Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 06:51:14 -0400 (EDT) From: "Mike A. Harris" Reply-To: "Mike A. Harris" To: "Jonathan E. Brickman" cc: opendos AT delorie DOT com Subject: Re: BIG suggestion for Opendos Features In-Reply-To: <199705272206.SAA04009@delorie.com> Message-ID: Organization: Total disorganization. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Precedence: bulk On Tue, 27 May 1997, Jonathan E. Brickman wrote: > > Yes, exactly! That's why people who use 486 with 16M of RAM will use > > OpenDOS/32 with ext2 and all the cool things! > > Ummmmmmm...apart from hatred of Microsoft, what is a strong reason > for a user to choose OpenDOS/32? Because it will be a 32 bit operating system, and most of us use 32 bit computers. Full backwards compatibility will be maintained for older programs so their are no compatibility issues at stake. If you don't use a 32 bit computer, then it wouldn't be a wise choice to download OD/32. Programs developed explicitly for OpenDOS/32 will be much faster, more capable, and have more features at their disposal. Some people will pipe up and say "well then OD/16 will be dumped and I'll never see any new software". Before they do though, let me point out first of all that most games, and quite a bit of other software that is coming out, ALLREADY require a 386 or higher processor. Also let me point out that Windows '95 has been out for almost 2 years now and I haven't seen Windows 3.1 development drop off yet. There are countless new programs coming out for 3.1 still. Another perfect example is the "ELKS project". This is a project to create a 16 bit version of Linux (a 32bit OS) for 286 and lesser processors. Does this mean that when ELKS is finished that Linux 32bit and Linux64 bit platforms will be killed? It makes about as much sense. In the short, OD/16 will not be dumped when OD/32 is made. I know that you didn't imply this, but based on the past conversations on this list, someone was sure to reply to that effect so I thought I'd stop it here and now. I've been on this list since it started, and have a good sense for the way things go now. :o) Imagine, a totally flat 32bit programming model for DOS that doesn't jump back and forth between RM and PM!!! NO BIOS!!! Yaaaaaahhhhoooooooo!!!!! Actually, since the memory model would be flat, DOS/16 apps would run in a VM, so the OD/32 kernel can basically be a totally new OS kernel with totally new internal structures, etc. The command line would be the same, and several other aspects would be the same, but no poking around into the protected address space of the OS, NO LOCKUPS OR REBOOTS!!!!! (Well, perhaps from a 16bit game running in a VM accessing DMA or something.... unless we emulate DMA.... hmmm.... DOSDOSEMU? :o) This is more of a developer topic though, so reply in opendos-developer if you're subscribed, and we can discuss it in more detail and share suggestions, thoughts, constructive criticisms, ideas, etc without boring opendos users to death! :o) TTYL Mike A. Harris | http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris Computer Consultant | Coming soon: dynamic-IP-freedom... My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html Email: mharris at blackwidow.saultc.on.ca <-- Spam proof address OpenDOS: The NEW DOS with FREE source code! http://www.caldera.com