[TUHS] While on the subject of 32V ...

[presotto@closedmind.org (David Presotto)]

Arnold forwraded this to me:

> Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:35:40 -0400
> From: Pat Villani <Pat.Villani at hp.com>
> To: tuhs at tuhs.org
> Subject: [TUHS] While on the subject of 32V ...
>
> Folks,
>
> I recently copied down the 32V source, and compiled the kernel with gcc.  Much 
> to my surprise, most of it compiled.  I then split out the machine dependent 
> versus the machine independent files (loose classification :-), and compiled 
> again.  Naturally, in both cases, you could not actually build a kernel because 
> there are vax specific .s files, but the individual C files compiled.  Not a bad 
> start.
>
> As a result, I've been giving serious consideration to porting it to Intel IA32 
> platforms.  It's much simpler than the unix I worked on until last year (Tru64, 
> aka OSF/1 and Digital UNIX), and the 32V kernel is only a little bigger than the 
> original FreeDOS kernel I wrote.  The Caldera license is pretty much a BSD 
> license, which could be considered an open source license.  This means I should 
> be able to work on it without worrying about IP, although I'd still need 
> management approval.
>
> Should I undertake such an project, would there be enough interest to justify 
> the effort?
>
> Pat
>
> -- 
> You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do. -- Henry Ford

He noted the following and asked if I'ld like it posted to this list:

	I see from subsequent mail that a project has been started.

	The members of this list seem to share some common characteristics:

	1. Some spare time for working with code.

	2. A willingness to hack on code.

	3. A desire to work with cleaner, smaller simpler versions of Unix,
	   instead of the modern, er, *full featured* open source systems
 	  (Linux, *BSD).

	I'd like to suggest that perhaps members of this list should check out
	Plan 9 From Bell Labs (http://plan9.bell-labs.com).  The Plan 9 developers
	have recently posted a request for help, for people to tackle some projects
	that need tackling.  Why should people here look at it?

	1. It's from Bell Labs: quality design and concepts guaranteed. (:-)

	2. It's an opportunity to move into the future, instead of hiding out
	   in the past.

	3. Plan 9 deserves good help.

	4. People who appreciate early Unix and current Plan 9 will be welcomed
	   warmly.

	So, check it out,

We sure would like more people using our system and our license is OSI
approved so it least has one stamp as open source.  It clearly is not as
simple 32V or our 10th edition unix.  However, it comes close and is way
simpler than either Linux or the current BSDs.