Mail Archives: opendos/1997/02/05/14:21:05
On Sun, 2 Feb 1997, Mark Habersack wrote:
> > >> If we're going to change operating system, can we at least change
> > >> operating system to a *decent* one, like MinixFS or Ext2FS? FAT32 is
> > >> another gross hack on top of VFAT which is a gross hack on top of FAT16
> > >> which is a gross hack on top of FAT12 which wasn't a decent file system
> > >> when it was *developed*, let alone these days. It doesn't even have
> > >> automatic defragmenting!
> > >All true, but OpenDOS will *have to* stay compatible with FAT, and if we
> > >want it to be *the best*, then we have to support FAT32 as well.
> > [...]
> >
> > Sure. Compatibility is Good. But I'm talking about the root file system, the
> > one that's built into the kernel. There's no reason why you can't have
> > FAT16, FAT32, HFS etc as drivers, like Linux does. But why should we have to
> > use something as awful as FAT16 *as default*?
> It was a looooong line - can tap RET more often? ;-))
> Answer: no, we can't make the root FS other than FAT or compatible. Why:
> because many DOS utilities are being used that *do* expect the FS to FAT. At
> many times we don't even realize that this or that application relies on the
> file system. In fact, DOS wasn't meant to be a multi-FS OS, so no programmer
> wrote his *DOS* app with that in mind. And you cannot require all the users
> change their beloved programs (if it's possible at all) just because we
> changed the root FS.
Since programs that are FS specific don't make sense on other
FS's then there is no need for them. For example. Norton Disk
Doctor. If you ran that on an ext2 drive, not only would you get
errors from NDD, but it would't work either. There would be no
need for NDD either. Unless of course symantec released NU for
ext2.
> DEVICE="C:\System Folder\OpenDOS\Memory Manager"
> DEVICEHIGH="C:\System Folder\OpenDOS\FAT16 Driver"
ICK!!!!! Filenames with spaces in them are annoying!!!! Also,
just because there ARE LFN's (or will be), it doesn't mean that
they SHOULD be used all of the time! ie
C:\BIN, C:\SYS\DOS\FAT, C:\SYS\DOS\MM
These names are good enough. Who want's a 10k PATH? Who wants
to type all that? Not me! I only want LFN's for the things that
I use them for in Linux, ie: giving archives useful names like
program-suchandsuch-Linux-ELF-2.34beta.tgz
> > INSTALL="C:\System Folder\OpenDOS\Disk Cache Driver" 1024 16384
> Don't you think it's a bit wasteful to load all the drivers beforehand? A
> utility to mount/unmount the new FS should be created - just like in Unix.
Rather, one should have the choice. In Linux, I've got minix,
ext2, MSDOS, UMSDOS, compiled INTO the kernel, and VFAT, ISO9660,
and others compiled as loadable modules. This way I can choose
what I think is important.
> > I've written a (slightly dodgy) file system for Linux, and I've wanted to do
> > the same for DOS. The only things that hampered me were (a) total lack of
> > documentation of how to write file system drivers for DOS, and (b) a sinking
> > feeling as I realised I would have to do it in i86 assembly...
> a) Yes, that's right. The only IFS documentation I know of is in the Ralph
> Brown's Interrupt List, and it's IMHO insufficient to write an IFS driver.
> It's easier to do that with Win95 as the VxD IFS interface is clearly
> documented, but who wants (of us ;-)) to help improving an M$ product? ;-)
Not me! A new interface is needed.
> b) Why assembly? If you don't like it - don't use it! Look at Linux - how
> many parts of it are in assembly? Look at FreeDOS - it's all in C.
C or ASM is fine. I personally would prefer that DOS code is
written in ASM as much as possible though. Reason: SIZE!!!!! I
have a 19k mouse driver. My friend's mouse driver is 9k. They
are both dated from the same time. Why is mine 19k? Probably
because it is written in C! (It is, I've examined it's memory
wastage in memory with debug).
Either way, we will have the source code, so it won't be hard to
convert stuff to/from ASM.
I'm certainly willing to do my own converting! :o)
Mike A. Harris | http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris
Computer Consultant | My webpage has moved and my address has changed.
My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html
mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca
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