jcm's blog

[ from the do-not-fear-voices dept. ]

I should be able to get hold of a Checked W2K SP3 build next week or so and then with a running Visual C++ environment I can have a go at some NT driver hacking. I have been reading Windows NT Magazine articles and have to admit to it being compulsive reading.

Linux User & Developer is now on sale in such places as W H Smith and I enjoyed once again being on the news stand this month. I wrote about Windows 2000->Samba migration and Powerbook Debian. I am hard at work on some more reviews at the moment.

I am trying to describe my scheduling ideas in some cohesive form for my project – most other Operating Systems have relatively primative Round Robin or Priority Based Scheduling environments and I do not think I can necessarily take these on now however I equally want to have a go. It is likely that I will support several varied scheduling environments eventually. Microsoft Research’s “Vassal” (loadable “modular” support for NT – sounds painful) scheduling kludge sounds like a really nasty hack but kudos to them. It [[UPDATED: refers to the Windows NT scheduler] all stems from a general trend to support the best environment for SQL server. Back to work now.

Jon.

[ from the just-for-fun-stuff dept. ]

I am planning to build an Amoeba cluster in Nottingham this coming term. Amoeba is a distrbiuted cluster based (Microkernel core) Operating System written by Professor Andrew Tanenbaum et al. For more information please see Amoeba WWW Home Page.

Typical requirements are for a minimum of 5 machines and this is my goal. IPC/IPX and SPARCstations will be used in this implementation.

I also plan to install a ChorusOS system (see also Sun Microsystem’s Laboratories Experimental Stuff Site) now that Sun Microsystems have released the code. I still do not know what is happening about Solaris source going online. Anyone? What happened to it [the Solaris Source Foundation Programme (or whatever it was/is called)]?

My research now concerns Amoeba, ChorusOS, HURD, Linux, Mach, Minix and Sartoris. A few others of lesser concern such as Windows NT are in there too. I will update project progress in the next few weeks.

Jon.

[ from the have-you-updated-your-diary-yet? dept. ]

The diary died for a few days again due to neglect. I went to G2002 last week, which though smaller was more fun, probably partly due to the size and also that I went in a group with Ben, Johannes, Hussein and Paul. Sleeping in a bunk was fun – as was the M25 in a large volvo stuffed with computer kit. I would guess the little incident hooking up Johannes’ computer to my UPS by the side of a random road in Harrow and that the whole bunker compound was running off generators after the first day (National Grid link went down or something) will be particularly rememberable.

I have completed an initial design for my Genesis Microkernel project. While hoping not to re-invent Minix it does follow a similar approach at the moment (small central schedular using message passing). I have functional units devised and a work plan for development so do look out for further updates. I am hoping to get some more IPCs and set up an Amoeba cluster after Christmas – it is a shame Nottingham do not do this kind of thing in house but I can at least do it in mine!

Happy festivities to everyone and now I shall continue with the contracting I have been doing for the last week and a bit for a few days until Christmas and then take a week off for academic work and other things. The US trip needs to be sorted soon but I think that will be March or so now.

Jon.

[ from the weird-huh dept. ]

Well, I am 21 today. This will be the last socially important birthday until 30 and then it’s all down hill or something…if you believe that.

As I said, I am not celebrating today particularly however I may find a quiet corner in a pub tonight for a brief drink. Tomorrow my project interim report is due in and then I have to travel to Reading as I start work in Oxfordshire on Thursday morning – then on Friday after work I will be travelling back to Nottingham The weekend will be G2002…done.

Jon.

P.S. The gym was fun last night.

[ from the please-regard-as-such dept. ]

My 21st Birthday, which is due tomorrow, clashes with too many other ongoing and urgent activities such as interim project reports and professional commitments. Therefore I have postponed celebration until Thursday or Friday. This both suits me better but also most fellow students and other friends. I will try to arrange a little gathering at some point in the next week or so for those who would like to join me for a drink.

Jon.

[ from the could-be-better-or-worse dept. ]

I have joined the gym in town and been for an assessment. They are pretty good actually and are producing a complete plan for me to follow, including diet and workout programme. I need to lose some weight and my fitness level could have been much better but then, it could have been much worse actually – and my blood pressure is surprisingly low. Interesting.

Let’s see if I can do this fitness thing then…

Jon.

[ from the jcm? dept. ]

Well, I am joining a Gym in Nottingham as of tomorrow. At least – I am going for an introductory session which hopefully will go well and be encouragement to press on with a sensible excersive programme. It may not last, still I want to give it a go, and get a new bike for additional new year exercise. [Read more]

I am preparing a seminar on Post’s Problem (Recursively enumerable, undeterministic Turing incomparable Languages and set theory)…great. Actually it is an interesting topic indeed but just not the kind of thing that really turns me on the way some other stuff quite blatently does.

I am lying on my bed at the moment with the laptop, I love this freedom to do work wherever and whenever – I really could have been much more productive over the last few years if I had done this sooner. As some know, I am on a permanent high at the moment and suddenly am very motivated to do work!

I have been playing with Amoeba and SMX (SunOS Minix) on Solaris. I will be installing an Amoeba cluster over Christmas and messing with Mach also. The interim report work is my main project concern at the moment but there will be real downloadable code in CVS after Christmas…really.

Jon.