Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!ncis.tis.llnl.gov!dog.ee.lbl.gov!hellgate.utah.edu!fcom.cc.utah.edu!cc.utah.edu!cc.usu.edu!kurto
From: kurto@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: What the ST should be
Message-ID: <1991Feb28.213727.46962@cc.usu.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 91 03:37:26 GMT
Lines: 58

Okay, it's been a while since anyone has posted their wants as to
what they think that the Atari ST should be, so I'll post what
I think they should be!  ;-)  (I'll try and make this as
realistic as possible.)

1.  It should contain a 16 MHz 68010 (at the least) so that virtual memory
can be implemented.  This would also require a MMU that generates
interrupts when the CPU makes accesses to memory that isn't there,
this also might cause some problems with DMA handling.  Since this
would also require a hard drive then there could be some interference.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?

2.  It should contain software drivers to emulate (and a socket for)
a 68881/68882.  This would allow compiler writers and assembly
programmers to create one set of code for floating-point mathematics
which would take advantage of a coprocessor if it exists.  And if it
doesn't then the software drivers would take care of it.

3.  As for memory it wouldn't need a lot, but at least 2 Megs would be
good.  By implementing virtual memory there would be little need
for any more (unless you need REAL speed.)

4.  Since it is having virtual memory (assuming that DMA wouldn't
be a problem) then there would be the requirement of a hard drive,
at least 30 megabytes, having it internal would be good too.

5.  As an operating system perhaps a combination of TOS 1.4 and MiNT
would be ideal.  Any part of TOS that isn't implemented in MiNT should
be added onto MiNT (or the other way around, whichever you prefer.) and
then stuck into ROM.  Also the standard C libraries should be ROMed so
that when you start multitasking each program won't require it's own copies.
I guess this means kicking them up to 256K.

6.  To enhance networking an Ethernet interface would have to be
added, along with TCP/IP drivers.  Also some sort of network file system
should be tacked on with this.

7.  For video output I would personally prefer something along the lines
of 64 colors with a resolution of 1024x768 (at least).   This could
be made upgradeable to 256 colors/grays at 1256x1024, or whatever people
are calling standard these days.  This would allow for the addition
of windowing systems (like X, and MGR, or whatever).

If you leave out items 6 & 7 then it shouldn't cost much more than
$3000.  I also think that there should be some kind of mini developers
kit made available that contains a bunch of tools and some documentaion
on the system.  If someone was to rewrite the assembler from
the Sozobon C package so that it was more user friendly then just bundling
Sozobon with a set of books describing the operating system, then
it would be enough.

Anyway that's what I think should be done as a low {middle} end ST.
Maybe I'm nuts but that's what I think.  If anyone has anything to say
let me here it.

Kurt Olsen
slh85@cc.usu.edu                internet
slh85@USU                       bitnet