Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!mcvax!unido!tub!tmpmbx!netmbx!hase From: hase@netmbx.UUCP (Hartmut Semken) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Standardization Message-ID: <1509@netmbx.UUCP> Date: 12 Mar 88 17:00:56 GMT References: <880307110110123.AHJN@Mars.UCC.UMass.EDU> <1370@alliant.Alliant.COM> Reply-To: hase@netmbx.UUCP (Hartmut Semken) Organization: netmbx Public Access Unix, Berlin Lines: 36 In article <1370@alliant.Alliant.COM> rosenkra@alliant.UUCP (Bill Rosenkranz) writes: > >first of all, atari has virtually no control over the OS: i don't even >think they have source to much of GEM/TOS/GEMDOS/... it's difficult even >to know the proper NAME of the OS and it's parts, let alone specific >details. I think they have (al last Alan Pratt said he had the sources..). Names! Whats important about names? > atari was not remiss in leaving a fair amount of discression >up to developers and warned continously about using "non standard" or >reserved things (sys variables, etc.). Right. And the lack of *good* documentation is the difference to Mama Blue. They made an open system, documented it and money came. I believe, it was not only the appaerance of three magical letters (and the bucks behind them). >you are naive to think that programmers will magically band together >and standardize the way things are done, especially those of us in it >for the $$$. Why not? If Atari does nothing about it? If we all talk about the bugs and 'hidden features', tell the comunity about worarounds etc? > >i really don't know how further standardization will give you any more >power. for all its problems , GEM ain't too bad. My employer 'forced' me to do some work on a MAC II; I dislike GEM more and more.... hase -- Hartmut Semken, Berlin (West) (*east of West-Germany :-) hase@netmbx.UUCP I think, you may be right in what I think you're thinking. (Douglas Adams)