAM,
> > and treat the expander as the /dev/hda.
> >
> > Then one of two things could happen, either A) the calculator is "UNIX"
> > until you do a reset and is worthless as a "calculator", or B) someone
> > writes a "protected-mode" interface to the TI-OS.
> >
> > Linking may not be necessary, because perhaps drivers could be written
> > on the PC which send files to the expander through a graphlink or
> > homemade link.
> >
> > The next thing you are going to ask is, Why?  Why do you need a
> > multi-user operating system on a single-user device like that?  And why
> > UNIX?
> >
> > My answer: UNIX has been ported to so many different architectures that
> > it would be easy to obtain support in the net community, and it might
> > pave the way to calculator networking as an inexpensive reality.  Think
> > about being able to use one calculator as the server and run the program
> > from there, and just use the other, ZShell or Usgard calculators as
> > clients or even dumb terminals.
> >
> > WARNING: I am extremely amateur, having little to no experience with the
> > z80, assembly programming in general, building hardware, networking, and
> > porting archaic operating systems.
> >
> > At least I didn't come on here asking ya'll to port DOS to the TI-85.
> >
> > --Matt Cooper / mnemonicdevice@hotmail.com
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
> 
> 
> 
> 




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