91_bickingd@GAR.UNION.EDU ("Bicking, David") (11/22/90)
>Subject: Windows for Amiga?? Maybe!! >Message-ID: <90324.194527JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu> >Date: 21 Nov 90 00:45:27 GMT >Organization: Penn State University >Ok, before you flame me or fall on the floor laughing at the Subject >above, read the story below. I'm only posting this because I was >very shocked at first and then eventually convinced myself: Ok. I'll give you a chance. Then I'll kill you :) >It all started when I noticed the cover story on a friend's MacWeek. >It said "MicroSoft ports Windows to Mac." As I laughed out loud at >the very notion, the friend and another Mac developer both quieted >my humor. Apparently they both liked the idea. I read in infoworld that OS/2 will be ported to 68K platforms, so this is a serious possibility. I don't like the idea. Reasons will follow later in this post. >Further discussion revealed the reason: They're developers. The >Mac is inherently difficult compared to Windows to program from a >GUI standpoint. The small company we all work for will spend over >one million dollars in the next few months porting our software from >PC to Mac. "Much of that expense," they said, "could be alleviated >if we didn't have to rewrite all the graphic procedures. We could >devote our time to converting the fundamental routines." Lazy bums :) Actually, if the code were written WELL, it would be easier to convert over than one might think. Just keep the system specific code together and well documented. It would not be too dificult to find equivalent code for other platforms. >"We'd be very surprised if MicroSoft didn't port Windows to every >major platform in the near future. That way, software for Mac, >PC, and UNIX could easily be ported from one system to another." This is similar to Lenin saying, "communism is better. Everyone will be equal and no one will be poor". This is Gates' attempt at monopolizing the market. Frightenning as it sounds, he might succeed. >Being the Amiga affectionado I am, I felt a bit slighted that it >was not mentioned as one of their "major" platforms. "So what (GRIN) >it's Windows or die. Either MicroSoft (or Commodore if MicroSoft >isn't interested) will need to port Windows to the Amiga if it >is to survive." Yeah, just like, ".. But is it IBM compatible?", or "there's not enough software for the amiga, so it won't last". I don't think the Amiga would die. In fact, I think it would do better IF C= could convince consumers WB is better than windows. >I felt very funny about this notion at first, but then the idea >of more portable software really began to sink in. I had one last >objection though: "You know, mediocrity thrives on standardization. >What about each computer's special abilities? Will they be suppressed >in favor of standard methods?" ANSI standards allow for more portable code. Object orientated languages make more portable code. Windows IS A KLUDGE. Why force it on everyone???? "Oh, we're too lazy to write good code, so we'll make the end user conform to a KLUDGE to make our lives easier", Yeah, RIGHT. >Well, apparently they both had confidence (although one more than >the other) that Microsoft would leave the hooks available for custom >abilities. There would be a vast library of calls, not all of which And Pigs Fly. >All in all, the concept of making code much more easily portable is >enticing enough that I don't think we should throw this idea out without >at least considering it. There are two major issues to be addressed >also: You want portable code? Write in ANSI C or C++. Keep your system specific routines together in the source, and build a library of "equivalents" on other platforms. Give these equivalents the same name except add a unique qualifier. IE: drawline_mac(), drawline_Ami(), Drawline_MSD(), Drawline_Unix(), etc. make the parameters similar, if possible (tho this is the sticking point in conversions) >1) Trusting Microsoft or whoever does the port to do it right; include >the hooks and calls to enable each machine to strut its stuff. Yeah, right. >2) Making sure the port gets done in the first place, assuming Windows >does indeed take off, and sell on the Mac and gets ported to UNIX. >The Amiga being left behind in such a market is a scary thought. If it came to that, I agree, we'd have to conform to the "standard", and I'd probably stop using computers :) > Please keep the flames on this one to a minimum; > I don't like Bill Gates that much either!! ;-) I tried to keep it informative, Really I did! :P -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=- 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 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-