Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ho95e.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!qantel!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ho95e!wcs From: wcs@ho95e.UUCP (Bill.Stewart.4K435.x0705) Newsgroups: net.micro.atari Subject: Re: New OS for 520ST?? Message-ID: <194@ho95e.UUCP> Date: Wed, 25-Sep-85 17:35:30 EDT Article-I.D.: ho95e.194 Posted: Wed Sep 25 17:35:30 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 1-Oct-85 08:58:09 EDT References: <8509241753.AA02598@nlm-vax.ARPA> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 20 > Don't be too sure the Atari folk are totally disdainful of the IBM-PC > compatable world. TOS (or GEMDOS) used in the Atari is essentially a 68000 > version of MS-DOS, and there are little things like using IBM key scan codes, > an IBM-PC compatible disk file structure, etc. If you can write a software > emulator for an IBM-PC which runs on the Amiga, you should be able to just as > easily write one for the Atari ST, especially considering the above. Of course > you could just put a 8086 or 80286 in a box on the side for that matter. > > I'm not too sure what the folks at Atari have up their sleeve, but I doubt > they've missed anything so obvious as the position the IBM-PC has in the > market. Neither have the Commodore people. Presumably th e reason for porting the British Operating System to the 520 is that it was easy to do quickly, and gives you access to a reasonable software base in a hurry. Porting MSDOS may not be difficult, if your comments about TOS<->MSDOS similarity are correct, but getting a 68000 to run machine code from the braindamaged 808[68] micros in realtime is difficult.. -- ## Bill Stewart, AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ 1-201-949-0705 ihnp4!ho95c!wcs