[Coco] Sugestions for new NitrOS-9 versions

[Bill Pierce]

Next NitrOS-9 revision?

(Level 1)
First, reduce the memory size in NitrOS9 Level 1
The original OS-9 L1 boot left about 162 pages free
The current NitrOS-9 boot leaves less than 140 pages. I have been able to "sacrifice" some drivers and get it up to 152 pages free, but that doesn't seem to be enough for DeskMate and several other "legacy" programs to run. The "C" compiler has very little memory for it's operations as well as Basic09. Only very small programs can be developed. Most games that use a 6k Pmode screen will not run. What good is all the functionality when no sofware will run?

(Level 2)
2nd. Fix an issue that when in 80 col, 2 color mode and using MultiVue type menus (CoWin), the menu bar is garbled. Everything runs, but the menu bar is being displayed wrong. This happens in any program using MultiVue menus in 2 color 640x200 mode. All other modes seem to function right. I've traced this back to about NOS9 3.2.6 is the last version without this bug.

3rd. I agree with everyone else, multiple paths for CHX.

4th. Better handling of "wildcards". Shell Plus does this OK when the program supports it, but can it be made a part of the system and work on all software?

5th. Integrate all RBF "core" orprations into one driver. RBDW, RB1773, and a "generic" HD driver in one module could possibly save some space (??). One driver "to rule them all" (this could possibly help with #1 above).

6th. Utilize "Virtual Memory" outside the 64k work space. Even just moving program "data" space to vmem would help tremendously, but "flat" memory space would expand NitrOS-9 programs to the limits of physical memory. Other systems did it, why can't ours?

7th. Again, I agree with the others, no more "LSN0" head banging for every HD disk access. I understand the whole "floppy" thing but on a fixed disk, this should be possible. Descriptors are marked as "typ=80" on a fixed drive, so the driver should be able to discriminate. In DW, the server could notify the driver of a VHD change.

8th. Updated documentation. Most of the NitrOS-9 docs are just copies of the original OS-9 docs with the module names updated. There was a lot of functionality added to NitrOS-9 through the years that's never been documented. Things like "named pipes", new syscalls, new graphics and menu functions etc. We can't use them if we don't know how they work.

There's more, just can't think of it right now :-)


Bill Pierce
"Today is a good day... I woke up" - Ritchie Havens
 

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