Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!cbmvax!andy From: andy@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Andy Finkel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: BCPL/AmigaDOS Message-ID: <1938@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-May-87 11:19:07 EDT Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1938 Posted: Wed May 27 11:19:07 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 30-May-87 01:30:44 EDT References: <461@inria.UUCP> <1920@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> <147@l5comp.UUCP> Reply-To: andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA Lines: 96 In article <147@l5comp.UUCP> scotty@l5comp.UUCP (Scott Turner) writes: Scotty: I've noticed in your last 6 or 8 postings your flame content is rather high. I wonder if you are aware just how high ? Since I don't want to become involved in a flaming match, I will ignore the flames for the most part, and just answer you this time. Re: buffers...it works the way it does because the AmigaDOS default file handler isn't designed for a track oriented system. Fortunately, as you seem to have noticed, a programmer is not limited to the default handler. He/she can write one (even a compatible one that can read/write the same disks) and use it in place ofthe default one. We are doing this very thing for hard disks, as a matter of fact. And, the comments from you about us doing work are a bit uncalled for. Concerning ROM Kickstart...the Amiga has the ability to replace entire libraries if necessary. ROM Kickstart owners are not left out in the cold. (And you could write a new dos.library if you wanted. Not, of course disassemble and assemble ours.) Concerning refering to AmigaDOS as Amigadog, well it its legality you are concerned with, why not adopt the more mature method some people use when speaking of UN*X ? Re: Install I'm sorry the note confused you. I said a number of things in that note. Take the 'install' position as official; the rest 'calming' unofficial statements were intended to give us some time to work out a solution. (I think I even mentioned that in the posting) Re: Install saving more out to disk than it should..we call this a bug. If we'd found it earlier, or it had been reported by anyone, it would have been fixed. Since we now know about it, it will be fixed in the next release. And, yes, alternate programs let authors make their disks say anything they want. That isn't the point. (Appendix L of the white Rom Kernal manual Vol. 2 tells you about the boot process; it isn't secret) Re: BCPL code It is our intention that real BCPL code go on working. Your MCC assembler is probably written in C, btw. (it depends on what version you have, they did both BCPL and C versions). Compatibility is a prime goal. So is improving system performance. Re: your ram handler I have no idea about your RAM handler. If you count on using global vector routines, or in last error being in D3 on startup you may be in for a surprise. However, if you followed the examples that Phil Lindsey posted for writing DOS handlers you'll have no problems. (if you just patched the old one, it will probably still work, provided you understood what you were doing) The 1500 bytes off the top are space for building autorequesters. Re: rewriting code...if you've been counting on the undocumented BCPL interface, you might have to rewrite your code. That's the big reason it is undocumented...so we were are locked into it. If I'd come out with an "Internals of AmigaDOS" article we'd be locked in forever. Re: programs breaking There was about a 3 month gap between V1.0 and V1.1. The reason there was so little software for V1.0 is the same reason that there is little software for any new computer when it is first introduced. I don't think the jump from V1.1 to V1.2 broke many correct programs. Most programs that had to be re-released were upgraded for reasons like not working with fast memory, assuming that a program that used 487 bytes of stack would continue to use 487 bytes of stack (another undocumented on purpose area), or had bugs that managed not to crash under V1.1 (like releasing locks that didn't belong to the program, or using location 0) But this is beside the point. As long as we are working on V1.3, backwards compatibility is important. Re: your shopping list. If you can manage to put it into words that don't set the paper on fire, please, send it along. I've been saving all the suggestions, comments, etc. that have come by on the net, and many will be adressed in the next release. Here's hoping your next posting doesn't come across like we injured your gold fish... andy finkel -- andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy Commodore/Amiga "An end is always a new beginning." - Captain Cloud Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share. I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.