Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 18:58:59 +0000 From: James Mansion <james@wgold.demon.co.uk> To: FreeBSD-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: pcvt/132 columns Message-ID: <3325AB73.7FD1@wgold.demon.co.uk> References: <199703111658.JAA25415@phaeton.artisoft.com>
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Terry Lambert wrote: > > > > As to your question, it's a non-sequitur... DOS supports .EXE files, > > > but BIOS POST does not. You also presume (incorrectly) that DOS is > > > an OS. > > > > Terry, I may not think very highly of DOS, even given the context in > > which it was written, but it is an OS, at least I maintain it is. Could > > you defend that remark? > > It is a disk loader and a non-reentrant real mode interrupt handler; I > know this is already common knowledge... > > It does not have these OS features: These might be worthwhile features, but to claim that something which does not implement them is not an OS and is 'a loader' is just playing with words. While I agree that the items on your list are valuable, I think you are manipulating language unreasonably. > > o Multitasking (an OS which can not multitask is a loader, not > an OS) Be realistic - it might load your app, but it continues to provide services to the app (and the various device drivers). It is not 'just a loader'. Its an OS. A nasty one. > o Resource tracking > o Memory (the big one) > o Open file handles > o Anything not hung off the PSP Show me a definition (other than YOURS that makes this a requirement. > o Memory protection Hmm - maybe we should call Apple's system 'MacLoader' then. > o System reentrancy (there is a single BIOS call stack for > most BIOS calls, which is why they are not available to > TSR's that don't supply their own system stack) Again, show me a justification why this is a requirement. > o Fault recovery (pretty obvious it can't be done without > resource tracking and memory protection, etc.) > > In addition, an OS enables software engineering. I could go on for > days about how DOS fails in this regard. A *good OD* might. But its by no means a requirement. > > Regards, > Terry Lambert > terry@lambert.org > --- > Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present > or previous employers.
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