• What is Minix?

  MINIX is a free UNIX clone that is available with all the source code. Due to its small size, microkernel-based design, and ample documentation, it is well suited to people who want to run a UNIX-like system on their personal computer and learn about how such systems work inside. (more ...)

• What is the relationship between MINIX and Linux?

  MINIX was released in 1987 as a small easy-to-understand UNIX clone for use in courses teaching operating systems. Linus Torvalds, then a student at the University of Helsinki, studied MINIX in an operating systems course and installed it on his home computer. He then used MINIX as a platform, guide, and inspiration to develop his own MINIX clone, named Linux, which he released in 1991.

• Linus has been accused of stealing Linux from MINIX. Is that true?

  No. Absolutely not. Ken Brown of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution wrote a report, funded in part by Microsoft, claiming that Linus stole Linux from MINIX. Brown's conclusion was that companies should not use Linux because the ownership of the intellectual property rights is unclear. This is complete garbage. While it is most unlikely that a 21-year-old student would have been inspired to write his own operating system had he not had the complete source code for a similar operating system available to study and modify, Linus wrote the initial version of the Linux system from scratch himself. The Brown report and a response from the creator of MINIX was discussed in detail on Slashdot.

• Where is the Minix FAQ?

  (Short answer: you are looking at it).

• Where can I get Minix (or Minix software, or information about Minix)?

  Minix 2.0.0 is distributed on a CD-ROM included with the text Operating Systems Design and Implementation, 2nd ed., ... newer versions are available on-line... (more...)

• What is the Minix license?

• What does the Minix license mean in plain language?

• Where can I ask for help with Minix?

  (Short answer: go to the comp.os.minix newsgroup or subscribe to the Minix-l mailing list).

• Somebody must have seen my problem before. Are there archives of the newsgroup and the mailing list?

• The web page I was looking for is gone! Click here for suggestions about finding lost websites and pages.
• Why are replies to really old news posts appearing on comp.os.minix?
• Teaching with Minix: Where can I find information and links regarding the use of Minix in teaching?
• How can I avoid problems with the vol command and floppy disks?
• Can I install Minix on a system with no floppy drive?
• How can I make a RAM disk bigger than 8 MBytes?
• How do I run Minix on VMWare?
• Can I copy-and-paste between a Minix guest on VMWare and a Windows host?
• Can I use the Bochs emulator to run Minix on top of Windows?
• Can I use the Bochs emulator to run Minix on a Mac?
• Can I run Minix on top of Windows using Virtual PC?
• Why doesn't the elle editor behave the way the man page says it should?
  
  
• I want to edit a man page or write a new one. How do I view a draft man page that hasn't been installed yet?

  Answer: Use nroff -man man_file | more

• How can I boot alternative operating systems on a single computer?
  
  
• Is it possible to exchange data between file systems of different operating systems?
  
  
• How do I program or learn to program in the Minix environment?
  
  
• Minix claims to be POSIX compliant. What is POSIX?
  
  

Modified: 23 June 2005

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