Message-Id: <199702052324.AAA15259@magigimmix.xs4all.nl>
From: "Yeep" <Yeep AT xs4all DOT nl>
Cc: <opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net>
Subject: Re: [opendos] speeding up command.com
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 23:49:08 +0100
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> > > Question:
> > > OpenDOS is for x86 processors, right?
> > > THEN WHO THE HELL NEEDS IT TO BE PORTABLE?????????
> > > You're not going to break things by inserting a little ASM code - >
> > > it's not like it'll run on the Mac anyways :) :) :)
> > > And who's going to be running the command.com from Linux???  Go
> > > ahead and make things fast!
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > #1.
> >   What kind video card do you want to implement direct writes for ?
> >      If it is VGA, what about all Hercules, EGA, CGA users ?
> 
> All.  All cards start at either B800 or B000.  Simple.  Put a
> conditional in to see what mode the card is in and then change
> your base address for writes.  Takes only a few lines of code.
> Piece o cake.
> 
> >   Maybe we can use some 386, 486, 586 or MMX specyfic opcodes inside
> > Open DOS. Executables will be smaller and faster but all machines
> > with less than (386...MMX) could be dropped into trash.
> 
> As for the 3,4, and 586 stuff, I'm sure it will happen as soon as
> the sources are released.  As for MMX, I don't see what place MMX
> instructions would have inside the OS.  Do you want an AVI to
> play during booting?  :o) 

Hey, that'd be nice.
Some OpenDOS AVI.
Eat your heart out WinBootScreen, with your flashy palette cycling!!!
 
> As for the 386 and 486 not understanding MMX, just write an MMX
> emulator.  It would work in a similar manner to the FPU
> emulator by triggering on the unknown instruction exception.  I'm
> sure one will be out before you can shake a stick. :o)  


	Yeep