Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!jason
From: jason@madnix.UUCP (Jason Blochowiak)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: //gs Boot Blocks
Message-ID: <1052@madnix.UUCP>
Date: 14 Jan 90 15:51:03 GMT
References: <155@fawlty.towers.oz>
Reply-To: jason@madnix.UUCP (Jason Blochowiak)
Organization: ARP Software, Madison, WI
Lines: 46

In article <155@fawlty.towers.oz> johnmac@fawlty.ips.oz (John MacLean) writes:
>In article <1026@madnix.UUCP> jason@madnix.UUCP (Jason Blochowiak) writes:
>> [I wrote about how *:ProDOS would still have to screw with block-level
>>   disk access]
>Try this: [Rename ProDOS as ProDGS, copy P8 to ProDP8, make own ProDOS for
>            selection, have it patch loaded boot block for appropriate OS]

	I like that - it's nice.

>This should work regardless of what apple does to the boot blocks in
>the future.

	Well, assuming they only keep one copy of the "PRODOS" string around,
and assuming that the boot code can be safely re-executed.

	Of course, this could all be avoided if Apple were just to hack at
the boot code a wee bit, and have it alternately load "PRODOS" or "PRODOS8"
from the root directory based on the Caps Lock key (nice 'cause you don't have
to hold it down "at some point" during the boot), or the Option key ('cause
it's the standard "do something different" key). I suppose it'd have to be
documented tho', as otherwise I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people
would get really confused, particularly those that rest the heels of their
hands on the bottom of the keyboard... .5 :)

	Speaking of stuff that Apple could do, any probabilities/guarantees
as to the two conditions in the paragraph two up from this one staying static?
(Ack, shut up about my grammar - it's 9:45am, and I woke up ~10am yesterday).

>I have done this in the past, and it works, but I take no responsibility.

	Damn. And I read that right after I toasted my HD ;) (bigtime)
But seriously, thanks for the info.

	One last thing - I'm just curious as to how many people followed this
thread. Could the folks that did (aside from the folks that participated) just
send me some email (no posting, that'd be 'orrible!) saying "I read it"?
Thanks.

>John MacLean.
>This net: johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz.au			  Phone: +61 2 427 2999
>That net: uunet!fawlty.towers.oz.au!johnmac		  Fax:   +61 2 427 7072


-- 
                      Jason Blochowiak - jason@madnix.UUCP
       "Education, like neurosis, begins at home." - Milton R. Saperstein