[net.micro.6809] Wanted OS-9 Features

knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) (10/03/85)

Since somebody asked, and Microware is active on the net:
Features & Programs I would like best on OS-9:

(1) A REAL Shell, including at least:
	Wild-card file names with * and ?
	$1, $2, etc. arguments to shell scripts
	Some conditional tests (not much)
	
(2) Some means of avoiding that one, huge, flat /cmds
directory.  A limited PATH scheme, with just ONE alternate
place to look if an executable file isn't in current /cmds.
At least, let me keep my own C compiles and BASIC09 "packs"
separate from system utilities so I can see what I have.
	Of course, having a decent "dir" command (with filename
arguments) would eliminate a lot of the needs above.

(3) A good screen editor, exactly like EMACS. DynaStar is close,
but not close enuf.

I run OS-9 Level 1 on a CoCo, so am well aware of the
features -vs- RAM & disk-space tradeoffs.
Might want to have the Shell enhancements in a separate
module that could be loaded and unlinked as needed.
	Thanks for "listening" -- mike k
	

jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (10/04/85)

     A couple of small changes I'd like
to see are:

1.  The syntax of 'save' reversed, so
it'd be consistent with the rest of
OS-9.  I can't see a good reason to
do it 'backwards'.

2.  'dir e' doesn't give the date.  Why
it bothers with the time without the
date is surprising.  When I pipe it
to the printer for a record, I end up
having to date them by hand.

3.  On the Color Computer version 1.00.00
you could call in with any combination
of terminal settings (8 bit no parity,
7 bit even, 7 bit odd) and everything
was fine for login and entering commands.
Now with 1.01.00, I have to come in
with 8 bit.  This is frustrating.
One computer I use doesn't have 8 bit
no parity.  What happened to the
filtered input?

4.  /t2 on the Color Computer should
have automatic switching for 300/1200
and maybe 2400 baud rates (at least
optional).  I guess that's Tandy's
problem?

                     Cheers! -- Jim O.

-- 
James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto
ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura
Byte Information eXchange: jimomura
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jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (10/04/85)

     One thing which may be big or small
(I'm not sure):  Full dates (that is
1985/10/03).  I *need* full dates.  I
plan 21 years in advance for some
things!

     And if the Shack's people tie in
here, they should know that being
limited to 35 tracks of 1 side of a
disk is rediculous (most people I know
are running 40 tracks double sided).

                     Cheers! -- Jim O.

-- 
James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto
ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura
Byte Information eXchange: jimomura
Compuserve: 72205,541
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fnf@unisoft.UUCP (10/07/85)

In article <489@ihwpt.UUCP> knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) writes:
>Since somebody asked, and Microware is active on the net:
>Features & Programs I would like best on OS-9:
>
>(1) A REAL Shell, including at least:
>	Wild-card file names with * and ?
>	$1, $2, etc. arguments to shell scripts
>	Some conditional tests (not much)
>	

When I worked for Four Phase Systems about a year ago, I remember that
one of my coworker's wanted the same thing under FPS's ISOS running on
their 6809 machines (ISOS is based on OS-9 as I recall, much like
Xenix is based on Unix).  So he spent a couple of weeks of spare time
and ported the standard system V bourne shell to ISOS.  I understand
that it wasn't real easy, but it was possible, and functioned reasonably
well.  I mention this just to indicate that it might be possible to
do the same thing with the standard OS-9 product.

-Fred


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