Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ginosko!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!pawl!shadow
From: shadow@pawl.rpi.edu (Deven T. Corzine)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: An IFF-based filesystem? (Re: Why do you need metaphor?)
Message-ID: 
Date: 12 Aug 89 23:14:03 GMT
References: <7570@cbmvax.UUCP> <440@xdos.UUCP> <1417@bnr-fos.UUCP>
	<15863@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Sender: usenet@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Lines: 73
In-reply-to: rtczegledi@crocus.waterloo.edu's message of 11 Aug 89 16:09:41 GMT


On 11 Aug 89 16:09:41 GMT,
rtczegledi@crocus.waterloo.edu (Richard Czegledi) said:

Richard> Something that I feel would be very useful (not to mention
Richard> nice) is to give the amiga the ability to put 'files' under
Richard> 'files'.  Waterloo Port does something like that.

4 months ago, I posted to comp.sys.amiga.tech about this very idea,
albeit somewhat more thought out.  I'm afraid I don't have a copy of
the article I posted; only replies to it.  (I have all articles I've
posted since 6/28/89.)  The article I posted was "Subject: An
IFF-based filesystem?", posted to comp.sys.amiga.tech, message ID
.  If anyone has a copy of
the article, please email it to me?

Part of what I wrote:  [was included in a reply]

Deven> I've got an idea to bounce off the net here...  In considering
Deven> design and implementation of a file system for Amigix, I have
Deven> been contemplating the idea of designing a filesystem which is
Deven> structurally similar to Unix, but which has library support for
Deven> manipulating IFF files, and which actually uses IFF files for
Deven> object files, executables and any other filesystem-specific
Deven> formats.

I went on to describe how documentation, manual pages, readme files,
icons, startup screens, etc. could all be imbedded in the same file as
the executable.

Also:

In article <1149.AA1149@geo-works> bryan@geo-works.UUCP
(Bryan Ford) writes:

Bryan> Good idea.  Too bad the Amiga's executable file formats aren't
Bryan> forward compatible like IFF.  Hmmm...I wonder if it would be
Bryan> feasible to create a new executable file format that uses an
Bryan> IFF standard for executables.  Maybe 'X68K'?  Who knows.
Bryan> Probably wouldn't be practical, unless C-A is planning to put
Bryan> IFF stuff in ROM.

In  on 6/27/89, I wrote:

Deven> This is exactly the idea I have been contemplating using for
Deven> the standard executable format for Amigix.  (Amigix is a
Deven> (major) project based in part on implementing Unix V7 on the
Deven> Amiga... Email for more info, or check comp.sys.amiga.tech if
Deven> the old threads haven't expired.)

Deven> The idea is you could put other things, like an icon, startup
Deven> screen, the actual source code, stack size, whatever, all with
Deven> the binary.  It could be a very flexible format.  I haven't had
Deven> time to work extensively on it, however.  :-(

Deven> As for putting it in ROM, the amigix.library (containing IFF
Deven> support code and loader, along with Unix syscalls and other
Deven> stuff) would be in RAM, but shared, so it could do well
Deven> enough...  thoughts/comments?

Bryan> Oh well, nice idea while it lasted...

Deven> Oh, it's still a nice idea...  I haven't dropped it yet.

It's a good idea, which I've thought a lot about.  I wish I had the
time and resources to *do* something about it...  Someday...

Deven
--
Deven T. Corzine        Internet:  deven@rpi.edu, shadow@pawl.rpi.edu
Snail:  2214 12th Street, Troy, NY 12180       Phone:  (518) 271-0750
Bitnet:  deven@rpitsmts, userfxb6@rpitsmts     UUCP:  uunet!rpi!deven
Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible.