--KsGdsel6WgEHnImy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

On Wed, Mar 30, 2005 at 03:48:43PM +0200, Thierry Lacoste wrote:
> I've asked this question on netbsd-help; someone suggested
> I also ask here.
>=20
> I'd like to study the low level details of modern OS features
> (Virtual memory, context switching, device drivers, etc...).
> Of course I plan to use NetBSD ;)
>=20
> I'm looking for the simplest architecture.
> I'm aware of the inherent complexity of these topics but
> I want to avoid "unnecessary" complexities (like those of i386
> which is so encumbered with legacy issues).
>=20
> Are MIPS-based computer a good choice?
> Are there other alternatives ?

I think that the MIPS R2000/R3000 are quite simple and probably a
good place to start. Berkeley's Nachos and Harvard's OS/161
educational operation systems both run on simulated R2k/R3k
machines, IIRC. I don't know precisely how much more complicated
the newer MIPS chips get. Some gurus on port-mips would be able
to provide some enlightenment there, I'm sure.

> What seems to be the "best" available MIPS-machine
> (WRT simplicity of the processor and/or simplicity of installing NetBSD)?
> Is SGI a good choice? Indigo, Indy or yet another?

The indy is presently the best supported sgimips machine. The
r2k/r3k-based personal iris's and indigos will work, as well as
the R4k indigo and O2's.

However, it would probably be easiest just to download an
emulator, such as mips64emul (I think the name has since changed),
which, I believe, will run NetBSD/pmax (another MIPS platform) with
enough hardware support to boot from an emulated disk and run X.

Regards,
Steve

> Advices would be appreciated.
>=20
> TIA
> Thierry Lacoste.

--KsGdsel6WgEHnImy
Content-Type: application/pgp-signature
Content-Disposition: inline

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (NetBSD)

iQEVAwUBQkq1p8uCaQyb9VOkAQIFPwgAuCl4vJIEl9QZ25zrHex3DPfd3Ubt4yea
vGzXku3QIHCSSletEW54fFUkD8fyAF5ntl1nddv4YHihz+f1n86W/VmVguYZcYOC
8bTvsMstXkL7wjITbA0j7I+XLLVaXFytkrcGcgPSN3daE431cZUFb8PhjaODbod9
eq4xYRV2fqSkR+TpkdPvE71Ska6EP5+SqQWex7BDvMlehQl+eYDtZCRJNTiR3FeP
tmpM8q8ebU1vAtGF/iboGAK1YMUlcUzZ2jZmd8AshbFWfpcnEcboNXLCr69bU7hk
qWYBupk2SABiRDkAZlcMHoMefoOlSp/0Wx8/N+FXEVjP/zVFOGRWJA==
=Nq/M
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--KsGdsel6WgEHnImy--