[Coco] Weird errors

[Boisy Pitre]

I knew the tmode change would eventually cause grief.  Let me explain  
the reasoning for changing tmode's syntax.

The new tmode has roots in Bruce Isted's enhanced "exmode".  exmode,  
which came with the SACIA driver, was a better xmode utility with  
more options and a simplified syntax (albeit different from xmode).   
The decision to move from xmode to exmode necessitated in my mind the  
need to also change tmode, since both are very similar.  In fact,  
tmode is built from the same xmode.asm source as xmode is.  The only  
difference is an assemble time command line switch.

My philosophy of NitrOS-9 is that compatibility with OS-9 is  
important, but so is the evolution of the operating system.  The OS  
lends itself to extensibility by allowing for the addition of system  
calls, file managers and drivers which can modify the personality of  
the system.  Utilities are also susceptible to enhancements and  
modifications.  That can mean introduction of new "standard  
distribution" utilities (ded, megaread, etc) or, when there is a  
compelling feature, changes to existing utilities.

There is the dilemma of breaking existing software.  As Robert and  
others have pointed out, using the old tmode would fix the syntax  
problem for older programs.  However, I am personally not opposed to  
adding "-echo" and "echo" in the existing tmode/xmode to accommodate  
these programs, and add other "backwards compatible" options as they  
arise.

Does this sound like a good compromise?
--
Boisy G. Pitre
337.781.3570 mobile
email: boisy at boisypitre.com
Website: www.boisypitre.com

"If there is truth to the proposition that knowing the past helps us  
to understand the present, I believe there is at least as much truth  
to the proposition that what we know of the present is crucial to our  
understanding of the past.  What we have not ourselves experienced or  
observed we can at most only partially and imperfectly comprehend;  
and I suspect that there is much in history that is so remote from  
our own experiences or observations as to be largely beyond our  
understanding." - Kenneth M. Stamp



On Sep 12, 2006, at 6:25 AM, Robert Gault wrote:

> Willard Goosey wrote:
>> <snip>
>> Or, as Rob Gault advised me (crankily) when I complained about this,
>> download the source for tmode and add the old style options back in.
> ><snip>
>
> That's not my call. Try talking Boisy out of making these changes  
> some time. :)
>
> -- 
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco