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From: peter@stca77.stc.oz (Peter Jeremy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: WB2.0 for non-A3000
Message-ID: <1222@stca77.stc.oz>
Date: 31 Jan 91 20:06:05 GMT
Organization: Alcatel-STC, Alexandria, AUSTRALIA
Lines: 35
Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are those of the author only

There has been a lot of smoke and heat generated in the net regarding the
(lack of) WB2.0 for machines other than the A3000.  One question I haven't
seen asked (or answered) is why can't the existing WB2.0 be used on the
A500/A1000/A2000?

The only problems I can think of are:
Commodore Marketing - this is the most likely.

Contains 68030 specific code - Given that AmigaDOS has always supported
multiple CPU's (it supported 680[012]0 from day 0), I find it difficult to
believe that WB2.0 has been written specifically for the 68030.  It is
(barely) possible that the current version was compiled for a 680[23]0,
but this is just a matter of re-compiling with a different flag specified.

CATS are waiting for a real 68040 so they can test the 68040 support - this
is possible, but only explains why it is still `beta' rather than a final
release.

WB2.0 assumes the A3000 ECS chipset - I understood that the new chips were
compatible with the existing chips (and I think that the only difference
between the B2000 and A3000 is Denise anyway).  The code needs to start in
one of the compatible modes in any case (there may not be an enhanced
monitor attached).  It is possible that the drivers don't have sanity checking
code to ensure that programs don't request modes that are not available in
the hardware, but this would only affect programs that tried to use graphics
modes that weren't available.

Would one of the keepers of the AmigaDOS like to comment?

Anyone for `raw cold fish' :-)?
-- 
Peter Jeremy (VK2PJ)         peter@stca77.stc.oz.AU
Alcatel STC Australia        ...!uunet!stca77.stc.oz!peter
240 Wyndham St               peter%stca77.stc.oz@uunet.UU.NET
ALEXANDRIA  NSW  2015