Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!caen!uwm.edu!linac!midway!quads.uchicago.edu!jcav From: jcav@quads.uchicago.edu (john cavallino) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: 8-bit death Message-ID: <1991May9.191412.15264@midway.uchicago.edu> Date: 9 May 91 19:14:12 GMT References: <2945.tnews@templar.actrix.gen.nz> <3474.tnews@templar.actrix.gen.nz> Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (NewsMistress) Organization: University of Chicago Lines: 27 In article <3474.tnews@templar.actrix.gen.nz> jbickers@templar.actrix.gen.nz (John Bickers) writes: >> By this definition, the Atari ST OS (CPM/68K) is a 4-bit OS? It uses 68000 >> traps, which are 4 bits. > > Does it really? Wow! Is this the TOS thing people talk about (CPM? > Local Atari folks talk about things called TOS and GEM)? > > Gak. Gak. Gak. Gak. > > I know the Amiga uses some of those trap vectors for various GURUs, > but not as the OS interface. > > Gee, I never thought the ST was so primitive. As I understand it, the TRAPn instructions were specifically intended by Motorola to be used to invoke the operating system. After all, there are sixteen of them, they are documented instructions, and they have individual entries in the vector table. What's REALLY wierd is the Macintosh operating system, which uses the MC680x0 A-line unimplemented instructions as the OS interface, with the routine index and various flags encoded into the instruction word. -- John Cavallino | EMail: jcav@midway.uchicago.edu University of Chicago Hospitals | USMail: 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Box 145 Office of Facilities Management | Chicago, IL 60637 B0 f++ w c+ g+ k s(+) e+ h- pv (qv) | Telephone: 312-702-6900