Why doesn't Ardi work on making Executor CHRP and or PREP compliant. What I mean is, Apple is making the new OS platform independant. If Ardi were to make Executor make a standard x86 system look like a CHRP or PREP compliant system, you could run either natively, or in emulation, Copland (system 8). This would give you all the system 7 functionality, and then allow you to run all Mac apps. This would require a heavy duty processor, but Apple should like the idea because it gets the Mac OS in front of a whole new crowd without forcing them to by new computers. After a while, people can then upgrade to a full fledged Mac, or continue to use E/x.
My $.02. ;>
Bill Miller
wjm@wwa.com
w-miller@flamingo.district125.k12.il.us
----------
From: Clifford T. Matthews[SMTP:ctm@ardi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 1995 7:19 PM
To: Jeff Koftinoff
Cc: 'Executor List'
Subject: RE: Executor 2.0 CD-ROM
>>>>> "Jeff" == Jeff Koftinoff <jeffk@awinc.com> writes:
>> >The CD-ROMs will be in a jewelbox and have a 32-page
>> mini-manual that >explains how to install Executor and briefly
>> describes how to operate >it. That will be supplemented by
>> on-line documentation that covers >use in depth and also has
>> technical information for programmers.
>>
Jeff> Cool! technical information! Does this mean, the I, as a mac
Jeff> programmer can write software that would be able to 'know'
Jeff> that it is running executor, and possibly do executor/386
Jeff> specific things?
Yes, that is our goal. Tentatively we'll use gestalt to build a
virtual gestalt call that will tell you stuff about the environment of
the emulator as opposed to the normal gestalt which returns
information about the emulated environment. One of the pieces of
information you'll be able to get will be how to jump into native
code. This will allow people to make versions of Mac programs with
x86 speedups for compute intensive parts.
We know how we're going to do this, but we haven't gotten around to it
yet.
Jeff> I did this on the Mac Emulator for the Atari ST in 1988 - My
Jeff> software was able to determine that it was running under the
Jeff> Mac OS on an Atari and then the software would access the
Jeff> Atari's MIDI port and timer hardware directly. Of course on
Jeff> a real mac it would work as well via the Mac hardware.
Jeff> There are lots of fun things that could be done. But please
Jeff> don't delay 2.0 too much.
Right, it's a tricky tradeoff. Theoretically we are adding no new
functionality between now and E 2 beta, but this one's been on the
board for a while, so will probably appear in 1.99p7 or 1.99q.
