DB> Sounds like the difference between X modem and Z modem!

Yes!  It is.  The PPP specification also has things like dial-on-demand!
MiNT-NET doesn't support dial-on-demand, but it does most of the others.

 DB> Atari World is doing a setup/review of the Linux 68xxx CD next month.
 DB> If you don't get the mag, I'll keep you posted. As for configuring
 DB> Linux and X windows, there are several books out on setting up
 DB> Linux. Can't say the same about Mint! :-) (No flame intended)

I can't imagine that the Atari set-up and the DOS setup are going to
be that similar.


 DB> One thing I am curious about though. You have been into Mint in a
 DB> big way for a while now, right? (Duh!) Mint seems to have slowly
 DB> become a quasi Unix setup. Why don't you go for a real Unix like

More than Quasi - there are alot of utils out there and even entire
packages that will give you a system that looks an acts just like 
BSD Unix.

As for a real Unix.  I'm using an AT&T 3b2/400 right now running
AT&T Unix System V r 3.2.  Can you say REAL Unix?  Its a damn
mini-computer.  I'm typing on a real VT240 terminal made by digital.
It has vt100, vt52, vt220, and tektronix.

You know what?  My ST is easier, faster, and has a much better vt100.
It has software that will take a long while to get over to the 3b2.
I also use SysVr4 at work (SCO), so I'm familiar with 'real' Unix
implementations.  When it comes time to format a hard drive or
add/remove one from the system - your going to hate a real Unix and
you'll wish for something like MiNT.

 DB> Linux? Is it Mint's link with TOS that you like? As I mentioned in
 DB> another post, you could run a boot manager and choose TOS or Linux
 DB> at bootup time. Up until Mint 112, Mint ran too slow for me. The
 DB> slowdown outweighed the pre-emptive multitasking benefits-for me

Yes, it IS the link with TOS.  I like alot about TOS.  Its a good
OS.  I don't see MiNT as a new OS - I see it as a logical progression
of TOS.  Its like the new version of TOS almost.  I want TOS, not
Unix, but I want a powerful TOS that has pipes and sockets and
multitasking.

MiNT is NOT slow.  There are four reasons for thinking MiNT is slow.
1 - you run MultiTOS, and MultTOS is a snail!!
2 - you run a single-tasking GEM, which polls, runs in supervisor mode,
    and prevents all sorts of task switches.
3 - you run TOSWIN or another window manager which must poll because
    you can't wait on GEM events and pipe IO at the same time (this
    will be fixed in the new PD AES versions coming out).  TOSWIN
    also must spend about half your CPU doing pipe IO and display
    updating - giving very little CPU to the actual process and
    making screen updates awful.
4 - You don't have vconsoles.  Vconsoles should be a MiNT requirement.


 DB> BTW2-Geneva now works with Mint and takes the place of GEM.SYS. I
 DB> just set up the new Geneva/Neo4 upgrade last night, but it just
 DB> might get me using Mint now! :-)

MiNT isn't slow - all the slowness is due to poor AESs.  There are
some PD AESs coming out soon that are based on pipes (and will
hopefully be upgraded to use sockets soon) and even come with the
SOURCE CODE!

Once I get my 3b2 set up as a TCP/IP terminal server and get some
various projects ironed out I'll allow remote log-ins to my system
so everyone can try out a working MiNT system.

Oh, and I don't use Linux because I don't have an 030 :-)



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