MiNT

operating system (MinT is not TOS - a recursive acronym) A

freeware, open source operating system for the Atari ST

range of computers. MiNT was originally based on a port of

BSD to Atari ST computers by Eric R. Smith. MiNT gave the

Atari access to BSD's many network applications. A short

(1992-94) romance between MiNT and Atari Corp., who decided

to convert the system to the MultiTOS kernel, produced a

unique TOS/Unix hybrid, which provides simultaneous access to

both GEM and BSD application libraries.

Since MiNT is MultiTOS's kernel, it has kept all the features

described above and, if an AES replacement is installed, it

can show you a new face of MultiTOS. Unlike MultiTOS however,

MiNT is based on a different file system, that is faster and

more flexible than TOS's. Furthermore, thanks to the network

support, MiNT allows an Atari to be an Internet server

that can still run GEM and TOS applications! This has won

MiNT many devotees ("MiNTquisitors"), making it the main

competitor for ASH's MagiC.

Unlike Linux, MiNT can run on a Motorola 68000 with no

FPU. It needs at least 4 MB of RAM, more to run multiuser

or to run GEM applications at the same time.

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(1999-07-20)