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From: trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey )
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: Unix in ROM [was Re: Jerry Pournelle on UNIX (From BYTE)]
Message-ID: <311@stag.UUCP>
Date: 10 Jan 88 23:02:02 GMT
References: <1495@osiris.UUCP> <2126@haddock.ISC.COM> <1497@osiris.UUCP> <9601@tekecs.TEK.COM>
Reply-To: trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey )
Organization: Mindtools ST Access Group, Plymouth, MN
Lines: 36
Posted: Sun Jan 10 17:02:02 1988

[I disagree...this should be in comp.arch...]
In article <9601@tekecs.TEK.COM> andrew@frip.gwd.tek.com (Andrew Klossner) writes:
>
>Changing a ROM doesn't have to be complicated.  A good example of a
>system where it's blessedly easy to change a ROM is the Atari 2600 home
>video game system.  Shoving a ROM into the slot is easier than loading
>a cassette tape deck.

I agree. My wifes' Epson Geneva Portable has the entire OS on ROM
(only CP/M, but still...) and she is always popping the Roms out and
putting different things in (they have little handles on them and
are keyed so you can't stick them in wrong.) I think this works great
because 1) she never has to use the slow cassette, and 2) her Roms
won't wear out (barring shocks). I also think the manufacturer may do
a better job of debugging the original OS if it is released on ROM.

Of course, I am biased, since I also own an ST (TOS and GEM on Rom)
and really don't miss the old days of having to worry about which
version of OS I had to use for which program on my mac, amiga, and
even sometimes on the PC. At last count, I still have 7 different
startup disks for my mac, about 5 DOS's for the IBM PC, and used to
move back and forth between 3 different kickstart/workbench combos
on the Amiga (although that has improved lately according to
friends).

The only thing having the OS on ROM on my Symmetrics system would give
me is a nice warm feeling when I think of file security/integrity, or the
fun it would be to rebuild things from floppies. What I would really
like is to have all of the most commonly used programs on ROM (vi, cc,
libraries, etc) for that tiny improvement over disk access speed. That
is what really makes my wifes Geneva system nice...she can pop back
and forth between wordstar, basic, and a communications program very,
very quickly (for CP/M :-) ).

  -Todd Burkey
   trb@stag.UUCP