bobmon@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (outsider) (03/30/88)
+> the point of the Windows/OS2 approach. What characterizes the new generation +> of OS's is not their graphical nature per se, but the use of hardware +> independent device *drivers* to control all communication with the user. + +Ah, yes...the "new" generation. Like OS-9, which has supported dynamic linking +and dynamically loadable device drivers on the 6809 since about 1980, and on +the 68xxx since about 1984? OS-9 doesn't count. It's easy to program a microprocessor like a real computer. Toaster oven controllers present more of a challenge. (Go ahead, flame me. I deserve it. But I couldn't pass that up :-) -~-~-~- Intel architectures build character. (Who'd I steal this from?)
kers@otter.hple.hp.com (Christopher Dollin) (03/31/88)
This may be drifting a bit but ... >Ah, yes...the "new" generation. Like OS-9, which has supported dynamic linking >and dynamically loadable device drivers on the 6809 since about 1980, and on >the 68xxx since about 1984? I seem to remember that you could load new device drivers into RT-11 in 1976. Admittedly, you needed to patch the live kernel; one of the students at Bath wrote a little program to do that bit for you. I can't remember what the restrictions were, but there must have been some. Regards, Kers | "Why Lisp if you can talk Poperly?"