[Coco] Does anyone have a Level3 disk that actually boots?

Robert Gault robert.gault at att.net
Fri Nov 28 16:08:17 EST 2014


Michael Kerpan wrote:
> Long time lurker, wandering out of the shadows here with a simple question:
> what exactly does Level 3 bring to the table over and above level 2? Given
> that Level 2 is already making full use of the 6*09 and the Coco 3 MMU, I'm
> confused as to what Level 3 could possibly add.
>
> Mike
>

Mike,

Here is a quote from Alan DeKok who developed most of Level III.
"Level III enables you to have about 25 _different_ processes
running in different windows, all at the same time!  The only way that this
is possible on a Level II system is to strip your OS9Boot file down to almost
nothing.  Level III allows you to keep all of your favorite modules in your
OS9Boot."

In short, memory is handled differently from Level II and appears to be used 
more efficiently. Unfortunately, the source code for Level III seems to have 
been lost and the actual workings can't be compared with the current versions of 
Level II. As NitrOS-9 is more efficient than OS-9 (on which Level III is based), 
comparisons of Level III with current code need to be done.
We don't know which is better or what the difference would now be.

Robert



More information about the Coco mailing list