Subject: Re: NetBSD-Mach?
To: Christian Kuhtz <kuhtz@ix.netcom.com>
From: None <ken@net5.co.jp>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 12/11/1996 09:10:21
> 
> I have my doubts that the world will ever understand what Mach really is, but  
> I can try to help out ;-)...
> 
> On Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:11:53 +0900, ken@net5.co.jp wrote:
> > Actually, the original work of Mach MK done at CMU *is* based on
> > 4.3BSD.  I haven't personally confirmed this, but I've heard that the
> > device drivers were taken almost unchanged from 4.3BSD.
> 

> Some of the device drivers are taken or inspired by 4.3BSD.  That is
> correct.  I have seen the source many many times.
> 
> However, Mach-UX (single server Mach) is really two parts.

Thanks for the clarification.  I do understand this point, but I just
didn't make it clear :-)

> > Also, there was a group of people working to implement a Net/2 based
> > BSD "server" called bnr2ss (which stands for "Berkeley Network
> > software release 2 Single Server", I believe) circa 1993, when Mach3
> > MK source was released somewhat freely.
> 
> Mach3 mk's have always been free (or I should say under CMU
> licensing).  Only the BSD Net/2 based OS server is not free.

My understanding is that Mach MK prior to the version 3 was not free.
IOW, you had to have the AT&T *and* Berkeley source licenses to get
CMU to give you the MK source.  Wasn't it the case?

> The BSD Net/2 based OS server has had the same fate as the general
> BSD Net/2, in that AT&T had copyright claims on it and it is not
> freely distributable.

Before the out-of-court agreement by AT&T and UCB (and BSDI?), Net/2 was
supposed to be free.  That is why NetBSD as well as 386BSD and FreeBSD
was first released being based on Net/2.

> > I remember they were using
> > NetBSD (0.8 or 0.9) as the porting platform.  I was on their mailing
> > list back then, but I don't think I still keep the posts around.  I
> > don't know whatever happened to those people, but I remember seeing
> > the bnr2ss mailing list maintainer on one of the NetBSD mailing lists
> > sometime ago (probably on current-users).  Sorry, I just can't
> > remember his name.
> 
> Do you really mean bnr2ss or Lites?

I really mean bnr2ss.  I've never known or even contacted anyone
working on Lites.  So, I couldn't have recognized him as someone from
Lites team.

> btw: To reduce single server to single threaded Mach task OS server
> is not accurate.

Argh.  I stand corrected.  Would you mind telling us all what a
"single server" is?

Cheers,

ken