Since we started the VAX port of NetBSD, a number of questions have appeared,
along with some suggestions for improving NetBSD. Since we have been looking
mostly at NetBSD 0.9 and not current, we apologize for anything we 'complain'
about that might have been improved in the later versions.

Memory Management
-----------------

Q: On what version of the MACH kernel is the virtual memory management based?


Comment:

   We have been comparing the MACH 3.0 memory management with the NetBSD 0.9
   version, and the MACH kernel's code for memory management seems much simpler.
   Has there been any discussion about updating the memory management in NetBSD?
   This would probably also improve the portability of NetBSD, the pmap module
   in the 0.9 version (which as far as we can see is basically unchanged in 
   current) is rather unstructured and seems to contain parts that are machine
   independent, and really should be in the generic part of the code.

Q: Is there any documentation for how it 'should' work or is the source the only
   available documentation?

Comment:

   If there is no real documentation, will this not always remain 'the hackers
   operating system'?

Multiple Processors
-------------------

Q: Are there plans for multi processor support or is there already support in 
   the code?

Comment:

   At least some support is there, in the MACH memory management code, but what
   is the status of the rest of the kernel? We have two VAX8350 here with 2 cpu
   each, and it would be interesting to know how we can make them usable with
   NetBSD.

Multi Threading
---------------

Q: Support for multi threading. Is it there or are there any plans to add it?


					<asbest suits worn>

						/ The VAX port crew


					

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