Re: [MiNT] Future (was Re: MiNT 1.16)

["Konrad M. Kokoszkiewicz" <draco@obta.uw.edu.pl>]

> > Generally, I tend to think, that software that modifies trap vectors
> > should be loaded before MiNT. I even though of disabling the code that
> 
> Once MiNT is self-contained as far as GEMDOS/BIOS/XBIOS is concerned,
> those earlier modified traps won't ever be called...

Once, yes, but I was writing about *present* time.
 
> > How would you check the privileges from outside the MiNT? AFAIK, an
> > external program could do it only via trap calls, and this is sloooow :-)
> 
> There's no real need for a Trap to be slow. The trap itself is about
> 30 cycles on a 68000, 20 on an '030 and 16 on an '040.

I know. But I also know what procedure MiNT has behind a trap and this,
eventhough isn't really slow, isn't the fastest either. Anyways, as Frank
suggested, having VDI as XDD module would give it faster access to
appropriate internal structures, and there is no real need to create
special backdoors for auto programs or whatever.

> By the way, I'm somewhat surprised that noone has done anything about
> the calling methods. After all, there are lots of free traps that could
> be used to provide a smarter interface to MiNT, for programs that are
> aware of it.

The current interface is satisfying in my opinion. But if you have better
idea, please stop to be surprised :-) and go ahead with a proposal.

> > This is the problem of answering the question, whether we want MiNT to be
> > a complete self-contained OS, or rather we want it to rely on underlying
> 
> Why would anyone want that?

Why anyone would want what?
 
> And an AES and a desktop, I presume?

You presume wrong.
 
--
Konrad M.Kokoszkiewicz
mail: draco@atari.org
http://draco.atari.org

** Ea natura multitudinis est,
** aut servit humiliter, aut superbe dominatur (Liv. XXIV,25)
*************************************************************
** Taka to juz natura pospolstwa, ze albo sluzy ono unizenie,
** albo bezczelnie sie panoszy.