A/UX wishlist

[ChristTrekker]

If there were a feature you could add to A/UX, or software you could port to it, or whatever...what would it be?

 

[Dog Cow]

If we tell, who is going to add it?

 

[porter]

If there were a feature you could add to A/UX

mmap()

 

[Unknown_K]

DHCP for ethernet!

 

[beachycove]

MAMP and then WordPress?

 

[Mars478]

Mac OSX

 

[Gil]

PowerPC support!

 

[RichardG]

Easier setup with support for all SCSI CD drives...

 

[ChristTrekker]

Good suggestions! Here are some I would add:

• modern window manager - something like Fluxbox or IceWM would be great
  
• free download from Apple!
  
• source code - as long as we're dreaming...
  
• gcc 2.95 or 3.x
  
• c99 compatibility
  
• better POSIX compatibility - to expand on porter's idea

mmap()

If I understand this correctly, it is possible to write one's own implementation, but you're specifically wishing for one used within the kernel, correct? I'm afraid I don't know enough about it to know what kind of doors this would open, but from what you've said before I know they would be big ones.

DHCP for ethernet!

Definitely would be nice. I don't know what's required for DHCP, nor why it doesn't work in A/UX now.

MAMP and then WordPress?

You'd really want to run Wordpress on a 68k?

Mac OSX

Seamless integration of Mac OS with Unix is definitely nice. However, I see OS X taking a different approach than A/UX did. OS X tries to eliminate all need for and reference to its Unix underpinnings. It's there, you can access that level if you want, but it is only referenced when Apple promotes its stability. A/UX, on the other hand, tried to make Unix easier to use with tools like Commando. Combining the classic Mac OS with solid Unix, with a good degree of elegance, was definitely A/UX's strength. OS X is a very good Unix-for-the-masses, but it doesn't feel like classic Mac OS any more. I wonder how much hacking of Mac OS internals and Unix infrastructure was necessary to make that happen...

PowerPC support!

Yeah, if only Apple would open source it! Keep dreaming.

Easier setup with support for all SCSI CD drives...

Limited device support definitely hurts.

 

[porter]

mmap()

If I understand this correctly, it is possible to write one's own implementation

Not as far as I know, I believe the kernel manages the memory maps. The way shared libraries work on A/UX is they have to load at a specific address, mmap is the normal way of allocating that memory. Seeing as a program actually links to a stub, one could dissassemble the stubs and see how they demand load the dependent libraries.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

A/UX, on the other hand, tried to make Unix easier to use with tools like Commando.

This discussion sounds VERY familiar.

 

[RichardG]

And I nearly forgot... updated Mac OS layer! (7.5.5, 7.6.1 or 8.1 according to the Mac)

Sidenote: It is possible, but breaks things like Commando which rely on System file hacks.

 

[ChristTrekker]

This discussion sounds VERY familiar.

Probably...A/UX discussions tend to rehash themselves after awhile.

 

[Dog Cow]

That's because A/UX is a dead-end like GNO/ME for the IIgs if there's no one working on writing new utilities and programs for it.