Date: Fri, 03 Oct 1997 09:06:25 +1100
From: Bill Currie <billc AT blackmagic DOT tait DOT co DOT nz>
Subject: ANNOUNCE: PC Bootable Kernel Embrio
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Message-id: <199710022103.JAA03573@teleng1.tait.co.nz gatekeeper.tait.co.nz>
Organization: Tait Electronics Limited
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The latest version of my ebrionic kernel is available from:

http://www.abwillms.demon.co.uk/prog/index.htm

(Thanks to Alaric Williams for providing a home).

This kernel is intended to be the basis for a 32-bit dos, though any 
other operating system can grow from it.

Current features:
* Pure DJGPP.
* GPL
* 16 bit boot sector written with djasm (modified djasm.y supplied).
* All other code written in 32 bit C/C++/asm (as.exe) but only the
  installer uses C++ (for now)
* Boots from any bios supported drive (boots from my secondary IDE 
  drive), though the initial installation on an HD can be tricky.
* 32 bit keyboard, video (text), serial, floppy and IDE drivers.
* Support for V86 mode (to run (for example) a dos box or make bios 
  calls)
* The begginings of an extendable file system (autodetects MS-DOS 
  partitions and extended partitions (FAT32 planned)).
* Extended (>1MB) memory management.

Shortcommings:
* Documentation.
* Doen't support FAT32 yet.
* File system doesn't actually do anything usefull yet.
* Actually, the kernel doesn't do anything usefull yet.
* No virtual memory.

Future plans (call for help/contributions):
* Working dos box (code to reside above 1MB in the kernel, data to 
  sit in the normal dos address space)
* Virtual memory.
* dpmi (pref 1.0) with xms, ems and possibly vcpi.
* 32 bit scsi support
* Native file system (I have my own plans for this one)
* Other file system support (eg ex2fs(?), hpfs, ntfs...)
* Keep dreaming :)
* both dpmi and normal dos programs to have access to non dos file 
  systems.
* long file name support for FAT.
* multitasking
* installable 32 bit drivers (eg tcp/ip etc)
* Keep dreaming some more :)
* Even with the above, keep it as small and efficient as possible.

Well anyway, it's there, go get it, have fun.

Bill
--
Leave others their otherness.