Archive-Name: mach-faq ====================================================================== Frequently Asked Questions for comp.os.mach ====================================================================== _QUESTIONS_ 1. What is Mach? 2. Where can I get more information about Mach? 3. I'm looking for a certain paper or document involving Mach. Where is it? 4. For what platforms is Mach available? 5. Is Mach freely available or does it require licenses? 6. Where can I get a distibution of Mach for a particular CPU? 7. What is the GNU Hurd? 8. Is NeXTSTEP based on Mach? 9. Does it run DOS? _ANSWERS_ 1. What is Mach? Mach is a research project of Carnegie Mellon University. It aims to produce an operating system whose functions are distributed among several different threads of control, some of which run in supervisor mode and some of which run in user mode. Mach 3.0 is based on a microkernel which contains only process management, virtual memory, and interprocess communication functions, as well as device drivers. The rest of the operating system is concentrated in a UNIX server. Mach 2.5 was more traditional in that the UNIX server ran in supervisor mode, but it was still isolated from Mach code. 2. Where can I get more information about Mach? Carnegie Mellon University maintains an FTP server on the Internet on mach.cs.cmu.edu. Items of interest on the server include: FAQ This directory includes some of the most frequenly requested documents. Most importantly, it contains file explaining how to obtain Mach for a particular machine (i386_release.doc, etc). Most files in this directory are available in either plain text or PostScript versions. doc/published, These directories contain technical doc/unpublished documentation. doc/techreports doc/osf This directory contains PostScript versions of the Open Software Foundation's Mach manuals. They are highly recommended reading for anyone planning to work with the Mach 3.0 microkernel. src/mkernel The source code for the Mach microkernel. src/buildtools The source code for the tools needed to build Mach. sup The source code to Carnegie Mellon University's 'sup' (Software Upgrade Protocol) program, used to obtain and update Mach distributions. Binaries for certain machines are also available here. 3. I'm looking for a certain paper or document involving Mach. Where is it? There is a bibliography of papers and documents about Mach. It is available online by anonymous FTP to mach.cs.cmu.edu. It is in the directory FAQ in both plain-text and PostScript forms in the files mach_bib.doc and mach_bib.ps. 4. For what platforms is Mach available? Mach 2.5 is available directly from Carnegie Mellon for these platforms: VAX Intel 386/586 Sun 3 Mach 3.0 is available from Carnegie Mellon for these platforms: Sun 3 VAX DECstation 3100 and 5000/200, 5000/120, and 5000/20 Intel 386/486 (ISA and PS/2) Omron Luna 88K DEC Alpha IBM RS/6000 Sun SparcStations (microkernel only) Apple Macintosh 5. Is Mach freely available or does it require licenses? In general, Mach requires licenses in order to do anything useful. The Mach 3.0 microkernel is available without licenses for all platforms except the Sun SparcStation, which requires a SunOS 4.1.1 source license. Mach 2.5 and the Mach 3.0 UNIX server require a 4.3BSD source license, which in turn requires a license from UNIX Systems Laboratories. The Apple Macintosh and IBM RS/6000 platforms also require special Mach 3.0 licenses. In addition, there is a simplified operating system server called "POE" that is available freely. At one time, Carnegie Mellon also distributed a server based on the 386BSD operating system, but removed it from distribution for legal reasons. It can still be obtained from several FTP sites, though. Carnegie Mellon recently reintroduced a new version, BSDSS8, but it is only available to holders of 4.3BSD source licenses. 6. Where can I get a distibution of Mach for a particular CPU? Carnegie Mellon's preferred method of source code distribution is through a protocol called SUP. After registering your IP address and license information with CMU, you will receive a cryptographic key. You use that key in conjunction with the sup program (available from mach.cs.cmu.edu in the directory sup) to access the proper collections of code. There is information on mach.cs.cmu.edu in the FAQ directory to tell you precisely how to get a distribution of Mach for the machine that you want. If you do not have access to SUP, there are also FTP archives for Mach. Among others: Hostname IP address Directory -------- ---------- --------- mach.cs.cmu.edu 128.2.209.192 src ftp.uu.net 192.48.96.9 packages/mach sh.wide.ad.jp 133.4.11.11 MACH ftp.dit.co.jp 133.156.1.1 pub/MACH ftp.mei.co.jp 132.182.49.2 free/mach ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp 131.112.172.15 pub/os/MACH nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 pub/mach/Mach3.0 Connect to the site closest to you using the FTP protocol. Use "anonymous" as your login name and your electronic mail address as your password. ftp.uu.net's archives are also available via UUCP to a 900 number. Contact info@uunet.uu.net for more information. Mt.Xinu formerly distributed both source and binary releases of Mach 2.5, but they have discontinued them. Tenon Intersystems distributes a product known as MachTen. It runs avariant of Mach 2.5 as an application on top of the Macintosh Operating System, and includes a complete development environment. X11 and Motif are available as options. Contact info@tenon.com or (800) 662-2410 for more information. 7. What is the GNU Hurd? The GNU Hurd is a system server which the Free Software Foundation is preparing. It will run on top of the Mach microkernel. It will resemble UNIX at the user level, but its design philosophy will be completely different. It will enable the individual user to customize his or her environment more completely. No one really knows when the Hurd will be released. However, there are preliminary sources for it on alpha.gnu.ai.mit.edu which are really only useful for browsing. They are incomplete and they are updated very infrequently. The Free Software Foundation recently announced that it is seeking volunteers to help develop and test the Hurd. Contact gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu for more information. 8. Is NEXTSTEP based on Mach? NEXTSTEP is based on an enhanced version of Mach. Source licenses for this version of Mach are available from the NeXT Corporation. 9. Does it run DOS? There is an "mdos" server allowing DOS applications to run under Mach on the Intel platform. This server is available from mach.cs.cmu.edu in the directory src as mdos.tar.Z. ------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION (Thanks!) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Dave Cherkus (RS/6000 and PS/2 support) --- Send suggestions to fgray@owlnet.rice.edu. --- -- -- Fred Gray -- fgray@owlnet.rice.edu