Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!ames!ptsfa!cpro!asgard From: asgard@cpro.UUCP (J.R. Stoner) Newsgroups: comp.emacs Subject: Re: Free Software Foundation (was: Re: Mach, the new standard?) Message-ID: <352@cpro.UUCP> Date: Thu, 27-Aug-87 20:16:40 EDT Article-I.D.: cpro.352 Posted: Thu Aug 27 20:16:40 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Aug-87 13:05:58 EDT References: <738@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM> Organization: CompuPro/VIASYN Corporation, Hayward, CA Lines: 47 in article <738@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM>, kempf@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM (Jim Kempf) says: > In article <83@splut.UUCP>, jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard) writes: >> I'll support the Free Software Foundation when they give up their processor >> bigotry and decide to support the machine architecture that I use (PC/AT). >> Until then, why should I waste my money? [Some non-germane comments removed] > Additionally, Stallman prefers using machines with larger address spaces > because they're easier to program. This is understandable, since it allows > him to concentrate his time on things other than trying to reduce the size > of things to fit in 640K. > I, too, would like to see FSF's software on the PC/AT and PC/XT, but > I think its unreasonable to expect FSF to do it. > Jim Kempf kempf@hplabs.hp.com Who said anything about 640K? As it happens the only reason you think there is such a limitation is the messyDOS foulup and attendant marketing BS. I run UNIX on my AT and 2+ Mb of RAM. It would sure be nice to see some of this stuff even compile properly with the ATT compiler, let alone run without segment faults due to sloppy coding practices. I have seen it in major soft- ware and not just Joe Hacker programs. VN for instance, and ELM are major problems due to VAX hacker bigots who think they are the only things going around. All it takes is to write your code properly in the first place and the processor does not get in the way. Some people did not follow that simple principle. That is why it took *forever* to get a compress program that allows 16-bit residency when the OS requires data items to fit in 64K. You do not have to have every processor in the world to write careful code. All you need do is select people who are willing to test your code on their machine who are knowledgable about real-world system limitations. Then get the beta reports BEFORE inflicting bad code on those of us who depend on the safe functioning of programs for our livelyhood. The FSF/GNU people pretend their programs install with the proper m-machine.h files. This does not appear to be true. After looking at 18.47 for too long I gave up trying to second-guess bad code and removed it. The only cpu types supported were 68000 and VAX. Really, if you want big-time penetration in the existing user community (a lot of us 286/UNIX users and growing) you at least could put some effort to limit the memory use patterns of your code, at least if you are interested in not appearing to be too big for we rabble. -- "To prevent having to tell fools to RTFM don't let on you WTFM to begin with." J.R. Stoner asgard@cpro.UUCP asgard@wotan.UUCP P.S. I help CompuPro make computers. They do not help me make my opinions.