Mips can now be compiled under the CygWin unix emulation layer for 
windows in order to allow mips to run natively on a windows machine.  All 
functionality is retained, see the section ussage below for an explanation.

Instalation:

 - download Cygwin from http://www.cygwin.com
 - Select the following packages
   Devel -> GCC: C, C++, Fortran compiler
   Shells -> tcsh: TENEX C Shell
   X11    -> lesstif: Lesstif
          -> xorg-x11-devel: Headers

 - open a console and start the build
 > ln -s tsch.exe /bin/csh
 > tar xzvf mips.tar.gz /
 > cd /mips/src/sys/unix
 > ./mips_gen

 - setup the environment
 > vi /etc/profile
 : export MIPS=/mips
 : export PATH=$MIPS/exe/ip:$PATH

Ussage:

 - to use the graphical applications such as vista
 > startx
   optionaly add the following commands:
       -fullscreen        to run the display in fullscreen mode
       -emulate3buttons   clicking the left and right mouse buttons at the
                          same time simulates the middle mouse button if you
                          do not have a 3 button mouse (ie a wheel mouse)
   to exit from x cleanly hit <alt>+F4     
 
 - Cygwin may have set up a link to xterm for you, you can use this to bypass
   the startx command above and get right to work.

 - Note that Vista requires a TrueColor 24 bit visual If the colors on
   your display seem corrupted, change the color depth for your desktop to 
   32 bits

 - In order for the help system to work you need to tell mips where your browser
   is located at.

   run customize
   > customize
   and point WWW Browser Option to the path to your browser i.e.
   > which firefox
   : /usr/bin/firefox