View source for MINITS

'''MINITS''' was a [[PDP-11]] [[multi-tasking]] [[operating system]] created at [[MIT]], primarily for use in [[data network]] [[host]]s. It was mostly used in the MIT network for 'bridges' ([[router]]s, to use the contemporary nomenclature) and [[terminal]] [[terminal concentrator|concentrators]]. It was also used to drive [[graphics terminal]]s, and provide [[Chaosnet]] [[front end]]s to [[KL10]] processors.

Its design is vaguely reminiscent of [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]]. It provided:

* creation and termination of [[process]]es
* a fairly sophisticated [[main memory]] allocation system (freed adjoining blocks were automatically combined)

==Networking==

The MINITS [[source]] calls lots of things 'NCPs', but these have nothing to do with the 'real' [[Network Control Program (ARPANET)|NCP]]. In fact, MINITS doesn't support any [[IMP interface]]s. The use of 'NCP' was just a terminological affliction among the CHAOS people, to whom 'NCP' apparently meant 'protocol implementation' or 'network code'.

[[Data network|Networking]] [[protocol]]s supported:

* [[Address Resolution Protocol‎]]
* [[Chaosnet|Chaos]] - the only full [[protocol suite|protocol family]] supported; the rest are all just partial scraps
** [[SUPDUP]]
** [[TELNET]]
** [[Finger]]
* [[Internet Protocol|IP]]
* [[PARC Universal Packet|PUP]]

==Hardware==

[[Peripheral|Devices]] supported:

* [[DH11 asynchronous serial line interface|DH11]]
* [[DL11 asynchronous serial line interface|DL11]]
* [[DZ11 asynchronous serial line interface|DZ11]]
* DMC11
* [[DR11 parallel interface|DR11]]
* [[DUP11 synchronous serial line interface|DUP11]]
* [[DTE20 Ten-Eleven Interface|DTE20]], [[KL10]] front end interface
* [[CH11]], Chaosnet interface
* 3com [[Ethernet]] interface
* [[Interlan NI1010A/NI2010A Ethernet Communications Controller|Interlan NI1010A]] Ethernet interface
* [[UNIBUS Experimental Ethernet interface|3 Mbit Ethernet]] interface
* Pertek [[frame buffer]]
* [[CAMAC]] interface

{{semi-stub}}

==See also==

* [[Fuzzball]]
* [[ELF operating system]]
* [[MOS operating system]]

==External links==

* [http://github.com/Chaosnet/minits MINITS source code]
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/tree/master/src/mits_s Alternative repository]
** [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/mits_s/user.7 Process management]
** [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/mits_s/fsm.3 Free Storage Manager]
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/doc/minits/-how-t.21 How to Build a Terminal Concentrator] - combination of ware, software and boot PROMs

[[Category: PDP-11 Operating Systems]]
[[Category: Non-DEC Operating Systems]]
[[Category: Networking Software]]
[[Category: Chaos]]