91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") (11/22/90)
>From: JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT) >Subject: Re: Windows for Amiga?? Maybe!! >Date: 22 Nov 90 02:49:39 GMT >Organization: Penn State University >Clarification: Windows need not LOOK like MS-DOS windows. You could >have the same calls as MS-DOS windows, but the machine-specific routines >would open Mac-looking windows on Mac and WorkBench-looking windows on >Amiga. Therefore, Windows need not sacrifice the "Look and Feel" of >any platform it is ported to. > >A friend (credit to IMS103@PSUVM) suggested that the Amiga version >be in the form of a "windows.lib", similar to the arp.lib. Would >this not work? Do you realize you are talking about what is essentially an operating system? Do you realise it takes GOBS of memory to run Windows? Do you realize you are talking about having the equivalent of a SECOND Kickstart layered on top of the current one, but in RAM? -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=- Dave Bicking Single Tasking????? Just say NO!!!! Union College Box 152 91_bickingd@union.bitnet // Schenectady, NY 12308 91_bickingd@gar.union.edu \X/ Amiga -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
p554mve@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de (Michael van Elst) (11/26/90)
In article <9011220510.AA19265@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> 91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") writes: > Do you realize you are talking about what is essentially an operating >system? Do you realise it takes GOBS of memory to run Windows? Do you realize >you are talking about having the equivalent of a SECOND Kickstart layered on >top of the current one, but in RAM? Well, windows for the IBM PC needs to be a complete operating system since it has to add a lot of functionality to the plain MS-DOS to allow f.e. multi-tasking (somehow) and interclient communcation. The AmigaOS does provide these services already, so the only thing you'd need would be a translation library that converts Windows calls into AmigaOS calls (and maybe some graphics data too). But then, I don't think that this would be valuable. Regards, -- Michael van Elst UUCP: universe!local-cluster!milky-way!sol!earth!uunet!unido!mpirbn!p554mve Internet: p554mve@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de "A potential Snark may lurk in every tree."
es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) (11/27/90)
In article <1388@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de> p554mve@mpirbn.UUCP (Michael van Elst) writes: >Well, windows for the IBM PC needs to be a complete operating system since >it has to add a lot of functionality to the plain MS-DOS to allow f.e. >multi-tasking (somehow) and interclient communcation. > >The AmigaOS does provide these services already, so the only thing you'd >need would be a translation library that converts Windows calls into >AmigaOS calls (and maybe some graphics data too). > >But then, I don't think that this would be valuable. > On the contrary, it might be extremely valuable. Example: Commodore is approaching company X which makes an incredible product for windows. They say, "We'd really like you to port your program." The amount of money required is directly proportional to the amount of time the port will take, which is also dir. prop. to the difficulty of the port. Most programs today which are written in C are extremely portable, with the interface often being the only major problem. If that problem is removed by writing a mswindows.library which, once opened, will translate all the MS Windows calls into equivalent AmigaDOS 2.0/GadTools calls, the company could do the port with just one or two people in a matter of months, quite possibly. Now people are saying that they want an Amigatized port, but considering that the Amiga is currently being ignored by most major software houses I'd say an OK port is better than none! Let the product come out and the updates can come later. If MS developed this product and sold it for $150 list, it would be a big seller (assuming $75 street), and would, truthfully, be pirated enough to make it worthwhile for ports to appear. Something similar could be done for Macintosh, but Apple would flip out and sue everyone in sight. If it were a PD job, however, there couldn't be a law suit. Any "opinions" on this from Commodore sorts? >Regards, >-- >Michael van Elst >UUCP: universe!local-cluster!milky-way!sol!earth!uunet!unido!mpirbn!p554mve >Internet: p554mve@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de > "A potential Snark may lurk in every tree." -- Ethan Woody Allen on Los Angeles: "I mean, who would want to live in a place where the only cultural advantage is that you can turn right on a red light?"
pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic) (11/28/90)
In a previous article, es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) says: (Info about the advantages of a mswindow.library for MS-Windows programs deleted) > Something similar could be done for Macintosh, but Apple >would flip out and sue everyone in sight. If it were a PD job, >however, there couldn't be a law suit. > Any "opinions" on this from Commodore sorts? Just in from the latest MacWeek (vol 4 no 40): Microsoft technology to tie Mac to Windows. What's good for Windows users is good for Mac users. At least that seemed to be Microsoft Corps.'s message at Comdex/Fall '90 last week when the company announced it also would embrace the Mac with its new Windows technologies. Wrapped in a haze of terms such as "linking" and "embedding" (see related story, Page 8), the technologies will take on flesh as operating system extensions to both the Windows and Macintosh environments, the company said. (more text not typed in) But why would Macintosh application developers use Microsoft's facilities rather than those built into System 7.0? Two reasons, said Mike Maples, Microsoft vice president of applications: consistency across platforms and because Microsoft does it better. (rest of article not typed in) There you have it folks, at first I found the idea of MS-Windows on the Amiga kind of hard to swallow, but it could be the key to getting some big name software. -- /// Pete Babic - pab@po.cwru.edu | /// /\ Integrated Library Systems | \\\ /// /--\MIGA Case Western Reserve University | \\\/// The future is here now!