[Coco] Ownership of NitOS-9

[Gene Heskett]

On Thursday 06 November 2014 12:58:31 Bill Pierce via Coco did opine
And Gene did reply:
> Gene,
> The way BootMajik will work is just that, dynamically linked arrays
> that flag a dependacy tree. When one item is selected, any "required"
> links in the tree (modules) are automatically selected, the "optional"
> modules are user selected (all point n click). The hard part is to
> make the tree. One needs a "complete" list of all known modules in the
> NitrOS9 repo (which I have), then theoretically, the array tree for an
> RBF or SCF driver would be: Driver(Manager(Subs(Descriptors))) (some
> will vary) To step the user through, I have devised a system of
> point-n-click selection: Coco Model 1, 2, or 3
> NitrOS9 Level 1 or 2 (L1 will be autoselected for Coco 1 & 2)
> CPU 6809 or 6309
> Boot Method DW4, Floppy, HD, ect..
> 
> From there, the driver/descriptors step through RBF, SCF, Pipe, and
> Clock. And yes.... it's a long list but by using virtual memory (very
> similar to the way MyRam does, but using 8k get/put buffers), I can
> keep VERY large arrays in memory. Also, each section can be loaded
> from a disk file as needed so the whole thing doen't need to be in
> memory at once. Using this method, I even have room for a short 1/2
> line description when needed. I've been working this out and trying
> various parts of it for about 2 years now. I've even thought about
> including a "user's modules" list for the user's "custom" modules that
> are not in the repo. This way you can add your own modules to the
> list. The file list and the actual modules wile be stored in it's own
> disk or directory on the HD. To update the repo... just change the
> disk or recopy the files to the HD (disk or HD will be user's choice).
> The virtual memory routines are functional and already in use in
> MShell. I can store my complete CMDS dir with file attributes and
> stats for each entry, not to mention various flags for system use.
> Each record entry is about 58 bytes. My CMDS dir has about 526
> files... (do the math...)  all in memory at once. In fact, the array
> will max out at about 1129 records and could be much larger, but I
> doubt many people have any directories much larger. The PC dirs are
> 270 bytes per record (to account for long filenames) and will max out
> at about 480 records and will probably be larger in the finished
> program. MShell displays 2 such lists!!  This also makes storing large
> directories of the DW4 server PC's HD dirs possible. Even with the
> long filenames, and yes... it will access the server's files so you
> can move files from PC to OS9 to PC :-) The display for BootMajik will
> be the same GUI used for MShell which is built on Mike Knudsen's
> "Ultimuse3" GUI which is clean and uncluttered, also very stable. The
> graphics handler for the GUI does 28 lines in 80 columns on the screen
> in 640x192 / 2 color mode, so there' plenty of screen real estate, and
> the 2 panels are scrollable (3-4 panels in BootMajik). In BootMajik,
> the leftmost panel will display the initial driver list of type RBF,
> SCF, Pipe, or Clock. The next panel displays the managers (if any)
> available from the left selection, the next panel gives the descriptor
> list from the selected manager, then the last panel will show the
> complete selected system (so far) in proper order, adding new files as
> they are selected. This last panel can be edited by selection to
> add/remove sections as need or when you realize you made a wrong
> choice. So yes, it can be done, and I will do it :-)
> 
> 
> Bill Pierce
> "Today is a good day... I woke up" - Ritchie Havens
> 
> 
> My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
> https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
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> http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com>
> To: coco <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Sent: Thu, Nov 6, 2014 8:59 am
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Ownership of NitOS-9
> 
> 
> I think that is a great idea.  But there is one showstopper problem.
> 
> Exactly none of the I/O devices we have today, is capable of being
> interrogated on the hardware level, and returning an $Id string.
> 
> So you are still stuck with asking the user to identify his hardware
> and its configuration.  For those who have had their stuff for yonks,
> likely no problem, we know what we have.  But for the new bee, whats
> an MPI, or whats a 1Gb hard drive, scsi or ide?  Addressed as CHS, or
> LBA?
> 
> I think you can see where I'm going.  You are going to wind up building
> the list on non-volatile media, and chain linking the various bits and
> pieces because its going to be a rather lengthy program when done.
> 
> Cheers, Gene Heskett

And that is sounding so good I can almost taste it!
Waiting with baited breath.(speeling intentional ;)

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
US V Castleman, SCOTUS, Mar 2014 is grounds for Impeaching SCOTUS